The Last Blade 2 (1998, NeoGeo)
Also appearing on: Dreamcast (2000)
This sequel came only one year after the original Last Blade and followed the usual sequel mold: add more characters, tweak the character balance, and don't try to fix what isn't broken. Joining the standard speed and power modes was EX mode, which was a hybrid mode that gave players benefits from the other two modes, although with a severe damage handicap. Kagami, the boss from the first game, returned as a playable character, and joining him were newcomers Setsuna, Kojiro, and Hibiki, whose design defied all stereotypes of female characters. Like the first game, Last Blade 2 featured some of the most beautifully animated characters, with gorgeous backdrops and a soundtrack that totally fit the atmosphere of the series. This was also one of three SNK games (the others being King of Fighters '99 and Garou: Mark of the Wolves) that Agetec published in North America for the ailing Dreamcast during its final days.
