Hexad Powers: Cosmos Raid Excelsior

***Hexad Powers: Cosmos Raid Excelsior*** (Japanese: ヘキサドパワーズ：コスモスレイドエクセルシオール Hepburn: *Hekisado Pawāzu: Kosumosu Reido Ekuserushiōru*) is \*another\* 2D fighting video game. Co-developed by French-Bread and Ecole Software, the game is a revised edition of *CR* vanilla, based off the anime project. Announced at the 2018 TGS convention, it was made available January 24, 2019 over in Japan. In North America, the update was launched on June 14, with Europe getting it on August 2. Overseas releases contain two discs: #1 is the main game, while #2 is a special OVA that can be watched in Japanese or English audio depending on your preference, plus dual subtitle sets -- one matches the original translation, whilst the other mirrors the dub's script.

## Changes made to the gameplay

* Much faster in pace than the original, although players can adjust the speed to how it was prior.
* All Divine Amigos have super armor, meaning they need to be struck twice before they're forcibly evacuated from the battlefield. Instead of flinching upon receiving attacks, they now have brief KO animations before getting back up and hitting their specific taunts.
* On the subject of taunts, they can now help fill up the **Hyper Rave Gauge**meter by around 10-15%.
* Midway through a whole match, a stage you have already selected will become a different area, logical explanation be damned. For instance, the Spirit Cross Hideout could transform into Dancefloor Delirium! This option can be toggled off.
* A parry system has been finally implemented. By tapping right on the d-pad/control stick at the exact moment, you will have repelled an opponent's strike, whether the incoming move was a projectile or not. Air OK.
* Character buffs and nerfs abound, with each returning combatant's moveset being retooled accordingly.
* The **Rapid Fire Turbulence**mechanic from the original version was scrapped.
* Unique to the expansion is a "burst" feature dubbed in-game as **Cosmos Storm**. When your character is locked in an infinite, by simultaneously pressing the fierce punch and kick buttons, you force the opponent's string to break, This also acts as a momentary upgrade for the character's health, speed, defense, and offensive properties. One can choose whether to deactivate Cosmos Storm manually or keep it going 'til it depletes.
* An unblockable desperation move has been given to every playable character, which is triggered during 1) the final round of a match; 2) all six bars are stored within the HRG; and 3) when a player has their lifebar emptied. This attack is called a **Wild Thrash**. It is pulled off with the push of any punch or kick button and one half circle backward followed by a half circle forward, though the action only warrants success if the input synchronizes with the KO screen just right. Also, despite being unblockable (as already stated), Wild Thrashes CAN be evaded, so if the opponent manages to avoid this super lethal technique, then the other side's last chance of snagging a win is shot.
	+ Oh, and the Hyper Rave Gauge caps at Level 6 now!

## Additional adjustments

* Brand new artwork for official renders, with character designing done by Tomonori Inoue as usual. *Cosmos Raid Excelsior*-introduced characters' Arcade Mode prologues are illustrated by Aki Senno (aka TONKO) rather than Kinu Nishimura, though the latter's drawings remain present for returning contestants.
* As mentioned in the Trivia section below, Peter von Gomm did not come back as System Voice. A new announcer has taken his place. Exclusive to *CRE*is the ability for players to select between the standard MC or one of the characters themselves.
* Revamped UI and HUD.
* All locations have their own stage themes, with the concept of character-specific leitmotifs carrying over from the base title. For every mode except Arcade, you're now able to make the decision to have either fighter themes or the stage music on, the latter being default.

## Modes

Returning from vanilla
* **Arcade**: Players can now pick from three random AI-controlled opponents rather than have the game select one for them. A second bonus level has been added into this version, which is triggered after the seventh battle. In it, you have the choice of evading projectiles that come in different directions out of nowhere or you can parry them. You can't let these attacks hit your character four times or higher, otherwise you automatically lose and aren't rewarded for your troubles. If these bonus stages are nobody's bag, then players can switch the option off. Mirror matches for the first time ever occur in this mode, too, right before you face off against Lazlo. The clone of whichever character you're handling at the moment is a darker, more (or less in some fighters' cases) exaggerated version of the original. Think Shadow Selves from the Persona spinoff franchise. Every combatant's Arcade Mode ending is now drawn in an exaggerated manga style instead of being FMVs.
* **Versus**: Relatively unchanged.
* **Class Smackdown**: Relatively unchanged.
* **Clocksmasher**: **Timebattlers**from the pre-expansion, but renamed. Aside from that and -- again -- the ability to toggle off bonus stages, not much else is new.
* **Survival**: Relatively unchanged.
* **Training**: The two "sub-modes" **Sparring**and **Trialocalypse**are back, and with the former, a second player can join in. Also you can freely select whichever arena you want now instead of having the only location be Cookie-Cutter Practice Zone.
* **Tutorial**: Players can finally select their own character AND a practice dummy, rather than controlling Vivi by default and having Niles as a preset opponent. Brendan teaches the basic gameplay mechanics and more advanced elements, as well as going in depth about a specific character's strengths, weaknesses, unique commands, and specials (depending on who you choose).
* **Network Bangarang**: It's the **Net Rumble**mode given a different title, and it is split into the same two "sub-modes" as before, **For Casuals Only**(changed from **Filthy Casuals**) and **Just for Ranked Beasts**(changed from **Ranked Bloodbath**). The maximum number of players allowed in the former sub-mode's lobby is 12, with only four being allowed to duke it out for the moment while the other eight will observe.
* **Hue Modification**: The **Alteration**part of this mode's name was replaced. The custom hue slot count has been raised from 10 to 18. Dissimilar to the first version, there are now predetermined color palettes for each character that cannot be edited, moniker and everything. Of course, the ability to create your own schemes and name those however you please remains present.
* **Gallery**: This mode now features the ability for players to view sprites outside the context of gameplay, Divine Amigos and the final boss Beelzebub Meringue's included. You can browse stages, too, which come with descriptions detailing specific elements of whatever battlefield you're viewing at the moment (e.g. textures; cameos). Other than this and finally being able to watch a character's Arcade mode prologue by itself, nothing else about Gallery has shifted significantly.
* **Options**: Pretty much untouched.

