Game:

Guardian Heroes (1996)

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Guardian Heroes is a 2D side-scrolling beat 'em up video game in the vein of Final Fight or Golden Axe, but with RPG elements. The development team called it a "fighting RPG". Guardian Heroes was developed by Treasure and released in 1996 for the Sega Saturn video game console. A sequel was released in 2004 for the Game Boy Advance entitled Advance Guardian Heroes.

The game allows players to alter the story line through their actions, such as choosing between a number of branching paths, leading to multiple endings, and killing civilians and enemies, leading to changes in the Karma meter. The music was composed by Nazo² Suzuki and Norio Hanzawa. Hideki Matsutake, a former member of electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra, is credited as playing the synthesizer for the score. It is considered a cult classic of the beat 'em up genre.

In addition to the story mode, the game includes a versus mode wherein up to six players can compete using any of the main characters (and unlock able monsters, bosses, and civilians) in a timed battle or to the death.

The players earn experience points during each scene, and between scenes are able to improve and customize their characters with six attributes: Strength (determines physical damage per hit and distance enemies fly when the character hits them), Vitality (determines HP), Intelligence (governs size and strength of the character's spells), Mental Protection (determines MP and how effectively the character can resist magic attacks), Agility (determines how fast the character moves and executes physical and magical attacks), and Luck (modifies damage the character gives and receives, in addition to improving Nicole's selection of spells).

The game's story mode has multiple paths. The player can choose where they will go and what they do after every level. Different paths lead to different endings, bosses, and levels.

The battlefield has multiple levels. Initially, the player can only access three planes of battle: a fore plane, a middle plane, and a back plane. These planes can be switched between in a set sequence, or at the player's choosing based on which button is pressed. Often, evasive actions can be taken by switching a plane.