Mobile Light Force 2

Overview

Shikigami no Shiro, translated to "Castle of Shikigami", is a 2D contemporary-fantasy vertical-scrolling shoot-'em-up developed by Alfa System and released by Taito for arcades (using PS1-based G-NET hardware) exclusively in Japan in 2001.

The first arcade game by Alfa System, Shikigami no Shiro puts players as one of five paranormal investigators as they magically fly across Tokyo in the near-future 2005, fighting demonic forces while investigating a string of bizarre murders. Along with being an early "bullet hell" game, it is known for its unique charged attack system (known as "Shikigami Attack") and for its Tension Bonus System (where grazing enemies and their bullets grants both a point bonus and an attack bonus). It received multiple sequels and spin-offs.

The game received home conversions in Japan for both the Xbox (by MediaQuest on March 14, 2002) and PlayStation 2 (by Taito on June 27, 2002). It also received an enhanced port for the PC by MediaQuest on August 8, 2002, where it was known as Shikigami no Shiro EX. The Xbox version received an enhanced re-release on December 19, 2002 as Shikigami no Shiro Evolution, with two separate versions (Ai and Kurenai, each with their own unique set of bonus content) and updated gameplay (including a more difficult overhaul of enemy attack patterns and bosses).

Like Psikyo's shoot-'em-up Gunbird, the PS2 version was released by XS Games in 2003 in both North America and Europe with deceptive localization as Mobile Light Force 2 (or MLF 2), showing cover art and in-game title art that is not only completely unrelated to the game, but also lifting whole from the original PS1 Mobile Light Force (with the European cover art changing it to bipedal robots, again unrelated to the game). Like its predecessor, this version has its cutscenes and endings cut.

The original game later received a digital PC release worldwide by Degica Games on June 15, 2017, ported by Cosmo Machia and known overseas as Castle of Shikigami. The Evolution version was later added as paid DLC on October 26, 2017.

Characters

• Kotaro Kuga - A cocky high-school detective who carries a cursed talisman giving him access to a cannibal ghost.

• Sayo Yuki - A shrine maiden with a companion crow. It is believed that her design is based on Sayo from the KiKi KaiKai series.

• Gennojo Hyuga - An older detective with ties to the criminal underworld, and tends to transform into a beast-man when he gets emotional.

• Fumiko Ozette Vanstein - A German witch with access to several heavy weapons (including a satellite laser).

• Kim Daejeong - A Korean priest on the run from the police, as he carries a special guitar case filled with stolen weapons.

• ??? - A hidden character who is unlockable in the arcade versions with a cheat code (and is unlocked from the start in home versions). She is a guest character from the studio's earlier game Elemental Gearbolt.