Vermillion Cinders: Climax

Vermillion Cinders: Climax is the sequel to Vermillion Cinders. It adds new characters and even guest characters from SNK games. It ties in with the rest of the KOF mythology.

Gameplay
The gameplay is similar to its predecessor, but includes new

Team Supermove
Spending three gauges, the player can unleash a Team Supermove which uses both characters at the same time.

4-Players mode
Along with the usual tag-between-rounds mode, a simultaneous four player mode similar to Smash Bros. can be played this time.

Stages
This time the stages are:
 * Beach
 * Mountain
 * Emperor's room
 * Japanese Temple
 * City
 * Underground cave
 * Final Stage

Playable characters
All the characters of the game return for this sequel. A new element ("Light") is added. Also, each one of the previous elements features a guest character from the KOF franchise.

Fire

 * Ash Crimson. An eccentric French young man from the KOF series. He's partners with Elisabeth.
 * Camil. A Western-styled womanizer with the power of creating forms made of fire. He's partners with Eliza.
 * Eliza. A determined Latin American girl that can direct heat to create beams. She's partners with Camil.
 *  Heiji  (New) . A Korean autistic man that has the power of charging matter with heat and make it explode. He's partners with Spark.
 *  Kyo Kusanagi  (Guest). He's the heir of the Kusanagi clan and protector of Japan. Gets involved in the quest to ensure his country's safety.

Water

 * Tennosuke. An odd-looking member of a mob that fights with the aid of an extendable hook. He's partners with Tsubasa.
 * Yumi. A frail Japanese girl that creates ice flowers. She's partners with Tweet.
 * Banjud. A thailandese old man with a crocodile partner that can create and hide in muddy water. He's partners with Satsuki.
 *  Satsuki  (New) . A priest from the moon that dominates water curtains and offensive dance moves. She's partners with Banjud.
 *  Kula  (Guest) . This ice-creating girl is in a secret mission by the Ikari warriors.

Air

 * Tsubasa. A serious man that's captain of an airship. He's able to move gracefully creating air currents. He's partners with Tennosuke.
 * Shane. A proud Irish boxer that can attack by creating great pressure with his fists. He's partners with Shiro.
 * Stratos. A fat Greek man that can engulf anything and create clouds. He's partners with Kanon.
 * Tweet (New) . A French lady that imitates the singing of the birds and uses sound to confuse her opponents.
 *  Bonne Jenet  (Guest) . A British pirate girl that controls air. She's an arch rival of Lia.

Earth

 * Lia. A wealthy English woman that can create minerals and crystal gems to different purposes. She's partners with Valwa.
 * Hiruk. A hulking member of the Chinese military that fights with Sambo techniques. He's partners with Li Xun.
 * Kanon. A mysterious kid from a tribe that attacks using sand. He's partners with Stratos.
 *  Li Xun  (New) . A member of Chinese nobility and descendent of the emperor, she raises and commands terracota warriors to attack. She's partners with Hiruk.
 * Kukri (Guest) . Kukri appears to help Kanon, with whom he has the same fighting style, which makes everyone suspect he might have a Hidden agenda.

Light

 *  Elisabeth Blanctorche . Seeing the level of threat, Elisabeth gets in the ring. She's partners with Ash.
 *  Christopher  (New) . This Catholic templar has the power of create blinding light, healing the lands and perform miracles. He's partners with Shane.
 *  Valwa  (New) . A Swedish model that dresses in white dresses in white and can suck out the color of the stages to use in purpose. He's partners with Lia.
 *  Spark  (New) . A Korean colorful young girl that's an expert DJ, she can attack using sound and blinding color lights. She's partners with Heiji.
 *  Benimaru Nikaido  (Guest) . Benimaru appears to aid Kyo on his search.

Hidden characters

 * Shan Woo (Element: None). This street boxer has no control of any element but it won't be a problem for him to defeat everyone with his sheer strength.
 * Duolon (Element: Void). Duolon is a master assassin and teleporter that can nullify projectiles and cleanse the stage with his shadow techniques.

Bosses

 * Grimes. Grimes comes back. This time his fighting style consists in creating bubbles from different elements in the stage, that alter the weather. He serves as a mid-boss of the game. Can be unlocked but he fights alone.
 * The Fey. Final bosses of the game, the Fey are four ancient creatures from Grimes race. They barrage the stage with attacks from the four elements. They're sub-bosses of the game. All four are unlocked after being defeated. They're immune to their element but weak to the others.
 * Tsukiyomi. Final boss of the game. Tsukiyomi is the embodiment of the Aether and commands light and darkness.

Storyline
After the defeat of Grimes, the Clockwork pieces were given to their guardians and they've taken the task of protecting. However, the Fey from the other realm are enraged about the betrayal of Grimes and they plan to give up their support on the nature's cycle. They plan summoning Tsukiyomi, the god of Aether, that will turn matter into light again and reset the nature of the world.

Ash and Elisabeth
Ash and Elisabeth notice the coming of the aether and take the task of reuniting the guardians again to fight them.

Eliza and Camil
Camil has become the Guardian of Fire and is living in New York with Eliza, but after his powers go out of control they have to go and find out what's happening to the balance of the world.

Satsuki and Banjud
The ponds of Thailand are drying and a terrible drought is affecting Asia. Banjud meets water priestess Satsuki to investigate the whereabouts and try to restore nature.

Kanon and Stratos
Kanon is the new Guardian of Earth and crosses Middle East with Stratos to reunite with his family in the oasis. But the oasis has disappeared and his lands are menaced because of the climate change, so they must unite with the rest of the guardians to restore order.

Hiruk and Li Xun
After learning that Hiruk let the Earth Piece go for Kanon, the ambitious princess Li Xun declares war on Kanon's kingdom and launches an attack helped by commander Hiruk to reclaim the piece for her country.

Spark and Heiji
With her heightened senses, Spark listens in the end of the rainbow route a faraway melody, that could cure her friend's condition. They both go find out what it is to have inspiration to continue their art.

Lia and Valwa
When she sees mysterious rainbows appear in the skies, Lia enlists his model friend Valwa, to go look for the legendary treasure that is said to be in the end of it.

Yumi and Tweet
Yumi, the new Guardian of Water, has spent some time en Europe after finding out the reasons why her family was killed. But when she hears tragedies are happening on Earth, she goes accompanied with her friend Tweet to reunite with the other Guardians.

Shane and Christopher
Shane is the Guardian of the Wind but falls in tragedy when a cyclone raids Ireland. He accepts the guidance of templar Christopher to decide the fate of his nation.

Sequel
The game continued with Vermillion Cinders: Phoenix.