Fight or Die

Fight or Die is a 2D fighting game developed by Orange Soft and published by ACS. Released in 1999 for Arcades (ACS Supra³² System), PlayStation and Dreamcast.

Gameplay
Fight or Die plays mostly the same as with the other 2D fighters at the time, but features more emphasis towards combos. The game uses a clear-cut three-button system consisting of weak, medium and strong attacks. By pressing both weak and medium attack buttons simultaneously, the player can perform a special Launcher move that allows the player to launch the oppent up in the air and follow up with an air combo, similar to Marvel vs. Capcom.

The game features a Rave meter, that, when filled, allows the player to perform super moves, or Maximum attacks, and a Guard meter that decreases as the player blocks attacks, performed with the holding the opposite direction towards your opponent. If the Armor meter is depleted, the player will be put in a "Guard Crush" state and accumulated chip damage will be increased until the Guard meter fully refills

The game also features Unleashed mode, a special mode that allows the player to gain several boosts (more powerful, faster movement, fulll Armor meter). Unleashed mode can be performed by pressing all three attack buttons when the Rave meter is filled to its maximum level

There are 9 stages in normal gameplay (7 fights with basic characters, one mirror match and the boss fight with Aris). By default, each stage is a two-out-of -three wins match composed of "feuds" (the announcer says it as: Feud 1, Engage!).

Story
2000 A.D., 5 years after mankind discovered the unlimited power source know simply as "Materia", a war broke between the people and the "Creed", a cult-like organization formed by those who discovered Materia, who continually keep the power source away from the people who need it.

Yuko Amano, then 7 years old, saw her parents killed and her brother Yuji kidnapped by members of the Creed. The mysterious being known as Lucifero, then disguised as a spider, watched Yuko as she went crying and decices to make a pact with her to give her the power to control electricity through the power known as "Materia", with the price of her right eye and half of her sanity. Desperate, she agreed on the deal.

Fast-forward to 2011 A.D.: Yuko Amano, now 18, currently lives her life as the feared bounty hunter known as "the Personified Fear". Alongside her friends Eiji Kagami and Len Stadfelt, the three of them formed the "Spiders" gang, known for their ruthlessness and brutality. The gang, who fought with Materia-based powers, never cared about the Creed or everything about them.

Until news broke that a new leader of the Creed arose: Aris, who is belived to be Yuko's lost brother Yuji. Upon hearing this, Yuko, alongside Eiji and Len, sets off to find the Creed, in order to confront Aris.

Unbekonwnst to Yuko, Aris is merely a trap to Yuko, and the real leader of the Creed is none other than Lucifero himself.

Characters

 * Yuko Amano

Voiced by: Noriko Hidaka

The main character of Fight or Die, Yuko is the attractive, yet sadistic leader of the Spiders gang who seeks to find Aris for personal reasons. Yuko fights using Materia-based electric powers.


 * Eiji Kagami

Voiced by: Keiichi Nanba

Yuko's childhood friend and a self-professed lech, Eiji assists Yuko in finding Aris as both a member of Spiders and as her close friend. Eiji fights using ice manipulation via Materia.


 * Len Stadfeld

Voiced by: Yuri Shiratori

A descendant of the multi-millionaire Stadfeld clan who ran away from her home, Len joins Yuko and Eiji in their pursiut as a way to repay them for their help in her own problem Len uses a kusarigama, which she combines with Materia-fueled wind powers.


 * Rokuro Higurashi

Voiced by: Nobuo Tobita

A lost soul who contiually protects the Umineko forest, Rokuro decides to destroy Materia in order to return the natural beauty of the Umineko forest, which was continually being deserted. Rokuro fights using other lost souls, which he uses to form weapons and projectiles.


 * Larkspur Belladonna

Voiced by: Miki Ito A mysterious assassin with a flower motif, Larkspur Belladonna was sent by her organization, the Deadly Flowers, to kill Aris. Larkspur fights with a bunch of flower-shaped projectiles with poisoned needles in them.


 * Karasuyama

Voiced by: Takehito Koyasu

A ninja who remains as the sole representative of his clan, Karasuyama seeks revenge against those who wiped out his clan: the Creed. Karasuyama fights using shadow manipulation.


 * Goro Ogami

Voiced by: Banjo Ginga A construction worker who began to grow muscle mass endlessly after an ill-advised Materia experiment, Goro wants to find a cure to his never-ending muscle growth. Goro fights using his sheer strength.


 * Adelaide "Adele" Lee

Voiced by: Maria Kawamura A member of the Creed who serves as Aris' mistress, Adele Lee dedicated herself to protecting Aris at any cost. Adele fights using the "Delta Blade", a short sword with a blade made from Materia.


 * Aris

<p style="font-weight:normal;font-size:13px;">Voiced by: Nozomu Sasaki The current leader of the Creed, Aris is actually Yuko's long-lost younger brother Yuji Amano, forcibly brainwashed and turned into the man that he is now. Aris fight using the ability to manipulate vectors through Materia.

Stages

 * Spider's Web (A hideout located underneath a bridge. Stage for Yuko and Len)
 * Chaotic Alley (A backstreet full of thugs. Eiji's stage)
 * Thousand Year Old Tree (An old tree located in the foggy Umineko forest. Rokuro's stage)
 * Coffee In The Night (A scene in front of a coffee shop. Larkspur's stage)
 * Amaterasu's Remnants (The remains of the destroyed Amaterasu Temple. Karasuyama's stage)
 * Under Construction (A dilapidated construction site. Goro's stage)
 * Creed's Nest (The rooftop of the Creed's building. Adele's stage)
 * End of Days (Essentially the Creed's Nest, but with a red sky and several debris flying. Aris' stage)

Sequel
A sequel to the game, Fight or Die II: As Daylight Dies, was released in 2001 for the PlayStation 2. It featured new characters as well as new gameplay mechanics and stages.