Ending

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Ending is an upcoming fighting game.
The game is set for release on PC, PlayStation 5, XBOX One, XBOX Series X and one the Nintendo Switch on TBA. The game will be rated T by the ESRB rating standards. Ending will be developed by Team GhostCat and it will be co-published by CAPCOM and Niobium Moon Studios.
The game is Niobium Moon's first venture in publishing games aside from their own, and as such, company founder will provide his input and assistance on the project in areas that may need.
==Plot==
Magic was always associated with fairy tales. So it was a huge surprise for the whole world to discover that Magic actually exists. The magicians quickly took over the world and killed almost all the non-magicians, the Powerless. This event was known as the Cleansing. While it was quick, the Cleansing irreparably damaged the world’s stability and it led to the rise and the fall of new powers.
55 years after the Cleansing, the president of what used to be the United States (now known as Permia) decided to enact a secret project. The idea was to find the remaining Powerless scattered across the globe, and overload their bodies with Magic. Advanced AI would then be plugged into their brains to not just control these new super-soldiers, which were named “Ending Walkers”, but to enhance their brain power. This project was known internally as Project End.
However, Project End failed miserably. The government had to hide its spending on the project from the public, and said spending plunged Permia through a gigantic economic collapse. Even worse, hundreds of Powerless died in the experiments, and only 5 successful Ending Walkers were produced out of it. This led the government to swear to keep it under wraps as much as possible (especially since the populace was getting suspicious of the disappearing funds). The many people that were affected in some way by Project End swore revenge. And they are all ready to kill just to get their revenge on the president and the Permian government…
==Gameplay==
Ending is a 2D fighting game that uses a four-button control scheme. The game is designed to play at a very fast pace. The goal of the game is to empty the foe’s Health Bar, just like a traditional fighting game (nothing has changed on that front).
===Health & Round System===
In Ending, fighters have a Health Bar. When you take damage, your Health Bar goes down. When you lose all your Health, you are K.O’ed and lose the round. Once your Health goes down to 25%, you enter Last-Ditch-Effort state (symbolized by your Health Bar turning vibrant red), which increases speed, damage and combo scaling, but Last-Ditch-Effort will make you much easier to be comboed around.
When a player is KO’ed, depending on the winner’s health, one of three scenarios can happen. They can win a fight by K.O, which counts as winning one round, but they can also win a fight by Perfect K.O or by LDE K.O, which counts as winning two rounds. Each match is out of three rounds.
===Movement===
Each character in the game has access to 3 main movement options: Walking, Jumping, and Dashing. Walking is done by tilting the joystick forwards or back, and it allows you to move towards or away from your enemy. Each character has a different Walking Speed, which makes them either faster or slower. Jumping is done by tilting the joystick up, and it allows you to gain some height, to avoid grounded attacks such as sweeps, and to attack foes that are in the air. Every character (unless stated otherwise) is able to Double Jump. Finally, Dashing is done by double-tapping the joystick forwards or back, which allows you to move a certain distance forwards or back. Dashing can be performed in the air.
===Offense===
The game has 4 attack buttons: Punch, Kick, Slash, and Hack. Different attacks are performed should you be standing, crouching, or jumping. Each attack is suited for different purposes, should it be keeping your foes at bay, starting combos or anti-airing. 
Players also have access to Special Attacks, which have unique uses and abilities, from projectiles, to command dates and command grabs. They usually define a character’s gameplan. 
Finally, by pressing both Punch and Kick at the same time, you will perform a Grab. If it connects, you can perform a Pummel to rack up damage by pressing any attack button, or you can input a specific direction to perform a Throw to launch the foe away. If two players perform a Grab at the same time, both players are pushed away: this is known as an Escape.
Every attack can be canceled into specific attacks. This is known as a Chain. Chains compose the game’s Combo System, and they are unique for each character. Additionally, certain moves can be canceled into Special Attacks. However, as your combos will go on, Combo Decay will eventually kick in and allow the foe to counterattack.
===Defense=== 
The game has one main defensive option: Blocking. By holding back, you will perform a High Block, which blocks high and mid attacks. By holding down-back, you will instead do a Low Block, which blocks mid and low attacks. Blocks can also be performed in the air: this is known as an Air Block and this allows you to block all jumping attacks. 
A Parry can be executed by blocking an attack the moment it is supposed to hit you. If landed successfully, a black spark will flare up from your character’s eye. This will allow you to act immediately, making for a potent reversal tool. For each Parry that has been executed in a row before attacking, the parrying player gains a small damage boost of x1.2, which stacks. The goal ? Encourage players to risk it all and attempt to parry many attacks in a row !
===Break===
The game’s most important resource is the Break Meter. By dealing damage, particularly in combos, by taking damage, and by being generally aggressive, the Break Meter will build up. The Break Meter can be spent on one of 6 actions: Flow, Kill Rushes, Break Cancels, Dire Breaks, Destructive Arts, and Instant Kills.
Flow is a universal attack option. Flow has two charge levels, with each having unique traits that make them useful in different situations. When uncharged, Flow is a fast forward-moving attack that can be canceled by any form of movement after a successful hit. When charged, Flow becomes a stationary, invulnerable, slow attack that will inflict Guard Crush even if it connects. It consumes 25% of the Break Meter and is inputted by pressing Punch and Hack at the same time.
