Phantom Breaker: Extra for Xbox 360 - Sophia Guide Version 1.0 by Joshua Vaughn, a.k.a. Mikadok on GameFAQs/GameSpot and I Kei I on Shoryuken.com Facebook - Kei Mikado YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/user/Mikadok = = = = = = = = Copyright info = = = = = = = = Copyright 2013 Joshua Vaughn All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are owned by their respective trademark and copyright holders. This may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal, private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed publicly without advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other website or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Why'd you make this guide? = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = There are a number of reasons, but they all total out to my reasoning for bringing this out. - The original game never being released here, then vanishing off the radar in terms of information for the States. - No real attempt to make its status known anywhere outside of the areas it got sold in, despite Extra being region free. - The original being such an "eh" game (at best!) that people are likely going to sleep on Extra, even though 5pb and Mages basically pulled a Street Fighter with it. That last point's important. Much like Capcom did with the SF series, there were at -least- four different variations of Phantom Breaker leading up to Extra, and each one was used to more or less tighten things up for the game in terms of animation, gameplay, and game mechanics until they started to get things right. Now, four iterations later, we've got a MUCH faster, smoother game, a 20 character roster (a FAR cry from the few characters the original has), and overall, a very viable fighting game with a lot of depth behind it that many won't see. There are vids to accompany this guide to which you can find the links within the guide. I'd like to push it a bit so that anyone that -is- interested doesn't have to go in blind, and that there'll at least be -some- information out there, so I hope this helps. :3 = = = = = Controls = = = = = This game follows your standard four button layout in terms of your most basic controls, much like other anime fighters out there. A = Light B = Medium C = Heavy S = Special That aside, the numberpad notation format will be used here to make things a little easier. For quick reference, it's as follows. 7 8 9 u/b u u/f \ | / \ | / 4--5--6 b - N - f / | \ / | \ 1 2 3 d/b d d/f = = = = = = = = = Game Mechanics = = = = = = = = = Phantom Breaker: Extra has a surprisingly deep system despite its simplistic control scheme. = = = = = = = = = = = = Universal Mechanics = = = = = = = = = = = = Tension Gauge - - - - - - - - - The gauge at the top of the screen around the match clock is known as the Tension gauge. When you or your opponent perform certain actions -- dashing/running toward or around your opponent or breaking their guard, or Offsets (clashes) -- the gauge will begin to fill up. The higher the gauge goes, the more damage each person's attacks will do. When the gauge is full -- signified by it glowing blue -- you'll have a brief bit of time where your attacks will do much more damage than usual. You'll also gain 1 stock of meter consistently during the short time the Tension gauge is full, keeping you set with at least 100% meter until Tension mode wears off. There are other actions that are style specific dictated by this gauge as well that'll be outlined in their respective sections. Burst Gauge - - - - - - - - The gauges at the bottom of the screen are you and your opponents' Burst gauges. This fills up to two levels (100% and 200%, respectively) in Quick and Hard styles, and up to four levels (400%) in Extra style. This serves a number of uses outside of just allowing EX and Phantom Break moves, each of which will be detailed as we go along. This fills up as you attack, are attacked, are blocking attacks, moving forward, or clashing attacks with your opponent. Other Mechanics - - - - - - - - - - - When attacking with either the A, B, or C buttons, you're allowed a chain of three attacks while standing, and one while crouching or jumping. Characters have various command normals as well. - You can execute dash attacks by pressing either A, B, or C while running/dashing. To further push this, you can also cancel normals into dash attacks. Some dash attacks can be jump cancelled, but none can be cancelled by special moves. You can, however, cancel dash attacks with neutral S attacks, EX, or Phantom Break attacks. - Guarding while standing is as simple as staying neutral. That being said, you still have to adjust in order to guard against low attacks, meaning that high/low mixups are a very real possibility. Certain attacks have properties that make them unblockable to airborne opponents. - When you guard, you have to be careful, as you can have your guard crushed. This is indicated by the color of your guard when you block an attack. When it's red, you're in danger of being guard crushed. Certain actions will deteriorate your guard even further. Throws: You can execute Throws by pressing B+C at the same time near your opponent. You can also break throws with the same command. You cannot, however, break throws