Cross World War

> *To Whom It May Concern:*
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> *You are cordially invited to compete in a unique endeavor: a grand contest, designed for those of singular skill to test their mettle. If you are reading this, you are one of these few people--a Champion, chosen to represent your people in this once-in-a-lifetime event. There are no stakes; the nature of the competition guarantees that, in the event of your defeat, you will find yourself and your partner returned to your lives, unharmed, with no memory of the duration.*
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> *Well, why should I play, you may ask, if I gain nothing? And the answer is simple: the team who triumphs over the others will be granted a priceless gift: a single wish, the nature of which is impermanent, but otherwise limitless, to be awarded to the last team standing. All you need will be furnished, and due preparation provided for the challenges ahead.*
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> *You are not obligated to compete. If you find this premise too trying or fantastical, discard this missive, and you will forget you ever saw it. But if you relish in the promise of glory, if you feel that you and yours have what it takes to claim the prize--simply sign with the word 'Yes'. And leave the rest to us.*
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> *What would you do for a chance to have the thing you want most?*
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> *And what do you have to lose?*
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> --The Golden Invitation
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**Cross-World War (or CWW)** is a (fictional) fighting game, surrounding a multiverse competition of the same name. Specially-chosen combatants are transported to a place known as the Arena, to compete for one prize: a single wish.

Representative of its players, CWW features a mix of fantasy and supernatural elements, pitting characters from different universes and stories against each other in a battle royale for their heart's desires. Those who fail face nothing more than simple return to their world--but the victor walks away with the prize of a lifetime.

## Story

The Verse is a place populated almost solely by powerful beings--men and women from all walks of life, and those who do not live at all, and all of them have one thing in common: the desire for something more. This is the drive that forces them onward through the trials of their worlds. But that drive is put to the test.

The people of all worlds are drawn to a once-in-a-lifetime event: a Verse-wide exhibition match, pitting their champions against great challenges, in the form of fellow heroes and even villains from other worlds.

A select few--each a mighty force of his or her worlds--receive a Golden invitation, offering a simple premise: remain, and continue to face the struggle and toil of an existence carefully planned...or fight, for a chance to attain their dreams. Twenty Entry Passes appear across the Verse. None go unused.

Moderated by **Wyvern**, Gatekeeper of the Dark World, and judged by an unseen panel of faces, the paired combatants outfit themselves for battle. With a single partner in tow, they face the impeding competition, some with fear, others with anticipation. With no stakes and nothing to lose, there should be nothing to fear. After all, it's only a game.

Right?

## Combatants

> *See also*: *The Roster*
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The major fighters in Cross World War stem from the biggest stories in the Verse, with each group comprised of a pair of fighters representing their world, with one exception.These pairs also comprise the first tier bracket of the game, those who are chosen removed from the running with the others faced in order of their story seniority.

Playable Combatants:

* Team DI: Adrian Blackthorne & Mischa Zion
* Team TDW: Falcon Faulkner & Malachite Sable
* Team KoY: Helvah Sei'Dist & Double Mountegue
* Team BT: Dema Khrushchev & Aleksei Zel'dovich
* Team SB: Emperor Pavel Rurikovich & Grand Duke Peter Rurikovich
* Team UNS (1): Robin Loch Rainer & The Witch of Caspaine
* Team UNS (2): A. Creed Valiant & Nikolai Kingslayer (Preorder Bonus)

The seven teams each have a plotline to follow, which evolves based on the way the game is played, each with unique cutscenes and special dialogue/taunts for use in battle. The presence of allied characters in the enemy roster can lead to further cutscenes between characters who know each other from their worlds. Each pair has at least one ending, and one Boss to face. (Creed and Cole, who are a preorder bonus and thus an unplanned addition, do not have a boss, but have *three* possible endings.)

Other teams and combatants can be unlocked through the game and special promotional events. These combatants are fully voiced, but lack special cut-scenes, Boss encounters and dedicated items, unless included in DLC or promotional materials.

