Vampire Hunter 2

When Capcom launched their new CPS2 arcade hardware line in 1993 they needed a game to showcase the updated chipset that built upon the already strong foundations of the highly successful CPS1. While the CPS2 launched with a Super version of Street Fighter 2, it wasn't until a year later that Capcom fans would witness the true power of the new hardware. Darkstalkers, or Vampire in Japan, launched to both critical and commercial success with a brand new fighting engine and the best looking and animated hand-drawn 2D sprite work the world had ever seen. While this original release still looks and plays great almost 30 years later, Capcom was never one to leave a good idea on the table for too long - especially when that good idea turned a profit. 

In 1995 Capcom unveiled the second game in the series titled Night Warriors: Darkstalker's Revenge, or Vampire Hunter in Japan (I'll be referring to this game as Hunter from here on out). Along with adding two additional characters (Donovan the vampire hunter and Heisen-Ko the Chinese ghost) to the already packed roster of movie monsters gone anime, the development team made sweeping changes to the speed of and overall mechanics of the game. Hunter retained the same backgrounds from the first game, but they were recolored with a red hue make them feel unique. Each of the new characters also received their own background, but they are just existing backgrounds with some elements removed and an alternate color pallet - most likely done to save space on the already packed cart. The music in Hunter uses Darkstalkers' soundtrack as a base, but all tracks were remixed to have a more upbeat flavor. Hunter's soundtrack is easily one of my favorite fighting game soundtracks of all time.

The third and "final" game in the series, Vampire Savior, launched in 1997 (I'll be referring to this game as Savior from here on out). Savior is considered by the vast majority of Capcom fans to be the definitive entry in the series, and it is the one still played in tournaments 25 years later. For Savior, Capcom further refined the mechanics, sped up the gameplay considerably, added four brand-new characters (at the sacrifice of three from the original cast), and created many new backgrounds and all new music tracks. The original plan was not to cut any cast members, but CPS2 games have a hard memory capacity of 330 or so megs in their rom cartridges, and unlike SNK they didn't use any techniques to expand this memory cap further. Rather, Capcom created the CPS3 hardware to fill this need - which is another story for another day. 

Lastly, Capcom released two variants of Savior in late 1997, but only in Japanese arcades: Vampire Savior 2 and Vampire Hunter 2. 

• Vampire Savior 2 removes Talbain/Gallon, Rikuo/Aulbath, and Sasquatch and replaces them with Donnovan, Pyron, and Phobos/Huitzil. All other characters from Savior remain the same. The game received numerous balance changes, removed glitches, and retooled the Dark Force mechanic (explained later on below) to be more useful. It's the "champion" or "gold" edition of Savior, basically.

• Vampire Hunter 2 removes all characters introduced in Savior (Jedah, BB Hood, Q. Bee, Lilith) and focuses only on the cast from Hunter (Darkstalker's Revenge). Hunter 2 plays exactly like Savior 2. Music in the game is from Hunter (Darkstalker's Revenge) rather than Savior.

There is little documentation available about the creation of any game in the Darkstalkers series, but Hunter 2 is a mystery all its own. 24 years later I'm still scratching my head as to why it was greenlit and who the target audience was in the first place. Still, I'm glad it exists because it is hands down my favorite in the series. 

Vampire Hunter 2 presents players with the original cast of 14 monsters from 1995's Hunter. But because it uses the same character select screen as Savior, which has 15 characters, there is a blacked out spot where a portrait should be. There are a few secret characters to unlock, though. Oboro Bishamon (hold start and select Bishamon) is an alt version of that character with a unique move set. You can also fight against him at the end of the game if you follow a specific set of parameters through the matches. You can also play in Marionette mode which provides a mirror match for every battle. Most characters also include alternate dark colors if you press all three punches or kicks when selecting them. Characters' alt-colors from Hunter are all available if you use MP when you select your monster. 

As a neat tid-bit, the data from Lilith, a character who is only in the Savior games, is buried in the code (along with an unused US version of the title screen). 

