Guilty Gear (subtitled The Missing Link in Japan) is a 2D fighting video game developed by Team Neo Blood, an Arc System Works production group led by Daisuke Ishiwatari, and published by Arc System Works. First released on May 14, 1998, for the PlayStation, it is the first installment in the series of the same name. Set in a world destroyed by a war between humans and bio-organic weapons called Gears, it follows ten fighters as they enter a tournament held to prevent resurrection of the Gears' leader. Its gameplay consists of one-on-one fights, a four-button attack configuration featuring special moves and instant kill techniques, as well as three different playable modes. Devised by Ishiwatari, it spent a year and a half in production, with influences from Street Fighter and manga. After its original release, it was brought to both North America, and Europe and the PAL region, and achieved a cult status among fans. It has received favorable critical reception, with praise towards its characters' roster, 2D graphics and fast gameplay that differentiates it from other games of the same genre. It has been labeled as one of few games of its era to cause a lasting impact on the genre, alongside the hegemonic Capcom and SNK games. However, it received criticism due to its difficulty and unbalanced set of characters.