## Gameplay

The combatant team--chosen by the player--enters the competition, facing off against enemy teams in brackets according to story-rank. Each pair begins their mission with a cutscene, demonstrating their 'starting' relationship and exploring the mechanics of their dynamic. An optional training exercise, led by *Sleeping Beauty's* **Rurik Ivanovich** and his Jinn familiar, gives the player a chance to learn about their team and practice tactics for the field.

Battles are moderated by **Wyvern**, the Master of Ceremonies, who commentates throughout and keeps the audience's attention in all the right places. His omnipresent eye can be drawn with shows of mastery and smart use of prompts, which can bolster the player's score and in turn earn audience-favor, a vital boon that can make or break tough matches.

As battles progress, the balance of power between the partners determines how their story unfolds, with Cooperation points and Decisions affecting future interactions. Depending on the pair, the amount of Cooperation points gained (or lost) can bolster or weaken the effectiveness of Team attacks, and can unlock new and interesting scenarios, with equally useful rewards. With enough loyalty, some combatant partners may choose to rescue the main competitor from death, or even take their place on the field to prevent the end of the game. In some cases, it can even affect the Ending the pair can receive.

Player teams who advance beyond initial brackets are brought face-to-face with greater threats, in the form of Bosses, the villains from the various worlds--including their own. Certain Bosses' participation is unlocked by the presence of those they would oppose. Characters from shared worlds have unique dialog, and certain Bosses can trigger cutscenes with the player team that hint to their own stories. Bosses are much more difficult to defeat, armed with an arsenal of abilities and many times more health than the other combatants. Death at the hands of a Boss returns the player team to the first bracket, to fight their way back to their enemy. Once defeated, that Boss can be optionally skipped to continue the competition.

Reaching the end of the competition promises the player team their reward, but the various elements involved may dictate how that final moment plays out--and even then, nothing in Cross World War is as easy as it seems.

### Game Modes:

* Practice Mode: Play a tutorial training session, under the guidance of Rurik Ivanovich. Learn about your team and their abilities, and practice tactics to better conquer your enemies.
* Vs Mode: Play as a combatant supported by an NPC partner. The player character is the main combatant, with the partner acting as support or backup. Quick-Time Events (QTEs) can be unlocked to utilize partner abilities. Main mode of the story campaign. Combatants face every other optional team, with optional combatants and teams unlocked through gameplay.
* Tag-Team: Combatant team faces off against a secondary player or the computer, with the option of switching between partners on command. Gameplay focuses on bolstering Cooperation for devastating team attacks, and can be unlocked as an option for the main campaign.
* Mix n' Match: An unlockable mode that allows the player to pair characters in custom teams. This gameplay mode substitutes storyline and cutscenes for variety, with related characters from different teams having special bonuses.
* Solo Deathmatch: An unlockable mode, allowing the player to fight all combatants one-on-one, without use of a partner. The mode can be played to a certain number of combatants, or in Tournament mode, allowing all combatants and bosses to be fought in sequence.

### Scoring

Above all else, Cross Worlds War is an exhibition, and is an event meant to entertain. While largely combat oriented, the goal is not just to win each match, but to win *well*. To this end, a scoring system is used that focuses on three fronts: Mastery, Style and Cooperation.

Mastery is judged based on the use of complex or otherwise difficult moves. Gaining more points in this category requires successful completion of QTEs for special attacks, and the prompts to execute Overkills. Missing a button or two will not cause the attack to fail, but it will gain you less points, where nailing all prompts will boost your score exponentially.

Style is a matter of chaining combos, not just through button-mashing, but through sequences that make sense. Combining moves with partner attacks and supernatural abilities can award massive bonus points, where just mashing attack earns next to nothing.

Cooperation refers to the use of partners in combat. While the main combatant is, in essence, the one in command, the presence of a partner gives them an ally that can make or break a battle. Smart and effective use of a partner's abilities or attacks in conjunction with the main combatant's own skills awards Cooperation points, which not only boost the player's score, but add to an invisible counter in the game.