The gameplay in Hunter 2 follows the series chain-combo tradition that allows you to connect almost every normal together so long as you always go from a light attack to a heavy attack. There are a few normal moves that do not chain, but they are character specific and are definitely the exception rather than the rule. As Hunter 2 is a variant of Savior, the general tempo, pacing, and flow of battle hue closer to that game than 1995's Hunter. As a result, Hunter 2 is a very different game than Hunter. Additionally, character move sets, which include both normal and special moves, are all based on their Savior versions. That said, there are a few character specific input changes (like Tailbain), but these are mostly for the better.

The Dark Force mechanic from Savior returns, but it serves a different purpose in Hunter 2. Pressing a punch and kick button of the same strength simultaneously will activate the Dark Force by using two meters of your super bar. 

• In Savior, the Dark Force mechanic activates a timed passive buff that is unique to each character.

  • Characters retain these unique buffs in Hunter 2, but these are now executed like a super move. 

• In Hunter 2, Dark Force only adds additional buffs to your EX special moves (explained below). 

While this is a less exciting implementation of the mechanic, it is also arguably more useful than how it is used in Savior as not all characters had useful Dark Force states. The duration of the Dark Force is about 10 seconds, which is more than enough time to dish out some damage. This mechanic has two big drawbacks, though. Aside from being expensive to activate (two bars), you still have to spend additional meter stocks to do the EX Special moves. And if you get hit during Dark Force you are knocked out of it completely. 

From my experience, given the high cost of using Dark Force, it would be better to use meter for normal EX Specials and supers. That said, it could be a core part of your game plan if you decide to save up your stocks and try to use Dark Force as a comeback mechanic late in a match. Even then, some characters, like Demitri, have better use of supers that take two stocks (like Midnight Pleasure). Dark Force is essentially a high-risk, marginal-reward mechanic. 

The Darkstalkers series also has some other universal mechanics that are at play in Hunter 2. Unlike most other 2D fighting games with projectiles that cancel each other out if they connect, projectiles in Darkstalkers lose power the longer they travel on screen. For example, if Demitri throws a fireball at Morrigan, but she counters with a fireball of her own, her fireball would win out because it was on the playfield for less time. When the projectiles meet, though, the force of Demitri's will slow down the momentum of Morrigan's for a brief moment before it moves on. If Demitri's projectile was an EX move (explained below), and Morrigan countered with a non-EX projectile, Demitri's would win out because he had to spend one bar of his super meter to power up his move. 

Beginning with 1995's Hunter, the Darkstalkers series became one of the first meter heavy games of the classic era. This means that your super meter fills quickly during battle, which in turn encourages you to take more risks with larger attacks to gain the upper-hand. Your super meter is filled by both landing attacks and being attacked. Blocking attacks, though, will not fill your meter. Each character has at least two Super moves that take one or more bars of meter to perform. All characters also have an EX, or Extra Special version of all their special moves (sans a few command throws). EX moves are performed by inputting the special move's input command plus two buttons pressed rather than one. To use Demitri's fireball as an example again, if you press two punches to execute the move while having at least one stock in your super meter, he will unleash his EX fireball which travels faster, hits harder, and stuns his opponent longer. 

Some characters have access to high-power super moves done by inputting a variation of Akuma's (a Street Fighter character) Raging Demon. Rather than a controller motion, Raging Demon moves are executed by inputting a quick succession of button inputs. For example, Demitri has a Raging Demon in Hunter 2 and Savior called Midnight Pleasure that works as a high-power version of his normal super move Midnight Bliss. To execute Demitri's Midnight Pleasure, you must have at least two super stocks then press light punch, medium punch, forward, medium kick, medium kick in rapid succession. Not all Raging Demon moves require two super stocks, but they are all high-risk/high-reward moves that result in big damage upon hit. Some, like Demitri's, are also unblockable. 

All characters also have a pursuit attack they can perform if they score a hard knockdown on their opponent. Once your opponent hits the floor, quickly press up and a heavy attack button to make your character leap and hone in on your grounded opponent. If done too late, though, your opponent can roll out of harms way. While a missed grounded attack normally will not leave you at much of a frame disadvantage, it does leave you dangerously close to your opponent which will leave you in a guessing game on whether you should attack, defend, or jump. You can also spend one super bar to do an EX version of this attack which is faster and does a bit more damage. Although, this is more for style points rather than actual damage output.