in the air. If you manage to grab a floored enemy from behind, they can't tech the throw. - The S button by itself serves a number of functions, some of which are unique to the style you use. Pressing the button for a brief moment, regardless of style, uses a bit of your Burst gauge to first guard, then perform an attack while grounded, though it only guards against high/mid attacks. If you guard during this, you can cancel the guard with a backdash, forward dash, jump or High Jump. You can cancel any normal, command normal or dash attack into one of these attacks. - The S button plus Forward, Down, or Back allows you to perform special moves. Pressing A+S when doing a special move will either change the move's properties or height/arc, or will change the move entirely. EX Specials: Pressing C+S and a direction will trigger an "EX" version of that technique that costs 100% meter to use. These act much more like super moves than special moves (complete with a character cut-in) and should likely be treated as such. You can cancel special moves into EX Specials. Phantom Break: Pressing C+S while standing in neutral while you have 200% meter with trigger your most powerful super, otherwise known here as your Phantom Break. These will actually differ depending on which style you use with a character, and some are certainly better than others. - - - - - - Overdrive Mode - - - - - - - - - - Activate your Overdrive mode by pressing A+B. Overdrive mode allows you to recover red health while the mode is active. It costs anywhere between 100% and 200% meter to use this, and the more meter you have, the longer it will stay active. You can activate Overdrive mode in mid-combo, so long as you have the meter to do so, allowing for some very interesting combo possibilities. There are various effects that come into play while you're in Overdrive Mode, and they differ depending on the style that you use. Two players can activate Overdrive at the same time, and it will cancel out certain effects, making it at times beneficial to utilize your own Overdrive as a countermeasure. Emergency Mode - - - - - - - - - - Activate Emergency Mode by pressing S while you're under attack if you have at least 1 stock of meter. You'll do a burst that pushes your opponent off of you. You do not recover red health while you have this activated, and should normally be used in the worst of situations, thus the name. - - - - - = = = = = Styles = = = = = There are three distinct styles in Phantom Breaker: Extra. Each one gives you certain advantages over others. We'll first try to outline each style so that you know what you can do when using each of them. Quick Style - - - - - - - - Run: Pretty self explanatory, really. Characters in this style can run with a f,f double tap. Double Jump: Exactly as it says, characters in Quick Style can double jump. You can double jump during a High Jump as well. This will also allow you to jump cancel many aerial attacks, and it's interesting to note that jump cancels work differently here, as you don't need to make contact with an attack in order to jump cancel it if it can be cancelled. Character specific sections will detail which attacks can be jump cancelled. Combo Chains: Players who utilize the Quick style will find that they have a much easier time comboing things together. In addition to the default chains given by being able to combo three A, B, or C attacks, characters in Quick Style can also string together combos of varying lengths between the three buttons. As a short example, a player can execute a chain of A,B,2C with no trouble using most characters. They of course can get much more extensive, however, and can even incoporate command normals, making mixups much stronger for most characters. You can chain these attacks together while crouching or airborne as well. Slip Shift: This is a dodge technique done by pressing forward when an opponent's attack is about to hit you. Think parrying from the SF series. Your character will step "through" the attack and you can counterattack. It is possible to do multiple Slip Shifts in a row. Guard Cancel Movements: You have the ability to cancel your guard with a forward dash, backdash or High Jump at the cost of some of your guard meter. Use these sparingly because it will speed up your chances of being guard crushed by a good deal. Air Guard Cancel Backdash: Quick style characters can backdash out of an aerial guard. Like Guard Cancel Movements, these will deteriorate your guard, though not as much. You cannot do these if you've already double jumped. Slip Shift cancels: If a character in Quick Style connects with neutral S attack, they can expend a little bit more meter to force a Slip Shift state and cancel the attack animation in order to follow up on their attack with either a forward dash, backward dash or High Jump, letting them make some distance, or creating more attack opportunities. Overdrive Mode Perk: When you activate Overdrive in Quick Style, time slows down for your opponent, forcing them into a "bullet time"-esque pace. Your character gains a speed boost in movement, and you're allowed to cancel any normal into any other normal/command normal/special move. You can also cancel special moves into normals, but not specials into other