Kill Rushes are invulnerable dashes that can cross-up foes. The move will enhance the next special attack by granting extra momentum, range and combo ability. While Kill Rushes are great for extending combos and mixing foes up, they do inflict a 10% damage scaling penalty. However, the scaling can be negated thanks to Parry damage multipliers (if applicable). It consumes 25% of the Break Meter and is inputted by pressing Kick and Slash at the same time.
Break Cancels act like Roman Cancels in the Guilty Gear series: it cancels any attack right back into a neutral stance, allowing you to link attacks at the cost of 50% Break. It also temporarily slows down the game, making combo execution easier during this short burst of time. It’s inputted by pressing Punch and Slash at the same time.
Dire Breaks are a defensive mechanic, which allows you to release an unblockable shockwave that deals no damage yet deals high knockback. This lets you break out of a combo for 50% Break meter. It’s performed by inputting Kick and Hack at the same time.
Each character has one Destructive Arts. Naturally, these are best not used recklessly during a match, as doing so will leave a character wide open for a punish. Each Destructive Art has a unique use, from serving as a combo ender to temporarily powering yo your character. Here is the thing: Destructive Arts costs only 50% Break, just like in Guilty Gear, unless if specified otherwise. Destructive Arts are shortened to DA in the game.
Each character also has one Instant Kill, which is a powerful move that is locked behind Instant Kill Mode which, if it lands, triggers a cool cinematic where your character beats the crap out of the opposing fighter and nets you an L.D.E. K.O. Instant Kill Mode is activated by pressing Slash and Hack when the Break meter is at maximum capacity, doing so turns the gauge into a timer. Inputting double quarter-circle forwards plus Slash and Hack will then execute the Instant Kill. Instant Kills are abbreviated as IK in-game.
===Controls===
This list uses button notation as found on the Nintendo Switch. For the PlayStation 5, XBOX One and XBOX Series X, the button notation will vary.
* : Move
* : Punch (noted as in-game)
* : Kick (noted as in-game)
* : Slash (noted as in-game)
* : Hack (noted as in-game)
====Techniques====
The following list uses exclusively the in-game notations.
* OR OR : Jump
*[AIR OK] or [AIR OK] : Dash
*+ : Grab
*[GROUND ONLY] : High Block
* : Low Block
*[AIR ONLY] : Air Block
*[WHEN TIMED TO A FOE’S ATTACK] : Parry 
*+ : Flow
*+ : Kill Rush
*+ : Break Cancel
*+ : Dire Break
*+ : Enter Instant Kill Mode
==Game Modes==
===Singleplayer===
====Arcade====
A classic arcade game mode in which the player chooses a fighter and embarks on a series of fifteen matches, the last one being against a predetermined foe. Five difficulties can be chosen: Easy, Medium, Hard, Deadly, and Survivor. Each arcade mode will reveal a fighter's story through Art Pieces depending on the selected difficulty, in a way that beating Arcade Mode on all difficulties with every single character will compose Ending’s overarching story.
====Survival====
The player selects their character, and they embark in a mode where they must face fight after fight and survive as long as possible. Five difficulties can be chosen: Easy, Medium, Hard, Deadly, and Survivor. The farther you go, the better the rewards. Oh, and there is also an Online Leaderboard for this mode.
====Tutorial====
The game’s Tutorial is a comprehensive guide of how the game works that covers all basic aspects of how to fight in the game. Part of the Tutorial is tailored to individual characters, which goes over how a character plays, their abilities, and their gimmicks if applicable.
====Combo Trials====
Combo Trials has players select a character. The player then goes from learning basic bread-and-butter strings to learning complex sequences that make heavy use of the game’s unique mechanics. The goal is for players to further their understanding of characters and for them to practice their timing and execution of combo strings.
====Training====
Training Mode allows players to practice their fighting skills, should it be practicing inputs or full combos. You can control various settings, like displaying hitboxes, the frames viewer, your or the CPU’s Health Bar, your or the CPU’s Break gauge, the CPU blocking, the CPU Parrying, displaying inputs, and more. The goal is to give players the best training experience possible.
===Multiplayer===
====Versus====
Play against another player or against the CPU. The CPU can be set to one of five difficulties: Easy, Medium, Hard, Deadly, and Survivor. Players are free to choose their characters and stages, but they can always select these randomly if they wish.
====Hazard====
A much more casual-oriented version of Versus where you select a Hazard after having selected your fighter and the stage (the Hazard can be picked randomly). It can be played with another player or against the CPU. Hazards are:
*The Floor is Lava !: The ground deals damage.
*Zap Corner: The walls of the stage will deal massive knockback to anyone that touches them.
*Deathball: A giant ball appears in the middle of the stage, which can be interacted with and will deal damage if it’s knocked into your foes.
*Windy Duel: Winds will periodically strike the stage, dealing massive knockback in one set direction. The winds can be Parried.
*Fresh Open Wounds: All fighters will gradually lose Health as the match goes on.
*Sparring ?: The Break bar is set to 0% and cannot be filled, and special moves are inaccessible.
===Online===
To play online, you must have a CAPCOM ID.
====Casual Play====
Casual Play allows you to search for random players to play against. The players you face will be entirely random, and there is no ranking. The mode also allows you to select your a Hazard, just like the Multiplayer mode, should you want to. Casual Play provides a more relaxed environment than the other modes.
====Competitive Play====
Competitive Play has you search for random players to play against. Here, matches are meant to be played in a competitive setting, so certain stages might be unplayable here. As you play, you will gain EP (End Points) for winning matches and you will lose them for losing against players. Reaching certain EP thresholds will make you rank up, which will allow you to challenge more powerful opponents. The ranks are as following:
*New Fighter: You just started playing using Competitive Play. This rank will match you against foes from random ranks in order to determine your skill level. Depending on how well you perform, you will start in different ranks, ranging from Rookie to Fighter.
