Game:

Rival Schools: United by Fate (1997)

Duration: 30:54

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This is a play-through using Hyo Imawano and Raizo Imawano in the PS1 version of Rival Schools (Arcade disc). Read on below for more information...

Hyo is the final boss, and Raizo is usually the sub-boss. They are both available from the start in this version of the game, which means that they are regular playable characters.

I have alternated between the two characters for each round.

===== About Hyo =====
I think he's one the best bosses/villains of a Capcom fighting game. His design is kind of like a mix of traditional and modern... his hairstyle wouldn't look out of place in a period Samurai era, with his army general uniform bringing him up-to-date with the modern era.

Gameplay-wise he is an awesome character in the arcade disc version of game, probably one of the best. His long sword moves are fast and have ridiculous range, and he can easily combo them into either of his super moves. He is pretty much overpowered.

===== About Raizo =====
Raizo is your psychotic school headmaster, and Capcom have pulled the design off perfectly. Raizo is a large character in size... due to the PS1's graphical hardware limitations, his in-fight model is a bit of an eyesore, especially when close up. It's just a blob of square textures and blocks!

Gameplay-wise, Raizo is a large character, but he is not slow and cumbersome. In fact, he moves almost just as fast as a regular-sized character (it's almost like as if he is just a "skin" on a regular character). His special moves make him an aggressive character.

===== Additional information =====

---- The voice actor for Raizo is the same person who voices Akuma for most of the SF games he is in.

---- Raizo is the only character in the series to not make it into the playable roster for the sequel, Project Justice.

---- The game is known as Shiritsu Justice Gakuen: Legion of Heroes in Japan.

===== About PS1 Rival Schools =====
In my opinion, this is one of the best fighting games on the PS1. Both Japanese and USA versions come in 2 discs - the Arcade disc and the Evolution disc. The Arcade disc is the one with the basic features - namely the arcade character select screen and story dialogues. The Evolution disc does not have the arcade storylines and dialogues, but is instead PACKED with additional modes, bonus games, extras, etc.

The Japanese version of the Evolution disc had the superb 'school life' simulation mode, where you create your own custom character and then take on the role of a student to spend a year in school. You basically choose your own paths, interact with the characters in the games, form relationships, dates, take exams/fights, etc. At the end, depending on what you did, your custom character will have his/her own special and super moves (if any) and can be used in the other game modes.

Overall, aside from the loading times, this is almost arcade perfect. The 3D models are slightly more "blockier" than the arcade version, but you probably won't notice this. Other differences include the fact that at the end of each round when you can choose to switch characters, the character icons are new and are MUCH better on the PS1 version. The arcade character select screen is also much simpler on the PS1 version as well, with less animation (the background colour areas for each icon are gone), and the character's faces in each icon are zoomed up closer. The arcade USA version shouts the voice when your select your character, but this is gone in the PS1 USA version... however in the PS1 Japanese version, when you select a character they actually say something! Other differences between the versions include Kyoko's, Natsu's, Akira's, etc. versus screen portraits, etc.

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