Darkstalkers has always been a fast series, so you can expect a generous amount of mobility options in Hunter 2. While the entire cast has both forward and backward dashes, how those dashes work differ by character - and no two characters are alike. For example: Demitri's dash works like a full screen teleport with invincibility frames in the middle of the dash that will pass right through projectiles. You can also do a special version of his Demon Cradle (dragon punch) off of a forward or backward dash that changes the properties of the move. Additionally, if timed correctly, you can also end the dash with either his Midnight Bliss or Midnight Pleasure to extend the dash with an unblockable super attack. Because every character has unique dash properties, no two characters feel even remotely alike. Some characters can also air dash or float for a short period of time leading to more advanced techniques like instant air-dashes.

Along with the various mobility options, there are also plenty of defensive options. Upon knockdown you can hold forward or back to safe roll out of your downed state. If you leave the stick neutral you will get up in place. As with most Capcom games from this era, you can also "tech" out of a throw by pressing forward plus punch or kick within a few frames of the opponent activating their throw. Throws are unblockable, but can wiff in this game, which leaves you wide open for attack. 

Guard Cancels also make a return from both Hunter and Savior. Upon block, you can spend one bar of your super meter to perform a reversal that is almost always guaranteed to hit. While a Guard Cancel does not do much damage, it does stop your opponent from applying pressure. As many special moves in Hunter 2 (and Darkstalkers in general) hit multiple times, you can perform a Guard Cancel at any time in the block string stop your opponents attack. This also works well against a long chain of blocked normals. Basically, there is always a way out of block pressure and chip damage if you're quick enough. 

Air-guarding also makes a comeback in this game, although there is some nuance here to take note of. In the air you can only guard against other airborne attacks. A grounded attack will still hit you out of your jump. If you block an airborne move at a high enough jump arc, you can often land a reversal with another airborne attack. Some Guard Cancels also work in the air. Air-guarding can lead to more advanced techniques like Chicken Blocking (jumping with the intent to guard rather than attack) as well.

There's one more defensive mechanic that we need to discuss - Techs. Techs are not new to Capcom games but they work a little differently here. When you are locked in block-stun you can press up to six buttons to trigger a tech - a meter-free way to push the opponent off of you. You have ~14 or so frames to input your buttons when you begin blocking and how far the tech pushes the opponent back depends on the amount of inputs you get inside of your window. If all six buttons are registered it is a guaranteed tech, but if less buttons are pressed in that short 14-frame window the percentage of tech activation goes down. Teching blocked attacks does keep you grounded, much like parries in Street Fighter 3: Third Strike, so you won't be using these super often until you get the hang of them. Honestly, you build meter so fast in the this game it's often best to just go for your guard cancel. 

There are some more nuanced mechanical differences between Hunter 2 and Savior that casual players may not notice. A good example of these changes concern how air combos work. Using Demitri as an example again, in Savior you can jump in toward your opponent with a medium kick. If the medium kick connects in the air, you can chain into an aerial hard punch just before you land, then begin your grounded chain combo. Additionally, there are other limited air-combos that are character specific. Hunter 2 has none of this. Even though this sounds like a small change, it dramatically changes Demitri's options on approach for intermediate to high-level players. Basically, unless you get to the level of play where a nuanced mechanic change like this affects your approach, you'll be hard pressed to notice any difference between each game's combo mechanics. 

Modern competitive players generally shun the Savior variants (Hunter2/Savior2) due to the removal of air-combos, limited as they may be. I personally don't feel they add anything to the game, thus I prefer Hunter 2/Savior 2 with all the other gameplay updates and balance changes.

Matches in Hunter 2 are super quick and follow the Savior formula of favoring two life bars per character rather than actual rounds, like Killer Instinct. Once a character's life bar is depleted, the match stops for a few seconds (you can still move your character but cannot attack) until the announcer once again says Fight. After both life bars are depleted, it's game over. Essentially, if you play well, you can still be on your first life bar and KO your opponent. 