*Rookie: The lowest rank, from 0 EP to 999 EP.
*Novice: From 1000 EP to 3999 EP.
*Confirmed: From 4000 EP to 8999 EP.
*Fighter: From 9000 EP to 15999 EP.
*Thrillseeker: From 16000 EP to 24999 EP.
*Painbearer: From 25000 EP to 35999 EP.
*Elite: From 36000 EP to 48999 EP.
*Vanguard: From 49000 EP to 63999 EP.
*Nightmare: From 64000 EP to 80999 EP.
*Master: From 81000 EP to 99999 EP.
*Born Survivor: The highest rank, which encompasses players with more than 100000 EP.
====Tournament Play====
Tournament Play has players face each-other in a 64-player elimination tournament. The farther you go, the stronger your foes will be. Try to go as fare as possible to earn the most EP possible you can only win here ! However, to enter Tournament Play, you must pay a fee of 100 EP. Try to shoot as high as you can !
====Private Play====
Private Play allows you to open up a Private Room, which can only be accessed using a randomly-generated code. This enables you to casually play with friends ! The mode also allows you to select your a Hazard, just like the Multiplayer mode, should you want to. There is obviously no ranking here.
===Extras===
====Stats====
View statistics such as your current play time, your most played characters, your most played stages, your most played modes, and your win-loss ratio (in all modes).
====Gallery====
A place where you can view all collected Art Pieces, listen to the game’s voice acting and soundtrack, and look at concept art, unused art, official art, and fan art.
====Replays====
Where you can view previous matches done in Versus or in Online modes. You can share them online too. You can export your own replays to video editing softwares too, so if you want to make montages, go nuts ! 
====Credits====
Where you can watch the wonderful people who helped in making Ending. You can see the Credits should you fully complete Arcade Mode.
====Settings====
This is the place to change the game’s settings, such as:
*Controls: Allows you to map different buttons to different actions.
*Volume: Change the volume of music, sound effects, character voice lines and the announcer.
*Luminosity: Allows you to change the brightness of the screen’s display.
*Language: Allows you to change the language of the game. Languages are English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, Mandarin, Korean, and Japanese.
==Characters==
Ending features 16 characters in the game’s base roster, 8 of which are available by default, while the other 8 must be unlocked by playing Arcade Mode or by meeting certain requirements. DLC is planned, with the goal of raising the game’s roster from 16 to 24.
===Starting Characters===
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!style="width:45%; ;"|Lumo
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Lumo is a student in biology who used to study at a prestigious university, despite being a Powerless. After losing his memories thanks to the experiments that were conducted on him thanks to Project End, he realized the extent of what he lost when he couldn’t even remember his long-time childhood friend. This sparked a hatred for the government, which led him to embark on a suicide mission to kill the president. He’s pretty reserved and he’s still re-learning social cues, but he’s a terrifying fighter. He’s one of the 5 successful Ending Walkers.
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While Lumo is designed to aid beginners to understand how Ending works, his great overall moveset and fast-paced playstyle allows him to be used by much more experienced players very effectively.
*Character Type: Balanced
*Ease of Use: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆	 	
Move 	Input 	Description
DA: Penta Dragon 	 	Lumo braces himself before shooting out a lunging dragon projectile. The projectile behaves like a command grab - if it cleanly hits a foe, the ‘mouth’ of the dragon will clamp at the foe’s neck as the dragon projectile rises, before Lumo commands its detonation. </br> Penta Dragon is an excellent way to get foes off you, to bypass enemy projectiles, and it is an excellent reversal, as it is invulnerable to enemy attacks, including projectiles. However, these strengths are compensated by its heavy ending lag.
IK: Penta Assault	[Activate IK Mode:+]</br>+	Lumo starts the Instant Kill by performing a lunging swipe. Should it connect, Lumo transitions into a heel drop, which sends the foe down, before he kicks them in the face. Seeing that the kick had more impact than intended, he uses a projectile aimed to his back to recoil himself to his opponent, before he summons a dragon made of energy to bite down at the foe. The dragon drags the foe across the ground before detonating just in front of Lumo, with the blast charring the foe’s body beyond repair, except for their head.
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!style="width:45%; ;"|Edelweiss
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Edelweiss, real name Alina, is a street vigilante whose best friend, Leon, got killed because of Project End experimentation. She seeks to find the people behind Project End to force them to answer to their sins, and when she learns that the government (that also happens to waste their resources to track her down) is affiliated with it, she seeks to dismantle the government. Her target ? The president. 
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Equipped with many burst-movement options such as her Graffiti Warper or her Evasive Maneuvers, Edelweiss excels at opening up the opponent and carving opportunities for herself, making for a versatile rushdown character.
*Character Type: Rushdown
*Ease of Use: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆	 	
Move 	Input 	Description
DA: Graffiti Summit 	 	Edelweiss crouches down, gathers graffiti in her fists, and jumps up while allowing graffiti to orbit her, dealing damage to anyone remotely close. Edelweiss can steer herself during the jump, allowing her to try to hit the foe as much as she can. At the end of the DA, she warms immediately back to her starting point, which is marked by where the graffiti effects start. </br> It’s fast, it deals multiple hits, and it doesn’t have any end lag problems, making for a great anti-air and reversal. She can also use it as a combo starter, as after warping back down, she suffers no end-lag. However, it doesn’t have invincibility, meaning that a well-timed projectile or reckless steering will make you waste it.
