Combat Guide for
Psychic Force 2 for the Sony Playstation and
Psychic Force 2012 for the Sega Dreamcast
by Zhou Tai An (kain@pacific.net.sg)

Version 0.8 (very incomplete)

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Anyone using this guide for anything except non-profit uses must e-mail me
first. This includes using it on a commercial site etc.

A note - I'm not actually that much of a fighting game *player* - more of a
theorist. ^_^ What I do is observe how the moves and characters work and
formulate strategies based on them...which prove to be quite effective when
actually tested out by someone else. So, if I've gotten anything wrong, you
feel there's a better way to do things or just want to add more info, feel
free to mail me. 

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This FAQ is going to focus mainly on battling, strategy and such - the actual
move lists can be found in a variety of places. I will include story 
summaries, though, right at the end, because I know how much they're in 
demand. (Well, for some people at least...)

Now, the basics :

1) Normal attacks. These come in two varieties - close-up and from afar.
Each character has different speeds for both, as well as several qualities
to them which differ. However, the basic uses of Normals remain the same :

a) Disruption. Since they're usually very fast, throwing one or two during
a game can seriously mess up your opponent's fight plan, especially if you're
using one of the faster characters. (This doesn't work that well with 
slowpokes like Genshin or Gades) And while the damage done doesn't seem that
much, it can add up to a surprising amount if the fight drags on.

b) Punishing slow opponents. Normal attacks make excellent counters against
moves that need to be charged. Once again, though, fast characters are better
with this particular strategy.


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Character Section : This part focusses on the strengths and weaknesses of
each particular character, along with detailed uses for moves etc. 


--------

Might - The ostensible "hero" of the game. Definitely a close-range fighter;
trying to use him any other way will only hamper his capabilities. He's 
pretty good overall - has some flaws, but they can be overcome.

Normals : Strictly average. They don't travel or come out especially fast.
Useful for hits here and there.

Electrigger : Execution is fast but it takes a long time for it to actually 
hit the target. Use it for the shock value of having this massive beam of 
electricity issue forth, and the fact that it can change direction in 
mid-air.

Lightning Sword : EXTREMELY fast move. A powerhouse in close quarters - 
mastery of this is essential if you really want to be a good Might player.
Try to hem your opponent into a corner, where this is even more effective, 
or dash around him (the diagonal dash works well) Basically, this is just
an all-around good close combat move. Works even better with Thunder Break
to power it up.

Magnet Anchor : Might says "Nigasu ka!" (You can't run!) while flinging a 
stream of electrictiy at his opponent. This is his cheapest move. ^_^ Why?
You can use virtually anything after it, even Excision. Another cheap tactic
is to throw a Magnet Anchor, hit three times (or use Lightning Sword), 
throw another, hit thrice etc...this can kill if done repeatedly with 200
Power. 

If you're playing with skill instead of cheese, however, this still remains
a good move due to it's speed and combo potential. One of Might's better 
long-range attacks.

Thunder Break : Powers up all of Might's special attacks. Not terribly useful
as it DOES disappear once you're hit. Still, handy in those situations where
you need a little extra punch.

Excision : Might's Super, and not a very good one at that. Slow start-up
and mediocre damage. Make use of the fact that it does travel faster than
an Electrigger (while looking like one) to fake your opponent out.

--------

Emilio - He ties with Keith for the coolest character award. My fave guy, and
for a reason; he's also damn powerful. ^_^ Easily one of the best characters
in the game. Can be truly deadly in the right hands and not really too bad in
the wrong ones. 

Normals : Above-average speed both in execution and travel. They curve in
flight moreso than other Normals - don't forget this.

Shining Arrow : One of the best Strong attacks in the game - execution is
a tad long, but it hits near instantenously. The frightening speed of the
Arrow can be a great psychological asset. Can be combined with virtually 
anything after, including an Archangel for the cheapest combo in the game. 
Note that this does NOT travel the whole screen, though.

Prism Seal : Emilio shouts "Fuzakeru na!" (Don't mess with me!) and throws
a slow-moving ball of white light at his opponent. Does good damage for the
Psy expanded but is really too slow to be of much use.

Seeker Ray : Emilio shouts "Ike!" (Go!) and hurls a bolt of brilliant white
energy. This move is best when combined with Prism Reflectors (see below)
but is decent enough on it's own. Slow-start up but good speed once it
gets going. Mix this in your normal attacks for surprise value.

Prism Reflectors : The octagonal one is obviously superior, but you can
only have one, so...anyway, try to have as many of these on-screen has possible
so you can make Seeker Ray a real hassle to avoid. Another good (if cheap)
tactic is catching your enemy directly between two Prism Reflector and having
the Ray ricochet back and forth. At least 3 are a prerequiste for an 
effective Trinity Ray.

Trinity Ray : Emilio flings his head back and screams "Shi ne!" (DIE!) while
releasing three Seeker Rays in multiple directions. Totally useless without
a Prism Reflector, this move is. Have at least 2-3 around and it makes a 
wonderful combination fakeout\attack - like Wendy's Earth Gale, you can 
attack seperately once this move is inititated. Also does good damage and is
fast. Do wait for a lull in the fighting to use this, though, because it
has considerable start-up.
 