The Darkstalkers games are known for their incredible attention to detail and animation, so Hunter 2 is no exception. Because this game is a variant of Savior, the sprite data is generally the same. Characters move with a fluidity that is unrivaled on the CPS2. Each character has multiple animation frames in their move sets that are comical in nature or show part of their personality. For example, the middle frame of Demitri's start-up animation for his medium kick sees him turn into a full on demon for just one frame. It's easy to miss during play, but that's the kind of unneeded but entirely welcome attention to detail this series is known for. Each characters' animation sets are jam-packed with these kind of surprising and unexpected details, and half the fun in learning each of the characters is in seeing all the hilarious animation frames hidden within each move. 

Another great visual touch are all the unique sprite sets created just for Demitri's Midnight Bliss super move. If Demitri's attack is successful (it's an unblockable super command grab) he will change the form of his opponent into a more feminine or fragile version of the monster, hold them up above his head by their throat, and drain/drink their blood. Each character has a unique form they turn into, and some of these forms are cameos from other Capcom games. 

The stage backgrounds are also all from Savior, except for Donnovan's stage - which was added due to his presence in this game. That said, it is just a slight rework of Demitri's stage as in prior series installments. All other stages that return from Savior are recolored with a red-ish hue that fits the color tones seen in Hunter 1. Overall, the backgrounds from Savior/Hunter 2 I've always felt are a step down from Darkstalkers/Hunter. While they aren't as interesting to look at, they are all still brilliantly drawn and detailed.

Music has always been a high point for the series, and Hunter 2 thankfully reuses the soundtrack from Hunter rather than the soundtrack from Savior. While Savior has a good soundtrack, it doesn't come close to matching the high energy music from Hunter. The pipe organ mixed with the up-tempo beats and the metallic-sounding synth samples that CPS2 music is known for create great fighting game tunes that are fittingly just a bit haunting. Voice and sound effects are also fantastic, but are all borrowed from Savior. There hasn't been a lot of new voice work recorded for the characters over the course of the series, though, so some voice overs are the same as they were in Darkstalkers 1. This isn't a bad thing, just an observation. 

Vampire Hunter 2 is a standout Darkstalkers game and an immensely fun fighting game overall. The wacky movie monster cast, incredible attention to detail and animation, sublime game feel, flexible combo system, and fast pace make this a must play fighting game. Despite Savior being the critical darling of the series in the broader fighting game community, Hunter 2 is my personal favorite as it combines the best of Hunter with the best of Savior to create a hybrid game that somehow feels totally unique. 

Hunter 2 is hard to come by, though, and the only way to play it outside of real hardware is via emulation or as an extra in the Vampire Chronicles PS2 compilation that only came out in Japan. I do caution playing that version of Hunter 2, though, as there is a glitch in the game's code from the port that will cancel out attacks if both characters do a normal attack of the same strength at the same time. It's been a while since I've played that version, though, but I seem to recall that oddity. An authentic CPS2 board is quite uncommon given its limited release, but it is still less expensive than many other CPS2 boards. You can pick one up for around $250-$300 or so - if you can find one. Just make sure it either has a keystone battery replacement or infinikey installed as the on-board batteries on these games will kill the board when it dies. Other solutions are to source a Phoenixed board (resurrected from a "dead" game) or a conversion, but I haven't seen many of these options around for Hunter 2. 

Another way to experience the gameplay changes presented in Hunter 2/Savior 2 is to play the Japanese exclusive Sega Saturn version of Savior. There is hidden EX Options menu that lets you change a variety of things, and one of the options is to choose the gameplay from Savior or the two variant games. Playing the Saturn version of Savior is also preferable as it contains the entire cast of Darkstalkers with no characters missing. It's an arcade-perfect port, and to many fans is the definitive way to play because it is the only version of the game that has two gameplay modes and all characters from Hunter and Savior. It really is a complete package.

2022 Update: Capcom released the Capcom Fighting Game Collection in June of 2022, which includes the entire Darkstalkers series (including Hunter 2) with full rollback netcode and solid emulation. This will probably be the definitive way to play these classics for the next few years. 

Bottom line here - Hunter 2 won't draw away fans of Savior, but for everyone else I whole heartedly say give it a shot. Hunter 2 is an absolutely brilliant fighting game and has been my favorite in the series since I got my first arcade board over 20 years ago. If you even remotely like solid 2D fighting games, make sure to play Vampire Hunter 2 anyway you can!