IK: Graffiti Unbound	[Activate IK Mode:+]</br>+	Edelweiss starts the Instant Kill by warping close to the foe and performing an uppercut. Should it connect, she amasses graffiti into her fists, before jumping up and allowing the graffiti to surround her like a tornado, hitting the foe multiple times. She then jumps back down, allowing her foe a moment of reprieve as Edelweiss cracks her knuckles. The foe tries to attack, but Edelweiss jumps out in the nick of time, and she then rushes out from behind to deliver a devastating graffiti-enhanced haymaker, before using the momentum to stab the foe precisely in their heart. As the foe crumples on her blade, she yanks it out of their corpse before wiping it clean of the blood.
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!style="width:45%; ;"|Toby
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Toby is a former alcoholic that used to have a side job as a gunslinger that would work on both sides, depending on who had the most cash. However, the government’s spending on Project End had other plans (it caused Permia to go through a major economic collapse). Because of this, Toby took a job in the army to guarantee himself a stable income, where he still worked as a gunslinger. After he learned of the atrocity that is Project End, he founded O.R.C.A., an anti-government faction that seeks to offer humanitarian aid to the victims of Project End. He juggles between acting like a government pawn and an enemy of said government. 
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Toby excels at keeping his opponents at bay by using his variety of projectiles, which are each designed for a particular situation. However, this versatility comes with the cost of having a high downtime.
*Character Type: Zoner
*Ease of Use: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆	 	
Move 	Input 	Description
DA: Sichergehen Dass du tot Bist	 	Toby brings out an energy-powered machine gun, turns a dial into overdrive, and activates the weapon, causing a beam to run all across the screen, dealing multiple hits to anyone in the way. The beam lasts for around 3 seconds before the weapon runs out of energy, causing Toby to kick it off-screen. </br> Sichergehen Dass du tot Bist is a very good projectile DA, boasting high damage, dealing multiple hits, having somewhat of a long duration, and ignoring blocks (but not parries, but parrying it is a nigh-impossible task). It’s problem is that it boasts long start-up and endlag, and that if Toby uses the DA recklessly, he is stuck in place for around 3 seconds, allowing foes to take advantage of the opening.
IK: Strafe Panzer 	[Activate IK Mode:+]</br>+	Toby smirks as he winds up, before performing a huge uppercut. If it lands, the Instant Kill starts with Toby summoning shoulder-mounted gun after shoulder-mounted gun, for a grand total of five guns on each shoulder. The camera then has a western-esque filter that shows the foe, midair, and Toby, hands on the trigger of the shoulder guns. He then opens fire, causing ten explosive bullets to piece the foe, cutting their fall short as they are left to splatter on the ground in a pool of blood. We then see Toby cocking up his revolve, which he places in the neck of the limping foe, before he shoots them once, ending their misery.
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!style="width:45%; ;"|Violetta
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Violetta was an infamous criminal who escaped death row by giving her will to Project End. The result left her as one of the 5 successful Ending Walkers, but it also left her with no emotion and no memories, leading her to become the perfect government pawn. Knowing that she’s an adult yet she has no memories of anything aside from her name and how to fight, she naturally seeks answers. And where is she planning to get them ? From the government.
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Violetta’s gameplan revolves around sacrificing one opportunity to build the foundations of her offense safely thanks to her Octa Charge, which heavily enhances her moveset.
By performing Octa Charge, Violetta will gain access to stronger versions of Octa Bullet, Octa Raid, Octa Striker and Octa Hellrain. She also gains access to stronger versions of certain Destructive Arts when she has an Octa Charge available. Octa Charges only apply for one special move or Destructive Art, but they can be stacked to up to 10 stacks.
*Character Type: Rushdown
*Ease of Use: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
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!style="width:45%; ;"|Aria
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Aria is one of the 5 successful Ending Walkers, and she’s one of the most advanced of them. However, when they added the advanced Ai into the mix, Aria developed emotions because of a mistake in the code and went rogue. She’s obsessed with the notion of love, and is trying to find happiness despite all the manipulation and misery going on. She is one of the most powerful Ending Walkers in existence, which places a huge bounty on her head... 
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Aria’s moveset is designed to allow her to keep her opponents close while keeping them away from her, allowing her to optimize usage of her Love Charges, which allow her to really kick her offense into high gear.
Aria can plant Love Charges in her foes using Snapback Combo. In this state, foes will suffer a debuff that manifests in a timed explosion after a set period of time. Using another Snapback Combo, Love Snatcher, Soul Storm or Soul Punisher will detonate the Love Charge early. If the foe hits Aria, the Love Charge will vanish.
*Character Type: Footsies
*Ease of Use: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
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!style="width:45%; ;"|Chase
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Chase is a teenage girl who ran away from her home. She’s one of the most powerful mages in existence: which led the Permian government to kill her family and track her down. Because of this, she seeks to run away from Permia without looking back. She’s a boxer, and to get money to travel, she competes in underground tournaments. Don’t ask about her name: her parents thought she was a boy.
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With the most versatile rekka in the game, if Chase closes the gap, she immediately becomes a scary threat. However, it’s your job to allow her to even get in, as her entire toolkit is designed assuming you got in.
