Guilty Gear XX Reload - The Midnight Carnival (Japan / Asia)
PlayStation 2
🇯🇵
Reviewed in 2003
90
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✪ Reviewed on March 30, 2025
84
Reload version of Guilty Gear XX with improved balancing over the original. The original roster is maintained with the same fundamental mechanics. For players wanting the transitional version between original XX and Accent Core in the competitive lineage.
Your verdict
Category
Fighting2 players12+
Description
Japanese, Asian and Korean edition of XX #Reload released in 2003. Same competitive tweaks and same character additions as the European version, but distributed under the Japanese title "GUILTY GEAR XX #Reload - The Midnight Carnival." The version most widely used on the Asian competitive scene of the time.
Guilty Gear XX Reload - The Midnight Carnival review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
Hand-drawn high-definition sprites, flamboyant poses and heavy-metal imagery: Arc System Works' rock style bursts out every round. The energy of the animation and the boldness of the character design turn combat into a visual concert. This aesthetic strike, theatrical and furious, has lost none of its brilliance.
Signed by Daisuke Ishiwatari, the music makes a raging heavy metal scream, matching the stylised fury of the fights. Distorted riffs and blazing solos electrify every duel with an unabashed hard-rock energy. This blazing sonic identity, set from this first entry, would become the hallmark of a cult series.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first minutes"
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Mastering a nervy combat system blending Roman Cancels, air dashes and pinpoint combos turns every duel into a field of expression you constantly want to deepen. Unlocking characters and modes keeps reviving the practice. The technical barrier is high for the newcomer, but this stylish fire, its charismatic roster and its frenzied metal keep a formidable pull.
Difficulty
"Difficult"
Lifespan
"Massive"
A fleshed-out revision of the base game, this Reload version refines the balance and adds content to an already dizzying combat system. Learning the combos, taming each character and climbing in versus fills countless hours. That depth, reinforced by the tuning, founds a longevity competitors keep alive for a long time.
Technical info
💾1,4 GB📅31/07/2003
Published by Sammy
Guilty Gear XX Reload - The Midnight Carnival (PS2) price, value & rarity
A rare run of this Guilty Gear iteration, either a Japanese limited edition packed with extras or an Asian or Korean version with narrow distribution. Markedly rarer than the standard editions, it appeals to demanding fans of the series attentive to variants and provenance. Its desirability rests on this top-tier scarcity rather than on the game's distribution.
Better with friends
A snappy revision of the anime brawler, tightening the balance and smoothing a competition already dizzying in speed and panache. Everything pushes for boldness: chaining relentlessly, breaking the guard and flipping the situation with a well-felt gamble. Demanding for novices but heady in depth, it captivates the duelists who dive in and feeds fierce rivalries from rematch to rematch.
