UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes

UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes is a two-dimensional fighting game by FRENCH-BREAD and Arc System Works. It tells the final chapter of the Hollow Night story around Hyde, Linne and the mysterious Kuon. The duels focus on precise button inputs, special attacks and control of the shared GRD gauge.

UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes was released on Jan 24, 2024 on Steam and on the German PlayStation Store for PS4 and PS5. The international game website lists Jan 25, 2024 as the release date, which is also given for Nintendo Switch.

The game was released alongside a standalone sequel with a new story, new fighting techniques and rollback netcode.

UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes is available for PC via Steam, PS4, PS5 and Nintendo Switch. All four platforms get the standard game version with local duels and online features. The PS5 and PS4 versions are listed on the German PlayStation site, and the Switch version is part of the official platform lineup.

Two fighters face off in fast 2D duels. Normal attacks, special techniques and consecutive hit chains can be combined with resource management that opens up many options for experienced players.

Beginners can use simplified inputs for combos. Advanced players combine precise timing, space control and special EXS techniques.

The Season Pass adds extra playable characters to the game. These include Uzuki, Ogre and Izumi. Zohar is also available on Steam as a separate character add-on. If you want to use the new fighters, you need the relevant content or a suitable pack.

Alongside the characters, there is a separate pack with additional announcer voices. The Deluxe Edition combines the base game with selected extra content.

The Steam version requires Windows 10 or 11, an Intel Core i5 at 3.2 GHz, 4 GB RAM and 20 GB of free storage. Steam lists a GeForce GTX 680 or Radeon HD 7970 as the minimum graphics card. Online duels require a broadband connection.

The story revolves around the recurring Hollow Night and beings with extraordinary powers. Hyde and Linne get caught up in the fight over how this cycle ends. Kuon plays a central role as the antagonist. Sys:Celes continues the events of the earlier games and tells the conclusion of this story arc.

At launch there are 24 characters to choose from, including three new faces: Kaguya fights with two firearms, Tsurugi relies on a defence that is hard to break through, and Kuon joins the roster as a particularly powerful opponent. Returning characters have reworked animations and new attacks.

The combat system rewards smart decisions around the GRD gauge. With Chain Shift, you convert collected GRD into EXS and can cancel certain actions to chain further attacks. Together with the EXS techniques, this creates longer combinations and tactical decisions about when to spend resources.

Creeping Edge and Celestial Vorpal expand your tactical options. The new systems affect the interplay of defence, movement and attack. Existing characters have also received additional special techniques, including Hyde and Linne.

UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II supports two-player duels on the same device and online fights. Ranked matches and player matches are planned, as well as a search for casual matchups. Rollback netcode is meant to offset lag between opponents. According to the official game website, online lobbies can hold up to nine people, although only two fight at a time.

Simplified combo inputs let you perform attack sequences that look complex right from the start. A training mode is available to help you learn the techniques. The PlayStation version also offers an adjustable difficulty level and basic button remapping.

UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes includes German on-screen text and subtitles. The voice acting is in Japanese. Other supported text languages are English, French, Italian, Spanish, Korean, and Simplified and Traditional Chinese.

The PlayStation versions allow basic remapping of buttons and separate volume settings. A training mode and simpler control options make it easier to get started. Subtitles are available for key characters and the main story.

FRENCH-BREAD and Arc System Works developed UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes. Arc System Works published the fighting game. The sequel's new features include reworked character art, new fighters and, for the first time in the series, rollback netcode.