Proving that the best things in gaming life don't have to be in 3D, Guilty Gear X for the PlayStation 2 provides high-velocity 2D fighting thrills guaranteed to give you "PlayStation thumb" in double quick time. Hugely detailed manga-style fighters are presented for your battering pleasure in a game which boasts strong action levels and a story that's weaker than a kitten and revolves around a fighting competition--no surprises there, then. The basic premise takes a boatload of playable characters, including giant cyborgs and a rather interesting lady who uses her hair as a weapon--which is nice--and pits them against one another. As you would expect from a beat-'em-up there are literally dozens of different attacks to try out, together with some smart special moves which inflict huge damage on the opposition but require some serious practice to pull off. The soundtrack is typically guitar-heavy Japanese rock and the only real let down is in the speech department, with most of the major characters muttering almost incoherent threats to one another and an announcer who's so cheerful it's enough to make you sick. Listening to his annoying drivel is, however, a small price to pay for the brash graphical style and intelligent gameplay within Guilty Gear X, which should keep the ardent brawler amused for hours--or at least until you break your DualShock 2.--Chris Russell