*Character Type: Rushdown
*Ease of Use: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
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!style="width:45%; ;"|Johannes
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Johannes is a bounty hunter who is tasked with hunting down the 5 Ending Walkers. He’s a kind man underneath his cold and gruff exterior. Despite his allegiance, he seeks to escape from the government’s clutches, which leads him to stumble upon O.R.C.A. . Even though he’s fine with murder, human experimentation is where he draws a line, and knowing that he is somewhat complicit with Project End leads him to seek salvation. 
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While Johannes looks like your stereotypical grappler, his fast movement speed and great ability to play the neutral will make you reconsider. Playing patiently and finding the right opportunity is key to mastering him.
*Character Type: Bait-and-Punish
*Ease of Use: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
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!style="width:45%; ;"|Ren
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Ren is the proud leader of the Defectors, an infamous pirate crew of star-studded orphans. Ren learns of Project End when he hears that a member of his crew got turned into an Ending Walker. He sets out to assassinate the president to rescue them. Despite his ego and flirtatious attitude, he’s a benevolent man who follows a strict honor code divided into 57 precepts.
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Ren is considered a more technical evolution to beginner-friendly character Lumo, with him boasting considerably more specialized tools. However, what should be noted is that by playing him well, you'll weaken the foe’s offense, making fighting him an uphill battle.
*Character Type: All-Around
*Ease of Use: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
===Unlockable Characters===
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!style="width:45%; ;"|Timothy
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Timothy is a teenager hailing from a rich family that sponsored Project End, Timothy ran away when he learnt that his family had agreed to marry him to someone he doesn’t even know just to sponsor a government project (he doesn’t trust the Permian government). Nowadays, the only remnant of his past identity is his name. He has made a collection of elemental gemstones, which he calls Arrowheads, which he holds dear. 
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Timothy excels at keeping the foe at bay, especially since he has the ability to temporarily debuff his foe thanks to his Arrowheads, which makes opening him hard. Keep in mind that you can’t just rely on them, however, as their numbers are limited.
*Character Type: Zoner
*Ease of Use: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
*Unlock Criteria: Beat Johannes’s Arcade mode story without taking damage. Instead of facing his rival, you will face Timothy. Beating him will unlock him.
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|- style="text-align:center; background: #000000; font-size: 13px;"
!style="width:45%; ;"|Polycaste
!style="width:45%; text-align:left" | 
Polycaste is Azura’s daughter. She’s a well-refined lady but she’s also a rebellious, adventurous soul who despite the sheltered environment she grew in, would sneak out at night to see the world. In order to secure Timothy’s family as a sponsor for Project End, Azura promised Polycaste to Timothy, which led her to pack her bags and run away. Now ? She’s on the run and she has to hope that her mother won’t search for her far and wide (but hey, with all the chaos that is happening, she should be fine.)
|-
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Polycaste is a really easy character to use as her entire kit is designed to be as easy to understand as possible, even if her options are unconventional. She also boasts the ability to grant herself buffs during a match thanks to her Smol Snack special, which should come in handy in a pinch.
*Character Type: All-Around
*Ease of Use: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
*Unlock Criteria: Beat Violetta’s Arcade mode story by finishing your foes up with his Destructive Arts. Instead of facing her rival, you will face Polycaste. Beating her will unlock her.
</br>
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|- style="text-align:center; background: #000000; font-size: 13px;"
!style="width:45%; ;"|Chara
!style="width:45%; text-align:left" | 
Chara is a teen that grew up in Yagyou District, one of the poorest parts of the Permian capital. Chara saw her entire district being razed because of Project End. She’s a smart and resourceful person, and she quickly guessed what was going on, which lead her to hate the government. When she found out that her family were killed during the experimentations, she decided to search for answers. She got caught early on and was experimented on as well, but instead of becoming an Ending Walker, the experiments she went through clocked her brain into overdrive. 
|-
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Chara can easily get in when she wants thanks to her mobility, one of the best in the game, but this advantage is traded with her low health and low damage potential. That’s when her unique gimmick Overdrive comes in, allowing her to string intricate sequences and compensating for her abysmally low damage.
Chara has a unique Overdrive gauge, which fills by dealing damage, especially in combos. When full, Chara enters Overdrive, which allows her to cancel any of her special attacks into each other for 12.5% of the Overdrive gauge. In Overdrive, the gauge will also empty over time, at a slow rate. Overdrive expires when the gauge completely empties.
*Character Type: Tricky
*Ease of Use: ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
*Unlock Criteria: Beat the Arcade mode story of 5 characters on the highest difficulty in a row. On the fifth run, instead of facing your rival, you will face Chara. Beat her by L.D.E KO will unlock her.
</br>
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|- style="text-align:center; background: #000000; font-size: 13px;"
!style="width:45%; ;"|Reiko
!style="width:45%; text-align:left" | 
Reiko is an elegant and refined person that happens to be a Blood mage, which makes her stronger the more blood she absorbs. However, this made her obsessed with blood, which led her parents to disown her. Since then, she roams the streets in hopes of finding somewhere she can belong. She’s honed her abilities in secret, and she has the strength to beat many of the most powerful fighters in the world without taking a scratch. 
|-
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One of the most versatile characters in the game, each of Reiko’s attacks have a specific use. Finding out what it is is key to playing her optimally, especially when most of her moveset only comes online when she starts dominating, thanks to her unique Blood gimmick.
Reiko has a unique Blood gauge, which fills by using her Slash, Hack, and special moves. The more the Blood gauge is filled, the faster she gets. When the Blood gauge is full, Reiko enters Shin state, which makes her unable to block and will make her take x1.2 damage, but she gains access to unique special moves and Destructive Arts. When in Shin state, the Blood gauge will decrease over time, and Reiko will exit Shin state when it’s empty.