specials. -Other Notes about Quick Style- - A character in Quick style must land an attack before landing a sweep, or else it won't give them a knockdown. - Quick Style characters have lower stats than characters in Hard style. They'll deal less damage and take a little more damage, so smart offensive play is encouraged. - - - - - - - - Hard Style - - - - - - - - S charge Tension gain: Holding S while in this style when the Tension gauge isn't full makes it charge slightly, giving Hard style characters better Tension gain for more meter usage. Dash: Double tapping Forward will allow you to dash a short distance. No Double Jumps: Hard style characters lack the ability to double jump, which also takes away their ability to mix things up while airborne, and generally limits their mobility. Descent Delay: Holding up on the d-pad after jumping with result in your character delaying their fall very briefly. Smaller Combo Chains, higher Attack strength: While Hard style characters still have the default chains of using three of a single attack in a string, they lack the ability to chain between the three strengths that the Quick style grants. While they can still chain from either A->C or B->C, they can't do any chains between all three, lessening mixup potential. They, however, can break your guard more easily than someone in Quick Style can. Protection: A sort of parry, this is executed by pressing Forward right when an opponent's attack is supposed to connect. Much like your standard parry, this gives you more of an opportuity to counterattack your opponent, and like Slip Shifts, you can do this multiple times in a row. Unlike your standard parry, however, this is tied to your guard, meaning that you can be guard broken while attempting this. It is likewise color coded, and red is when you're in danger of being guard crushed. You can also use Protection in midair. It's noteworthy that you are able to use this against attacks that otherwise can't be guarded against. Set Burst: Holding the S button when you have full Tension and at least 1 level of meter in this style allows you to execute an attack that takes away all of your meter and, if it connects, the Tension gauge. This attack is unblockable and will do one huge chunk of damage all at once. Knowing when to use these can make them more deadly than even some EX or Phantom Break moves. Overdrive Mode Perk: Characters in Overdrive in this style gain a sort of armor-like state that allows them to plow through atacks while upkeeping an offense. They still take damage, but won't stagger, allowing them to keep up a stronger offensive. Unlike Quick style, they don't have the ability to chain most of their normal/command moves together. -Other notes about Hard Style- - Characters in Hard style can sweep without needing to hit something else before it. - Hard style characters tend to do more damage and take less damage as a whole. - - - - - - - - Extra Style - - - - - - - - New to Phantom Breaker: Extra is the Extra style. An odd meshing of the two styles, Extra allows you to utilize certain facets of both styles, while still being more limited than either style alone. It does allow some of its own unique facets, however. Shifting Styles: Instead of giving you a certain perk while entering Overdrive mode, Extra instead allows you to expend your meter in order to switch styles between Quick and Hard on the fly. Aspects of your playstyle will need to change to accommodate the change in mechanics, making this style more ideal for players in tune with the game's system. - If you're in Quick style, you have the standard ability to chain attacks much more freely. You can also run. You, however, CANNOT utilize Slip Shifts. - If you're in Hard style, your chains are more limited, as they usually would be in Hard style. You can dash. You cannot use Protection, however. Some Universal Mechanics: You can double jump regardless of which style you're in in Extra. You also have access to guard cancel dashes, regardless of which style you're in. -Other Notes about Extra Style- - Overdrive will slow your opponent, but the time is shortened drastically compared to the slowdown given by Overdrive in Quick style. - You have more meter in this style -- four levels as opposed to two. You don't, however, have use of your Phantom Break in this style. - You'll deal less damage in this style than in either of the other styles alone, and you'll take a bit more damage than usual as well. - - - - - - - - = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Attack/Knockdown properties = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = There are various ways you can be knocked down or away in Phantom Breaker: Extra, as well as a couple different hit states you can be put into under various circumstances. Critical Hits - - - - - - - - - The most common instance you'll see of a Critical Hit is during a counterhit. Signified when you hit your opponent and a red trail follows behind them after they've been hit, critical hits put your opponent into more hitstun than usual, allowing you to follow up a bit more easily. You can also force critcal hits, however, by landing solid crossup attacks, or by hitting an opponent that's grounded. Blow Away attacks - - - - - - - - - - - Certain attacks will