Sammy Studios' acclaimed 2D fighting series returns to the PS2 with new characters, arenas, and gameplay modes in Guilty Gear Isuka. While adding a bevy of new features, the developers at Arc System Works strived to retain the characteristics that made the earlier Guilty Gear games successful, such as the combat system, character design, and background graphics. New play modes in Guilty Gear Isuka include two-on-two fighting and a four-player mode that pits combatants against the game's upgraded A.I. Players can also earn points, to be used in a new character customization mode, where they can purchase new moves and combos or change their character's appearance.
The Guilty Gear storyline has been massaged to offer additional intrigue and suspense to an already dark and ominous setting. Players find themselves in a future where science and technology no longer spur the advancement of society; rather, they are deemed the source of much of the world's conflict and are promptly outlawed. As a new source of energy is discovered, a terrifying use for this energy is conceived as well. Using it to combine the DNA of both humans and animals results in weapons known simply as "Gears." These powerful soldiers eventually declare war on mankind, resulting in a one-hundred year conflict that leads to the birth of a new fighting tournament, designed to find those humans strong enough, and skilled enough, to eliminate the Gear threat.