*Character Type: All-Around
*Ease of Use: ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
*Unlock Criteria: Beat Survival mode on the highest difficulty four times in a row. Doing so will allow you to face Reiko. Beating her will unlock her.
</br>
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|- style="text-align:center; background: #000000; font-size: 13px;"
!style="width:45%; ;"|Deebee
!style="width:45%; text-align:left" | 
Deebee is the most powerful Ending Walker in existence, as he is the ‘Prototype’. He escaped from the government’s clutches despite all the attempts to keep him in check as a super weapon. He now roams the capital aimlessly, hoping to find himself a purpose that isn’t being a puppet. For now, fortune-telling with Tarot cards is his passion, a far cry from what the government wanted from him. 
|-
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Deebee is a slippery monster thanks to his powerful evasive options, which allows him to capitalize on his footsies-based playstyle and to counter his poor health and blindspots. Once you get the hang of knowing when to evade and when to strike back, you’ll start winning in no time.
*Character Type: Footsies
*Ease of Use: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
*Unlock Criteria: To unlock Deebee, you must win on every single Hazard in Hazard Mode on the highest difficulty in a row. You must then open up Arcade mode with any one the unlockable characters. Should you get a Perfect KO, you will be immediately faced against Deebee. Winning against him unlocks him.
</br>
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|- style="text-align:center; background: #000000; font-size: 13px;"
!style="width:45%; ;"|Jimmy
!style="width:45%; text-align:left" | 
Jimmy is a teen that also happens to be a street urchin half-Ending Walker (who is unregistered as one by the government) wielding a meteor hammer. The experiments he went through caused a form of cancer to appear in his body, which quickly reached a terminal stage. He seeks to survive in a world that wants him dead, no matter the cost, and to live until his illness kills him. His awareness of his illness has transformed him from a sweet and chipper boy to a weary teen with a sarcastic and pessimistic side.
|-
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One of the most setup-heavy characters thanks to his Override State gimmick, Jimmy is a menace once he starts rolling. Best described as a small-body-big-weapon character, Jimmy shares traits with these characters such as great hitboxes and poor frame data, but his ability to start mixing you up once he’s set up makes him a really good choice for very experienced players.
After Jimmy uses a special, he’ll enter Override State, which causes him to create a clone of himself. After 3 seconds have passed, the clone will perform the special move again. Jimmy can bypass the delay using Override Break. Override State will stack with specials.
*Character Type: Tricky
*Ease of Use: ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
*Unlock Criteria: Beat Edelweiss’s arcade mode story without taking damage, except on the 5th match, where you must win by L.D.E KO. Instead of facing against your rival, you will face Jimmy. Beating him using a Destructive Art will unlock him.	 	
Move 	Input 	Description
DA: Complete Override	 	Jimmy concentrates energy into a small fire, which he then absorbs, causing his eyes to glow bright red. In this state, Jimmy’s clones will perform enhanced versions of his special moves:
*A clone performing Spiteful Flame will automatically detonate the projectile. The launch angle is altered to allow for more combo ability with Jimmy’s hack normals.
*A clone performing Damned Shadows will follow-up the initial dash with an another dash ending with a low swipe.
*A clone performingDescending Dark will warp directly above the opponent, before falling back down. The explosion’s radius is also increased.
*A clone performing Spectral Theif will warp underneath the foe before performing the initial part of the hitgrab. The launching hit also applies a Spiteful Flame on the foe and causes a wall-bounce.
* A clone performing Spirit Parlor will now summon an additional clone to perform the descending swing as the risk clone performs the rising attack.
This DA is a very useful way to fashion in meter to bolster your offense and your defence in a meaningful way. It can also be cancelled from most normals or special moves, unlike most DA’s. Keep in mind that Complee Override lasts for 7 seconds, the least of all installs in the game.
IK: Spirit Reaper 	[Activate IK Mode:+]</br>+	Jimmy starts the Instant Kill with a dashing wild swing with his meteor hammer. If it connects, Jimmy summons 3 clones of himself as he dashes in. The foe takes swing after swing at the clones, tiring themselves out as the real Jimmy stays out of reach. Jimmy then closes in, alone this time, as the foe is panting. He delivers a swing at the legs, one swing at the solar plexus, one swing at the groin, then another swing at the back, then followed by a swing at the back of the foe’s head. The screen then turns black as Jimmy lights up his meteor hammer as the foe takes hit after hit in a very rapid suggestion, suggesting that Jimmy summoned hundreds of clones to aid him. The real Jimmy then conjures a small flame that swallows the darkness, drops itself on the foe’s forehead as if it was a butterfly, then explodes, leaving no remnants of the foe behind.
</br>
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|- style="text-align:center; background: #000000; font-size: 13px;"
!style="width:45%; ;"|RJ
!style="width:45%; text-align:left" | 
RJ, real name Raúl Juliá, is a tall and imposing man. RJ is the former leader of the Undertow. After an almost successful attack on his person, he lost his memories and he woke up in an unfamiliar place, with the only thing that he remembers being his old mannerisms, how to fight, and how to use his magic. Since then, he rides on a bicycle in search of an identity that would make him smile. 
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RJ’s tools are meant to allow him to capitalize on opportunities given to him by foes, most notably with his counter, Soul Passing, and his command grab, Red Cleaver. This character is designed to solely reward patient players and to punish those who play recklessly.