send your opponent sailing toward the wall. During this time, they can rapidly press buttons in order to tech and avoid being slammed into the wall, where they'll take slightly more damage, and will be open to taking more punishment. If you land one of these as a critical, they cannot tech the impending wallslam. Wall and Floor slams - - - - - - - - - - - - Generally speaking, when you execute a Blow Away attack or a throw that will result in your opponent slamming into the wall or floor, they can rapidly press buttons in order to tech and avoid the extra damage, or any subsequent follow up attacks. Even if they don't tech, however, the time you can continue to attack them in this state is significantly shortened, so there's only so much you can do. You can, however, throw an opponent that has been slammed against the wall or spiked via a counterhit. Sweeps - - - - - There's a reason sweeps are so distinct between the two styles in this game. When an opponent is caught with a sweep that knocks down, the ability to follow up is very significant. You're allowed to do combos and juggle combos that you normally wouldn't be able to do. Throws - - - - - Many throws cause wall or floor slams. If you have a character that has a throw that doesn't cause either of these, you may have the chance to follow up on the throw with a juggle or another attack since their recovery ability is significantly lessened. There are certain throws that allow you to follow up outside the corner that lose this ability when the opponent is being thrown into the corner. Dealing with projectiles - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - Projectiles are handled very differently in PB: Extra compared to many other fighters. If you're dealing with a single shot projectile that's one or two hits, such as a fireball, you can swat it away with an attack or null it with one of your own. If you opt to swat it away with an attack and you're successful, you gain a little meter for doing so. If it's a beam-based projectile, you can't swat it away by any means; however, forcing a clash by hitting it with an attack will still grant you meter regardless, and you can potentially gain MUCH more by doing so. Offsets - - - - - - Offsets are clashes, simply put, and are caused by either two attacks clashing with one another, or by an attack clashing with an movement or technique that has clash properties to them. These can be cancelled into other moves, and will slightly fill the Tension gauge. - - - - - - - - = = = = = = = = = = = = Sophia's Specifics = = = = = = = = = = = = This section will try to cover Sophia's character's normal, command, special, EX and Phantom Break attacks, as well as the various properties that they may have. Combos will be covered in the section following this. Given that there are currently no translations for characters' special technique names, they'll be referred to as "Special 1", "Special 2", etc. Also, even though each attack in normal chains only comes during a chain, they have their own properties, so they will be described. = = = = = = Sophia = = = = = = Normals - - - - - - s.A - A quick jab with short range. Jump cancellable. s.A,A - Sophia follows up with a standing kick aimed low that must be blocked low. Jump cancellable. s.A,A,A - A mid range kick with decent reach. s.B - A two-hit mid-range kick. Both hits are jump cancellable. s.B,B - An axe-kick like attack. Jump cancellable, hits overhead. s.B,B,B - A quick swing with her polearm. Jump cancellable. s.C - A three-hit normal. Good as an anti-air. All hits are jump cancellable. s.C,C - A low swipe with her weapon. Hits and must be blocked low, jump cancellable. s.C,C,C - A high angled kick. Jump cancellable. cr.A - A quick poking sweep that can be linked into itself. cr.B - A two-hit sweep with good range. Is key for her projectile loop on taller targets. Oddly enough, it's air unblockable. cr.C - Sophia does a high kick that launches her opponent upward. Can't be followed without using a dash cancel or special/EX/Phantom Break move. j.A - Sophia stabs forward with her weapon. This along with... j.B - ...this attack where Sophia swipes with her weapon while airborne are great air-to-air moves. Both are jump cancellable. j.C - Sophia does a wide sweeping strike with her polearm. Slower than the others, but much more range, making it a great tool to retreat with if you need distance. Jump cancellable. Command Normals - - - - - - - - - - 6B - An axe kick that hits twice if Sophia is close. Hits overhead. 6C - A standing two-hit swipe with her polearm. The second hit hits overhead. j.2B - A dive kick angled straight downward. Two hits. Both hits are jump cancellable. 66A - A dashing elbow strike. Two hits, both of which are jump cancellable. 66B - Sophia does a sliding kick. Three hits. All hits are jump cancellable. 