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Ketsui: Kizuna Jigoku Tachi

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In the year 2054, chaos spreads over the globe as global warming finally exacts its toll on Earth: the ice caps quickly melt, causing a tremendous series of cataclysms and for entire nations to disappear under the sea. The near apocalyptic setting and the quickly depleting resources of the remain...

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Developer
Cave

Released on
2003

Size
1–2 Players

Version
Arcade

Requirements
Arcade

Downloads
Shooter

Publisher
Amusement Marketing International

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

Cooperative
Yes

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Description

In the year 2054, chaos spreads over the globe as global warming finally exacts its toll on Earth: the ice caps quickly melt, causing a tremendous series of cataclysms and for entire nations to disappear under the sea. The near apocalyptic setting and the quickly depleting resources of the remaining dry lands force nations into constant war, eventually culminating into World War III; all efforts by the United Nations to cease hostilities are thwarted by a seemingly endless supply of technologically advanced weaponry being sold to each side of every conflict. After investigation, the source is tracked back to EVAC Industry co. ltd, an arms dealer who’s been reaping tremendously high profits from the situation, at times directly intervening to fuel the hostilities with utter disregard towards human lives; any attempt to negotiate with the board of directors has utterly failed, the earnings having proven high enough for the company to build its own cities, shipyards, defensive emplacements and even a private airport, to the point of assembling its own army of extremely well equipped mercenary troops.

Ketsui: Kizuna Jigoku Tachi

Overview & History

Developed by Cave and released in Japanese arcades in 2003 on the PGM (PolyGame Master) hardware, *Ketsui: Kizuna Jigoku Tachi* (Bonds of Death and Hell) stands as a monumental pillar of the bullet-hell (danmaku) genre. Set in an alternate 1974 where the eccentric industrialist Evat Evil has unleashed a mechanized military force upon the world, the storyline follows two pairs of young, emotionally scarred pilots—Type-A (Youth/Alice) and Type-B (Slash/Marion)—flying state-of-the-art combat choppers on a desperate, one-way suicide mission to dismantle Evil's floating fortress. Famed for its oppressive, industrial aesthetic and a haunting, melancholic techno soundtrack by Manabu Namiki, *Ketsui* initially terrified casual players with its relentless difficulty, eventually spawning ports on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 4, and serving as the direct thematic predecessor to Cave's iconic *DoDonPachi Saidaioujou*.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

At its core, *Ketsui* is an aggressive score-attack masterclass that relies heavily on a unique risk-reward locking mechanism. Players choose between two ship types, each offering a distinct shot formation: Type-A features a focused, straight-ahead laser and narrow movement, while Type-B trades piercing power for a wider, sweeping spread. Holding down the shot button initiates a focused attack that slows your movement speed, while tapping it fires un-focused wide shots. The game's defining mechanic revolves around destroying enemies at point-blank range using the Lock-On Shot. When you lock onto targets, they drop square chip items. The color and value of these chips scale dramatically based on how close your ship is to the enemy when it explodes, forcing pilots to graze danger zones and plunge deep into dense curtains of neon projectiles to maximize their score multipliers. This creates a mesmerizing, adrenaline-fueled gameplay loop where survival and scoring are intrinsically bound together.