In a time now long past, mankind faced extinction at the hands of the "Black Beast", a creature that appeared out of the darkness. The Beast was possessed by an awesome power, and it appeared that the time of man would soon be at an end. It was then, in humanity's darkest hour, that six heroes of unknown origin came forward to defeat the Beast. They brought with them the ancient power of "magic", which they freely shared with mankind. Turning their ingenuity to the formation of new, more powerful weapons, humanity discovered a process by which they could infuse their own technology with the power of ancient magic. It was in this way that humanity created the "Armagus", and discovered a power far beyond what magic or technology alone could have given them.

With this newfound power, mankind once again confronted the Beast, with the six heroes fighting alongside them. After many long, blood-soaked battles, the Beast finally fell, ending what would come to be know as "The First War of Magic". The heroes who had fought beside human warriors in the First War of Magic were immortalized for their deeds, and through generations came to be known as the "Six Heroes"

It was during the First War that an organization was formed to regulate the use of the "Grimoire Armagus", the Armagus training texts. Called the "New World Void Space Cue Administration Bureau", it was this organization, and the power it wielded through the use of the Grimoire Armagus, that brought about great advances across the spectrum of human technology. These advances threw mankind into a vast and all-encompassing reconstruction.
Decades have passed since the Bureau established itself as a dictatorship and Armagus became the deciding factor in nearly all of humanity's affairs. This has led to a large socioeconomic gap between those who can wield the power of Armagus and those who cannot. Tensions began to flare, and before long a rebel organization calling itself the "Ikaruga Union" appeared, defying the totalitarian authority of the Bureau. With the creation of the Ikaruga Union, angry thoughts became open hostilities and "The Second War of Magic" began. It was this conflict, which also came to be know as "The Ikaruga Civil War", that saw humans using the power of Armagus against one another for the first time.

The Second War came to a close with the destruction of the Ikaruga Union. Afraid of further conflict, the Bureau consummated its subjugation of the populace by issuing the following decree:

"Whosoever chooses to defy the New World Void Space Cue Administration Bureau shall be put to death, without exception."

Several years after the end of the Second War, a branch of the Bureau reputed to command a force as powerful as an entire nation's army was suddenly and utterly destoryed. The few survivors spoke in hushed, shaken tones of a single man who had appeared out of nowhere, cutting down all in his path.

His name was "Ragna the Bloodedge"

He wages a one-man war against the power of the Bureau, fighting to break its iron grip on humanity's throat. He is a man who has declared war against the world itself.

The main controls are the eight-way joystick and the four buttons. Along with the three attack buttons, there is a "Drive" button which gives each character a special attack. In addition to the basic "dash" and "jump" buttons found in a fighting game, there is an "aerial dash" and "two-step jump".

£Flashy graphics combined with super-high-speed battles make for even crazier combos!

The "Heat Gauge" is necessary for powerful attacks such as the "Distortion Drive". It is also necessary for a "Rapid Cancel", where you can cancel an opponent's move when they try to attack. You can increase the "Heat Gauge" by landing an attack on the enemy.

The "Barrier Gauge" is needed for "barriers" that will defend you against the damage dealt by the enemy. The gauge also applies to the "Barrier Burst" where you can blast someone away while you guard. When the "Barrier Gauge" reaches zero, your defense level will go down for a period of time. The "Barrier Gauge" will refill over time.

Click on the picture for a larger version. *This screenshot is of a version of the game that is still in development.