66C - A dashing strike with her polearm. Two hits. Both are jump cancellable. Second attack is a Blow Away attack. Special Moves - - - - - - - - - Special 1 - 6S: Sophia throws a boomerang shaped projectile. Multiple hits and crosses full screen distance. A+S version: Is angled upward and has less range. EX version: Gets lots more hits, only covers about half screen distance. Special 2 - 2S: Sophia rides her weapon in an upward angle. Will finish the animation if it's blocked, making it an iffy tool at best to use for anti-air purposes. Not the best combo ender, since opponents can tech before you can recover and some can punish you for it. A+S version: Doesn't go as high as the regular version, nor does it score as many hits, but is air unblockable, making it effective for anti-air purposes. EX version: 15 hits if all connect. Best used in earlier portions of combos to avoid heavy damage scaling, as well as the opponent being able to tech much sooner. Special 3 - 4S: Sophia rides her weapon straight toward the opponent. Multiple hits that pick the opponent up into the air. This will pass through the opponent if it's blocked in close, and can be punished thereafter, but it does have a hitbox behind it, making it nice for the occasional mixup. A+S version: Sophia slides forward a much shorter distance. Won't pass through the opponent if it's blocked, and recovery time is overall shortened, making it much harder to punish. The last hit has Critical Hit properties in certain situations. EX version: 17 hits if all connect. Startup is very fast, and the hits come in rapid succession, making it very good for ending grounded combos. Like the normal version, this has a hitbox behind itself, and if it hits this way, it will catch all the hits in the attack. Phantom Break - Quick Style C+S: Sophia leaps into the air with her weapon, then slams it down, creating a lighting bolt that gets multiple hits. The initial movement of her leaping up can hit opponents. As for the attack itself, the radius of the shockwave created around Sophia, as well as the lightning bolt itself, is its hitbox, meaning if she lands close enough behind someone blocking, they'll be dragged toward her and forced to guard the whole move. Phantom Break - Hard Style C+S: Sophia raises her weapon skyward and lightning bolts rain down around her for a brief moment. This move is air unblockable. The range is very narrow, making its use almost entirely relegated to anti-air purposes. Sophia's Projectile corner loop - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Sophia can land a rather simple loop that can be extended for a long time on taller characters, regardless of which style she's in. Hit with 2B from a distance, then use the A+S version of her projectile. You'll recover quickly enough to land another 2B and toss another projectile. You can then repeat this as many times as necessary, but be prepared, because damage scaling is going to kill the damage very fast. The upside to this is that you build meter VERY quickly during this, and your opponent's meter build is very slow, meaning that it's a great tool to use to put your opponent on the defensive or run down the clock if need be. See it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7RhgNg7FtM - 5:00 - - - - - - Combos - - - - - - *All of these are to be done in Quick style. CH = Counter/Critical Hit OD = OverDrive PB: Extra tutorial video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi1EBZOabBE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Combo at 10:02 - 2A, 5A, 2B(both hits), 5C, 66B, 5S, 66C, OD, 66, 5C, 2S, j.B, j.B+C PB: Extra Combo Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzTZYNwoFrs - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Combo at 02:15 - 2A, 2B, 66A, j.ABC, 2C, 6A+S Combo at 02:20 (200% meter) - 2A, 2B, 66A, j.ABC, 6C, C+S Combo at 02:28 (200% meter) - j.2B, j.2B, 2A, 2B, 2C, 6A+S, C+S PB: Extra Sophia Tutorial - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7RhgNg7FtM - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Combo at 05:34 - CH j.S, 5A, 66A, j.ABC, 5C, j.AB, j.AC Combo at 05:41 (200% meter) - 5AA, 2B, 5S, 66A, j.ABC, 5C, j.AB, OD, j.S, j.S, j.B+C Combo at 05:51 (200% meter) - CH j.S, 5A, 5B, 5CC, 66B, C+S Combo at 06:01 (200% meter) - CH j.S, 5AA, 2B, 5CCC, 66B, j.C, OD, 2S~j.S, 2S~j.S, 2S~j.S = = = = = = = = = General Advice = = = = = = = = = - Keep the properties of your normals in mind. Try to act more on reaction when using Sophia. The number of multihitting normals she has makes her prone to being caught up in Slip Shift/Protection counteractions. - Divekicks stop all of your forward -- or backward -- momentum. If you're using her in Quick style, use this to your advantage and mix it up with jump cancels. - Try to use your special moves in a defensive and offensive manner. Properly distance yourself now and again and mix up normal and high projectiles to control spacing. - Mix up your normal chains as best you can. Sophia has a solid range of high/overhead and low attacks in them that make guarding against her a problem, so long as you don't get predictable. Here's hoping this guide comes in handy for whomever might want to learn Phantom Breaker's resident blade surfer. :3 You can see visual representations of all this and then some at the video URLs in the Combos section. = = = = = = = = = Special Thanks = = = = = = = = = - To 5pb.Games/Mages for making Phantom Breaker: Extra region free! - To Keon Pratt, for being willing to contribute info for this awesome game as well. :) - To all the peeps I have played in this or will be playing in the future. - To GameFAQs for hosting my guides. :3 - To anyone who reads this and finds it useful.