Savage Reign

Savage Reign (風雲黙示録) is a futuristic-themed competitive fighting game released by SNK for their Neo Geo arcade and home platform. It was ported to the Neo Geo CD, as well as for the PlayStation 2 along with its sequel Kizuna Encounter in Japan only (as part of the Fūun Super Combo).

Plot
Savage Reign is set in the first half of the 21st century in the fictional city of South Town (the same city used in the Fatal Fury and Art of Fighting series). A mysterious man known only as King Lion has risen up from the shadows and issued a challenge on television for the strongest of fighters to battle him in a fighting competition known as the Battle of the Beast God. He promises wealth beyond anyone's dreams and fame beyond imagination. Nine fighters have come to the tournament, each with their own sole purpose and reason for battling against King Lion.

Gameplay
The game, much like Samurai Shodown, is a weapons fighter. However, Savage Reign has a few particular elements that makes it different from its predecessor:
 * The weapons can not only be used for close combat, but can also be thrown at an opponent from a distance for more ranged attacks. There are also two levels of playing field within the battles (the default lower one and the upper field, which both fighters can jump to with the push of a button).
 * The button layout was also slightly different at the time, resembling World Heroes somewhat: a button for punching, a button for kicking, a button for the weapon and a button for jumping between planes (holding down the punch or kick buttons results in a stronger attack, tapping them wields a light attack).

Characters

 * Sho Hayate - The main protagonist of the series. A young Japanese man who aims to prove the strength of Fu'un-Ken: a special style of fighting that combines martial arts with the mastery of the boomerang. Hayate is best known for his calm yet brash attitude and that he always initiates a strong battle cry in combat.
 * Carol Stanzack - A beautiful young French gymnast who is being forced to marry King Lion by her father (who is also her teacher). She is annoyed by this, and fights to break this commitment. Carol fights with a mixture of an Olympic pink ball, her gymnast skills, and Aikido (though she doesn't use many throws on sight).
 * Max Eagle - An undefeated wrestler who is interested in the challenge. His ulterior motive for entering the tournament is that he seeks on whether or not King Lion is his missing older brother. Max fights with a mixture of his axe and a couple of wrestling moves. It is also noted that the wrestling organization (SWF) Max works for is the same one used in the SNK arcade game 3 Count Bout.
 * Gordon Bowman - A successful police officer who carries an electric stun tonfa. His young daughter is deathly ill and he heads to the tournament for the prize money to support her medical attention.
 * Chung Paifu - An old hermit (sennin) who decides to enter the tournament due to a past conflict between him and King Lion. His cap was given to him by a man known only as the "Legendary Wolf." Chung fights with a walking stick and can instantly go into Ikari (angry) mode if his cap is knocked off his head in battle.
 * Gozu - A red ninja who uses fire-based attacks with his Fire Claws. He is a member of a group called the Jaguar (Jaga, or Jagger), and with Mezu, he is out for revenge against King Lion due to a past incident that happened.
 * Mezu - A blue ninja who uses water and ice-based attacks with his Ice Claws. His goals are somewhat similar to Gozu's, but he is more motivated for vengeance for the death of his brother, who was killed by King Lion in a past incident.
 * Joker - A clown-like fighter who happens to be the leader of a violent street gang known as the Looly Po Po. Joker uses his unusual appearance and his strange weaponry (the primary one being a Jack-in-a-box) as his fighting tools. His motivations for entering the tournament is to gain glory for himself and his gang. His real name is Marco Bariadrid.
 * Nicola Zaza - A young super genius who constructed both a Super Shield and a Super Suit. Nicola participates in the tournament to test the very depths of his creations.
 * King Lion (Kage Shishioh) - The mysterious man who is responsible for holding the Battle of the Beast God tournament. King Lion wields a sword called "The Sword of Leo" in combat. His true intentions for holding the tournament are unknown.
 * King Leo (Shin Shishioh) - The final boss and main antagonist of the series. King Leo is not an alternate version of King Lion, but rather the true King Lion who had made the fake impersonator as a way to test his opponent out before he would come and battle them in his own accord.