*Character Type: Bait-and-Punish
*Ease of Use: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
*Unlock Criteria: Beating 20 CPU on the highest difficulty in a row will have you face RJ. Beating him will unlock him.
</br>
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|- style="text-align:center; background: #000000; font-size: 13px;"
!style="width:45%; ;"|Azura
!style="width:45%; text-align:left" | 
Azura happens to be the president of Permia, which also makes her everyone’s target. She’s attempting to make herself an army of obedient Ending Walkers (that plan definetely worked well) to make herself the most powerful figure in the world in order to accomplish the ambitions of the Undertow, a notorious criminal organization seeking world domination. The only thing holding her back from being completely heartless is the fact that she has a daughter, Polycaste. 
Azura acts as the game’s main antagonist.
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Azura has access to two stances: Duran Stance and Mindjack Stance, which are specialized in defense and offense respectively. Given how specialized each stance is, it’s crucial to learn to use them effectively.
Azura has two stances: Duran Stance and Mindjack Stance. She starts every round in Duran Stance. By using Sinister One, Azura enters the other stance, which gives her access to a different set of normals and specials.
*Character Type: Tricky
*Ease of Use: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
*Unlock Criteria: Beat Arcade mode with all 15 characters. Afterwards, if you open up Arcade mode again, after selecting your character, you will face Azura. You must defeat her with all 15 characters without losing a single time.
==Stages==
Ending features 19 stages at the game’s launch. Each character has a home stage, which is where they are fought in Arcade Mode. Alongside the planned DLC characters, a Stage will be released alongside each of them.
===Starting Stages===
Uni Avenue	
A busy avenue that is shadowed by the prestigious National Permian University, which is where Lumo used to attend. You shouldn’t overlook its tranquil appearance: police officers overlook this place, so organized crime flourishes. If Lumo isn’t playing and you play on this stage, he’ll be watching the fight from the balcony of his flat while taking notes or talking to his friend.
This is Lumo’s home stage.
</br>
Manderburg Bridge	
The Manderburg bridge bridges two islands, which form the Permian capital. However, it’s not just your typical bridge, as it also forms an entire neighborhood ! The nature of the bridge makes it impossible for the police to patrol around (something about Magic that could destroy the structural integrity of the bridge). Edelweiss lives here, and she’ll be looking at the battle, contemplating if she should join in or not.
This is Edelweiss’s home stage.
</br>
The Bierhaus	
A tavern located in a poor area of the Permian capital owned by mercenaries. It’s the center of the underworld, with many of your criminal masterminds hanging out there and just talking about stuff like normal human beings. Toby also hangs out there, eager to listen to how the underworld evolves over time. If you’re not playing as him, you might just see him talking to folks in the background.
This is Toby’s home stage.
</br>
Lab Unit 021	
One of the 25 labs used for Project End, this was where Violetta was converted from a Powerless into an Ending Walker. Since then, it has been evacuated due to her sheer power. The halls are surprisingly empty, but Violetta is working to make it feel more like her home than an empty hollow prison. You might just catch her renovating the corridor if you don’t play as her and if this stage is selected.
This is Violetta’s home stage.
</br>
Forbidden Forest	
A forest area that happens to be located near one of the many labs used for Project End. Because of this, it’s inaccessible to the general public. The government has pushed out to the media that the reason this is the case is because the forest is haunted, but it clearly ain’t the case. Aria will be sleeping on a sturdy branch if you do not play as her and if this stage is selected.
This is Aria’s home stage.
</br>
Permia Coruscant	
Permia Coruscant is the Permian capital’s only train station, and it’s surprisingly busy despite the current chaos. It’s wide, it’s old, it’s cranky, but it’s very majestic. An urban legend states that Coruscant was built from an old cathedral, but that’s dead wrong. Chase hangs out at the lobby area most of the time.
This is Chase’s home stage.
</br>
Mt. Pearl	
A mountaintop that overlooks the Permian capital. Mt. Pearl was deemed inaccessible since it harbors inhospitable hail storms at all times, which makes travel impossible. This is exactly why people that seek to resist the Permian government live here: to stay out of sight. It’s also been the place where immigrants have been told to live for a long time. Johannes might be observing the fight from the top of the mountain if you do not play as him.
This is Johannes’s home stage.
</br>
Jolly Flash	
The Jolly Flash is one of the main ships of The Defectors, and it's led by Ren. The Jolly Flash uses a specific camouflage reflective surface in order to blend into the sky. Hence why it evaded capture. The stage itself takes place on the viewing deck, where the crew members watch the fight and take turns making sure the ship isn’t going down. Ren might appear from time to time as part of the crew should you play on the stage without playing him.
This is Ren’s home stage.
</br>
Old City Market	
A place in the middle of the capital that happens to be a busy marketplace. It’s also a great place to fight, especially underneath the rooftops that shield you from the harsh sun. It’s mostly desert, and since the police avoid this place, you should be alright !
</br>
Macho Ring Underworks	
A giant underground fighting ring where wrestlers and fighters band to fight, as fighting sports have been universally banned (since Magic took over the world). It’s also a great place to get tips from people that love the thrill of a good battle.
</br>
Sparring Room	
A place designed by Toby to train with fellow O.R.C.A members. While it takes place in a bar, it’s equipped with loads of training devices. The stage itself features basic markings to indicate positioning.
