Crossed Swords
HB MAME · Neo Geo AES
Game dossier
Available now
A branching action RPG and beat-'em-up from Treasure
The briefing
Guardian Heroes combines side-scrolling beat-'em-up combat with role-playing elements. Han, Randy, Ginjirou, and Nicole set out to protect a legendary sword from the forces of the powerful wizard Kanon, with help from the renegade knight Serena.
Each hero has distinct strengths: Han excels physically, Randy uses offensive magic, Ginjirou relies on agility, and Nicole specializes in healing. Combat includes light and heavy attacks, special moves, magic, and blocking. Victories grant experience that can be assigned to attributes such as strength, speed, constitution, and magic resistance.
The adventure features branching progression based on stage choices and a Karma system influenced by how the player treats enemies and innocents. In single-player mode, a second character remains on screen and can be directed through six different moods. A separate multiplayer mode supports up to six human or AI-controlled characters and allows play as characters encountered during the main game.