Introduced in *CRE*
* **Tenacious Tag**: As its title implies, this is a tag team mode that allows contenders to choose up to two or three characters. That being said, if all three fighters are picked, Divine Amigo assists become an unqualified choice. Allows for both single and multiplayer action. Unlike most fighting installments that excel in tag team-based combat, this game's handling of the system makes it a point that tagging out or not getting hit for a certain period of time doesn't justify Provisional Damage. A risky, yet conscious move on the development team's part. This mode was largely influenced by *The King of Fighters 2003* and its sequel *The King of Fighters XI*. Tenacious Tag is also Network Bangarang Mode-viable.
* **Puzzling Encounters of the Gem Kind**: A special mode with a gameplay system that's completely separate from the main installment. Featuring an SD (super deformed) aesthetic, the player has the decision to pick from thirteen characters and go through seven CPU-controlled foes in a head-to-head event. Cause the opposition to lose via having their blocks reach the top of the playfield or other methods (e.g. once a time limit has been reached, the winner and loser of a stage is determined by highest score). At any given chance, a second player can join in, interrupting your trek to the end of the mode.

## Roster

Every past playable fighter will be retained alongside eight others introduced in the expansion, boosting the total of participants from 26 to 34. Two of the new challengers are originally from other franchises.

Playable cast
returning

Playable cast
exclusive to *CRE*

Unplayable Final Boss

List of Divine Amigos
returning

List of Divine Amigos
exclusive to *CRE*

Other NPCS

## Stages

From *CR*
* Fusionbuster Outskirts (night & day)
* Gnarly Grotto (night & day)
* Spirit Cross Hideout
* Genesis Academy (day-only)
* Nucleus Shipyard (night & day)
* Passionate Kings of the Ring
* Dancefloor Delirium
* Phi Galactica Battleground
* Galaxy in Ruination
* Cookie-Cutter Practice Zone 1.11

Introduced in *CRE*
* Winter Wanderlust (night-only)
* Fortress Half Full (night & day)
* The Just Jungle (night-only)
* New Moon Tower (night & day)
* Sanctum of Sandbags
* Sleeping Fountain Plaza (night-only)
* Altar of Light and Dark

## Trivia

* Nobuyuki Hiyama is the default announcer for *Cosmos Raid Excelsior,* following Peter von Gomm.
* The expansion's opening sequence was not animated by Production I.G, who worked on the original *Cosmos Raid*as well as Season 1 earlier on. *CRE'*s OP is a joint effort between Trigger and NUT.
	+ The revised version of *Cosmos Raid'*s opening song is "Message" by pop group BILLIE IDLE®.
* Noriyuki Asakura and Takatsugu Wakabayashi didn't contribute at all to the revision's score... technically. All new music has been handled by Raito and Raito alone. Any character themes the former two composed for the base title, however, are still intact for this update.

## Hexad Powers: Cosmos Raid Excelsior details

* Developer(s): Ecole Software, French-Bread
* Publisher(s): Capcom
* Director(s): Nobuya Narita
* Producer(s): Nobuya Narita, Yoshinori Ono
* Artist(s): TONKO (Arcade prologues: new characters), Kinu Nishimura (Arcade prologues: returning fighters), Tomonori Inoue (source material/design/Arcade outros)
* Composer(s): Raito
* Series: *Hexad Powers*
* Platform(s): Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows
* Release: January 24, 2019 (JP), June 14, 2019 (NA), August 2, 2019 (EU)
* Genre(s): 2D fighting game
* Mode(s): Single-player, multiplayer