===Unlockable Stages===
</br>
Crystal Cove	
A secretive, cavernous ravine with lush plants, stalagmite and stalactites everywhere, water pools, bioluminescent berries, and most important of all, crystals that can take elemental properties. This is where Timothy sources his Arrowheads from. You might just see him cultivate a new batch from time to time with you open your eyes.
This is Timothy’s home stage, and it is unlocked alongside him.
 </br>
Rooftop Citadel	
A cyberpunk district filled with precarious wooden roofs that feel hard to walk on, neon lights, and the like. It’s clear that buildings are stacked onto each other to make use of the limited space available. It’s Polycaste’s escape ever since she seeks her independence, and you can see her around if you play here without selecting her.
This is Polycaste’s home stage, and it is unlocked alongside her.
 </br>
Yagyou District	
Yagyou District is Chara’s home district. It got razed by the government years ago to build a laboratory for Project End. Guess what: Chara had a field day blowing up the lab 2 years ago, and now she’s trying to rebuild her former community (she works as a construction worker). You might spot her help rebuilding the district from time to time.
This is Chara’s home stage, and it is unlocked alongside her.
 </br>
JapanTown	
A district that is completely inhabited by Japanese people. It features a similar ambiance to Chinatowns, with lights everywhere. You’ll find a tea shop in the background where a lucky cat waves at you, coupled with a seating area: all the other businesses are closed. Reiko wanders in that area, and if you are not playing as her, she’ll go past the fight and into the tea shop.
This is Reiko’s home stage, and it is unlocked alongside her.
 </br>
Calmprey Pass	
A precarious mountain area that sports howling cliffs. No one has attempted to go there, as they fear losing their lives. Without people frequenting the area, it’s a nice, chill place where the only rule might just be kill or be killed. Just avoid the vultures ! Deebee wanders this area, as he finds it peaceful, and during a fight, he’ll be climbing down the pass into the mist below.
This is Deebee’s home stage, and it is unlocked alongside him.
 </br>
Endor-Yuei Station	
Endor-Yuei Station is a metro station known for its unique architecture and its unique profile, making police access nigh-impossible (there is a sort of magical force-field around it, no one knows why). The station has been themed around old Paris métro stations, as it features white tiles similar to older stations. Jimmy lives here: he set camp in the station platform itself, and you might see him behave just like a normal passenger from time to time.
This is Jimmy’s home stage, and it is unlocked alongside him.
 </br>
Hell Tracks	
A dirt track made to be as ridiculously hard as possible, with twists, turns, jumps through flaming rings and the like. Obviously, it’s perfectly illegal ! This is why it’s hidden behind a magic seal. RJ usually hangs around there with his bicycle, and you might see him flawlessly do the track at times.
This is RJ’s home stage, and it is unlocked alongside him.
 </br>
Undertow Siege	
The Undertow’s main headquarters, or basically the presidential office ! It’s a luxurious place filled with posh and expensive decorum, plus a photo of Azura and Polycaste on Azura’s desk. Given their relationship, it feels out of place. Azura will be watching the fight if you do not play as her, with a sinister grin as she contemplates what to do now.
This is Azura’s home stage, and it is unlocked alongside her.
==Soundtrack==
==Trivia==
*Article wise, the game was heavily inspired by KillGames: Rechained, Heirs to the Wrath, Fantendo Smash Bros. Soul, and Incarnations re:Umbral Endeavor. Check these out (especially Rechained) !
*The game was also inspired by real-life fighting games such as Street Fighter 2, Street Fighter 3rd Strike, Street Fighter 6, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Guilty Gear Accent Core R+. Check ‘em out too !
*RJ’s character is based around Raúl Juliá, especially from his appearance as M.Bison in the Street Fighter movie. Funnily enough, the story I had planned resembles the official storyline for M.Bison in Street Fighter 6 !
*Jimmy and Timothy are huge references to one of my biggest projects, the now defunct Quaito and Pain Game. Same weapon, same looks, similar gameplay, the list goes on.
*Deebee is based on the character of the same name in the now dead Dry Bones. I just loved the character design I had for him.
==Author’s Comment==
Making Ending was interesting.
The concept actually was born in August 2023 when I was in my Henry Stickmin phase (I love these games). I looked at an animation meme that gave the game’s characters human appearances. And thus were born early Lumo, early Toby, and early Violetta. Looking back, none of them share the same design and character concept, only names !
The original name was Helltamer Tournament. The only thing I had was a story line and shower thoughts about the game mechanics. My idea was that I’d tease this sort of demonic world outta my former games (those being Pain Game (rip the art), Fort of the Nights, Ghost Boy, Dry Bones (oh my god the time spent on balancing that game) and I’d have every single of my games converging into this big game. And then I’d leave Fantendo.
So in October 2023, I just decided to rework the game concept around a floating island city exodus from the demons from Helltamer’s storyline. I renamed the game Anshin back then (it means “relief” in Japanese) and I teased it at the Spooky Scary. Didn’t expect that finishing Pain Game, Fort of the Nights, Ghost Boy and Dry Bones would be such a pain, especially with me having mocks during that. That burnt me out, and I left in March 2024.
In April 2024, I decided to resurrect the game. I renamed it Ending, basically rebuilt the storyline from scratch, actually fleshed out the game’s mechanics and the like, and yeah. In May, I decided to come back to make the article. Fun. I don't plan on a sequel, but if possible, I'd like to collab on a big crossover game with people.
Anyways, thanks for reading Ending, and have a good one.
Category:Games
Category:Nintendo Switch Games
Category:PlayStation 5 Games
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Category:Fighting Games
Category:Published by Niobium Moon