As MC, Wyvern's commentary throughout can act as a good indicator as to how well or poorly the player is doing. Things like chaining the use of items or depending too much on your partner does not impress him, and can lower your overall score, even incurring penalties. However, successfully completing difficult Mastery moves and showing enough Style gains his approval, which in turn raises the audience's overall opinion of your party. The more they like you, the more they want you to win--and the more likely it becomes that things will go your way if it comes down to the wire.

#### Cooperation

Balance is key in any partnership, and in battle it can be the difference between life and death. Cooperation is not only used as a scoring method, but as a way of building rapport between teammates. The higher the Cooperation score per round, the more Loyalty the partner builds. At high enough levels, it can have added effects, including inspiring the partner to help of their own accord, or awarding stat-boosts. At the same time, forcing one's partner to do all the work or not using them consistently can do the opposite, leading them to stand by and even *refuse* orders. Paying attention to your scores can make all the difference.

### Status Effects

Certain attacks can cause special effects on participating combatants, both beneficial and detrimental. Some character abilities inflict dangerous Stats (Ailments) automatically, or have a higher chance to do so, while certain characters come standard with positive effects (Buffs). Bosses almost always have variations of both.

#### Ailments:

* Bleeding: Causes the character to continue losing HP after being attacked, more if inflicted by a critical hit. Non-humans immune.
* Burning: Causes the character to take constant fire damage for 5-30 seconds. Demons immune.
* Confusion: Causes temporary paralysis, lowering accuracy and attack damage. 10 seconds. Certain types of Confusion do and do not affect the target, based on personal trait stats. Non-humans and mages resistant, Bosses immune.
* Crippled: Causes speed and strength to drop by half. Armored targets resistant, Bosses immune.
* Horror: Causes persistent paralysis, lowering defense and accuracy. 30 seconds. Mages and non-humans resistant, Bosses immune.
* Disoriented: Causes a critical drop in accuracy and damage. Varies. Bosses immune.
* Silence: Takes away a mage’s voice, locking the Overkill bar and preventing spell-casting until cured or dispelled. Bosses immune.
* Weakened: Causes damage dealt to drop by half and raises the chance of Bleeding. Inflicted by extreme injury, certain spells and jarring encounters.

#### Buffs:

* Fearless: Boosts all defense and attack stats. 60 seconds. Gained through scripted events and partner death when Cooperation stat is above 75.
* Flame Eater: Causes fire-based attacks to heal the character’s HP. Burning becomes a healing buff. 15 seconds.
* Flameproof: Grants immunity to fire damage and Burning. 30 seconds. Pyromancers have permanent Flameproof status.
* Invulnerable: Grants immunity to all non-magical damage. 30 seconds. Audience-favor gift awarded when health is low.
* Recovery: Guards against damage-based Stats, removes most recent negative Stat inflicted. 30 seconds.

#### Actions:

* Death: Deals critical damage with a high chance to drop the target’s health to zero, resulting in automatic KO. Specific to special items and summons. Bosses immune.
* Knockback: Blasts the character back, interrupting attacks. Characters with lower strength stat are knocked to the ground. Non-human Bosses immune.

### Overkills

Each major combatant has an Overkill bar that is filled by landing successive hits, completing QTEs or performing difficult moves. Once filled, the combatant unleashes a powerful attack unique to them for massive damage. The bar fills across matches, and can be used only once per match before reverting to zero.

### Unlockables

#### Endings

Each starting combatant team--and certain unlockable ones--have at least one ending, accessible through completion of campaign mode. Dependent upon how the game is played and how stats are maintained, certain pairs have more than one, which can only be discovered after specific requirements are met. Every winning wish earns its own short cinema, with some earning more than one. With each successful ending unlocked, small fragments of the overarching story are revealed, encouraging the player to complete the game multiple times.

A 'True' ending can be obtained by completing all six original team's endings. The nature of this ending is unknown.

#### Game Modes

Additional play modes can be earned by completing the game under certain circumstances.

* Mix’n Match: Play through Tag-Team Partnered mode with at least three pairs.
* Solo Deathmatch: Play through every play mode and defeat *all* opponents with high marks.

#### Summons

Combatant teams can unlock the use of a summon card, depending on how much of their plot has been revealed through gameplay. This summon can take the form of an ally or enemy, called to the field to assist the combatant. A summon can only be used once per tournament, with special exceptions awarded for special instances, such as audience awards or successive high marks.