Archangel : IMHO one of the most powerful and spectacular Supers in the game.
Emilio spreads his arms and wings wide as he shouts "Hikari yo!" (Light!)
Cuts through ALL projectiles, and can be direction-changed. Great damage as
well. It's only drawback is the one with all Supers share - slow start-up.
Chaining it with another move or waiting for an opportunity usually resolve
this problem, though. All in all a very kick-ass move.

--------

Setsuna : Long-range player. He can be effective near the middle, but for
him to really kick ass you have to stay away. The only time he begins to
actually be able to play a close game is with the addition of The Darkness.

Normals : Reasonable speed. More or less average.

Darkside Soul : Completely useless at close range, but excellent from afar
due to it's homing capability. Always be ready to throw one or two to keep
your opponent off-balance. It can complement many of Setsuna's slower attacks
and makes an all-around good offense.

Shadow Daggers : Also this move can be held, don't, at least not for too
long. Your opponent can simply block or even avoid them if he\she is good
enough, due to the firing order of the daggers. However, it's useful enough
in certain situations due to speed and range.

Dark Wedge : Good damage and speed. One of Setsuna's faster moves, this 
should be your premier mid-range combat choice.

Mirror Coffin : Rather like the above but with less speed, more damage. Use
as such.

Negative Drain : I don't find this too useful because as I said, Setsuna is a
long-range character and this move requires you to be quite close to your
intended target. Still, I guess the only "healing" move in the game could
prove beneficial.

Shady Cloud : This thing will probably not even HIT the enemy (it's too damn
slow) but always have one on-screen anyway. Why? Most people will instinctively
shy away from it, allowing you to control their movements to some extent, and
it's very distracting having this black cloud chase you everywhere. ^_^

Black Sun : Like Might's Super, not too useful. Takes too long to charge
and has a lousy area of effect, even if it does do good damage. If you're 
going to use it, you'll have to plan when and where.

The Darkness : Setsuna's best move, period. No Psy charge for your opponent
AND an invisible dash. What more could you what? Actually, the real way to
use The Darkness is to understand it's psychological effect...it's quite
scary NOT being able to charge your Psy meter at all, not to mention having 
an invisible opponent (For best results, execute it when the opponent's meter
is already low.)

Then the real fun starts. Setsuna becomes one hell of a close-range combatant
with his dash invisibility, so use that. Lots of his moves also become less
easy to spot due to the black backdrop (again, more psychological gaming) and
YOU can charge your Psy gauge. Enjoy. ^_^

--------

Carlo : Like Might, another close-range person. Most of his long-range moves
involve trying to entice the enemy to come closer, where he's really 
effective. His real strength, though, is the ability to rip out a lot of
combos on the fly, so remember that.

Normals : Average. Close-range ones are a tad faster than normal, but besides
that, no significant difference. 

--------

Regina : A strong contender whether she's up close or far away. Speed, as
well as versatile moves, are her assets. 

Normals : FAST. Only Wendy's are quicker. Use them often for disruption and
a few hits here and there.

Blaze Shot : Another damn fast fireball. Extremely effective when dealing
with straight-on dashing opponents - it's speedy enough to hit your enemy 
most of the time as well. It can also explode in mid-air, another fact you
should use to your advantage.

Flame Whip : The drawback to this move is that is only hits when returning,
but it's all-around speed, as well as the ability to control it, more than
makes up for that. It's a long-range attack - don't use it up close unless
you're setting up a trap. Makes an excellent fake-out.

Spark Rain : Good for corner combat and dissuading close advances. Your 
opponent CAN hit you from the side during this move, though, so be careful.
Rip it out during close-combat games or dashing around for a real surprise.

Flame Chaser : This is a skill move - it requires thought to use it really
well. 

--------

Wendy : The prerequiste fast-as-all-hell female character. ^_^

Normals : The fastest in the game, period.

Air Crescent : The cheapness of this move has been toned down considerably
from the original, but it's still one of the most formidable weapons in 
Wendy's arsenal. Curves so that it goes past most shots - one of the best
things to do with this is to fire one as your opponent lets off any shot.
Thanks to Wendy's speed, your Air Crescent will hit and you'll be able to
dodge out of the way. Use this often when fighting for disruption purposes.

Air Slasher : Fast but not too powerful. Still, this makes for a good 
mid\close-range weapon, and can come out faster than most of the other
character's moves.

Vortex Stream : Slow start-up (for Wendy, at least) but absorbs most projectiles
and does good damage - very useful for close-in games. The area of effect
also extends a bit outside the green mass of twisting air, so keep that in
mind. Do NOT miss with this (or have it blocked) because Wendy will remain
in the air controlling the stream for a good 2-3 seconds after initiation.

Tri-Crescent : Another all-around good move, thanks to it's split ability.
This is best used near corners to hem your opponent in (take care not to
get hit while it's starting up, though) and splitting allows it greater
versability. Ccan also be used as a counter to dashes or multiple 
projectiles, though you need to judge distance and speed precisely for that.

Earth Gale : Wendy makes a slashing movement with her hands while saying 
"Kaze yo!" (Winds, aid me!) Now comes out a LOT faster than it did in Psychic
Force 1, so you don't need to be worried about being clobbered while doing 
it, but the actual effect of the winds will only be felt a few seconds later.
This can be an disadvantage if your opponent SEES you doing this move, but
hopefully you'll be hitting him\her from so many angles that he\she will
never get the chance. 

This move also makes for excellent "combos" of sorts - you can perform it, 
then take the opportunity to attack while the winds are providing your 
opponent with another problem. 

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