Other unique summon items can be won from optional bouts, or as rewards for certain achievements in game. While usually more powerful than the standard summon card, these items can only be used once before they are expended, and are exceedingly rare.

#### Items

Items are rewards for completing certain tasks under certain circumstances. Similar to summons, they can only be used once. Unlike summons, they do not remain equipped after defeat. Items are limited to campaign storylines.

* Amanda's Cross: Defeat Team DI with perfect marks. Lessens damage from immortals for one bout.
* Fuzzy Handcuffs: Defeat Team KoY with an Overkill. Immobilizes a non-Boss for 30 seconds, inflicts Confusion.
* Hawk Pendant: Defeat Team TDW in 30 seconds. Increases damage against vampiric enemies.
* Ilvana's Promise: Defeat Team UNS(1) with perfect marks. Inflicts Silence for 60 seconds. Ethereals immune.
* White Light: Defeat Vova using Team BT with high co-op and no damage. Massive damage and Disoriented Stat.
* Seal of Soleris: Defeat Team UNS(2) with zero damage. Deflects all magic for 60 seconds.
* The Scorpion: Defeat Rurik with zero damage as anyone but Pavel. Summons Jinn Falcon for 30 seconds.
* The Arcanus: Defeat Team SB with Peter on the field. Boosts magic QTEs, casting from main combatant health.

#### Costumes

Each major character has two alternate costumes that can be unlocked by completing the game with their team under certain circumstances.

* Alternate Design: Unlocked by completing Tag-Team and winning every match from start to finish. Costumes are alternate or discarded designs for the characters in question. Applies to the main teams.
* Fanservice 1: Unlocked by completing the first three tiers of VS with high Cooperation marks and no KO's; unlocks a special cutscene and fanservice costume for partners. Causes with Stat boosts for both partners.
* Fanservice 2: Unlocked by completing the first three tiers of VS with high Co-op and no Overkill usage; unlocks a special cutscene and fanservice costumes for main combatants, with armor and special effect boosts equipped

#### DLC

Certain unlockables can be purchased or gained as a bonus, providing new players and new enemies to face. Certain downloadables can also be accessed through Special Edition copies of the game.

* This is Halloween: Bought, or accessed in the Special Edition, when played on October 31st. Unlocks Jason & Wyatt Warren, and the Wyatt's Retribution boss for all competitor teams. Includes surprise events for certain teams, and hidden unlockable combatants.
* Highway to Hell: Accessed as a bonus for purchasing the *Dark Illustrations* e-book. Unlocks Charon & Cejay, with bonus cutscenes for the DI battles, and unlocks the demon Lucian as a sub-boss.
* Time Warp: Accessed as a bonus for the purchase of *the Devil Within: Origins* e-book. Unlocks Midnight Sable & Yulia Savicheva, and the Malachi Denrose Boss for all competitor teams.
* Narcissistic Cannibal: Bought or accessed as a bonus when purchasing the KoY *Pathways* graphic novel. Removes Vischias as a Boss and unlocks him as a competitor, along with two new endings.

## Soundtrack

Work in Progress

1. Trailer Theme: Starset | Last to Fall
2. An Invitation (Opening Cutscene): Joseph William Morgan feat. Shadow Royale | In the Air Tonight [Extended Mix]
3. Menu Screen/Team Select: Clamavi de Profundis | Song of Kings
9. A Challenger Approaches: Spiritual Machines | Volunteer
10. Boogeyman (Vova): Starset | Monster
11. Possession (Vischias): Lucas King | Sacrifice
12. Sibling Rivalry (Vischias vs Helvah): Anna Blue | Everytime the Rain Comes Down [Instrumental]
13. Face the Shadows (Chernobog): Avenged Sevenfold | Hail to the King
14. The Great Time Mage (the Archmage): Brunuhville | Song of the North
17. The Last Fight/Creed's Wish: Mattia Cupelli | Love Lost
18. One Wish:
19. End Credits: Poets of the Fall | War