This is the second game for the PS2 that is based on JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. It was released to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the series.
Phantom Blood is a 3D beat'em up action game. Like GioGio's Bizarre Adventure, the gameplay takes place in the form of hand-to-hand battle in an arena the characters cannot leave, although unlike in GioGio multiple enemies can attack at once. The game is divided into chapters, in which the playable characters change for each chapter as the story progresses. After a fight, the game provides the player with a letter rank (S, A, B, C, D or E) based on a score of six categories: Time Taken, Health Remaining, Maximum Beat (Combo), Number of Times Downed, Posing and Enemies Defeated. Depending on the fight, the number of categories graded can range from three to six.
Characters capable of utilizing the Ripple show a Stamina Meter below their health meter. The Stamina Meter shows how much Ripple energy the character can use, and is depleted by performing Ripple moves (
by default) or charged attacks (
by default). Performing a counter by dodging while taking damage (
by default) also uses up the Stamina Meter. To refill the Stamina Meter, the player must remain still while performing a pose (
by default). Poses can also be used in the middle of combos to temporarily increase one of four different stats depending on where in the combo the pose is used: health recovery speed, defensive ability, attack power, and movement speed.
Above the character's health is a Heat Gauge, which fills up when damage is inflicted on enemies and lowers when the player takes damage. When the Heat Gauge is full, the words Heat MAX begin flashing inside of it, indicating that the player is able to use an Overdrive move (
by default). If the initial charge attack connects, the screen will change to a cinematic of the character preparing to attack over a multi-colored background. At a certain point, an empty bar will appear at the bottom of the screen; filling this bar by quickly rotating the right analog stick will cause the character to perform a barrage of attacks on the opponent, during which the player can tap the 
button to deal more damage. If the player doesn't fill up the bar, a less powerful attack will be delivered and inflict less damage. Only Ripple users and Speedwagon (Hammer) are able to use the Overdrive technique.
The story mode follows the manga history, step-by-step. The game is heavily composed of cutscenes faithfully re-creating the manga storyline through dialogue in static comic book cinematics, as well as fully 3D rendered cutscenes for key events. The cutscenes take up to 70% of the expected time to finish the game.
It's possible to win fights that the main character lost in the original storyline. If the player wins against the bullies or Dio in the boxing match, the following cutscene will be different. Losing these battles don't affect the gameplay in any way, prompting the player to normally continue story mode. If the player wants to retry a chapter, they can do so without needing to go through Story Mode again. By selecting Chapter Mode on the main menu, the player can freely play any previously beaten chapter.
Museum provides access to Profile Mode, which provides descriptions of almost every character seen in the game, and Theater Mode, which allows the player to view all of the cutscenes seen in Story Mode. In addition, there are three sections that need to be unlocked:
Most of the characters from the Phantom Blood manga are playable, including several unnamed and minor characters. Depending on the mode, players can choose to play as alternate versions of Jonathan and Dio from different points in the story. Each character has their own varied movesets. Once Story Mode is beaten, different characters can be selected for some battles in Story and Chapter Mode. However, there is not a single mode that allows you to freely select any character. The characters that can be played as are limited depending on the mode and selected battle.
Jonathan Joestar (12)
Jonathan Joestar (Boxing)
Jonathan Joestar (13)
Jonathan Joestar (20)
Jonathan Joestar (Ogre Street)
Jonathan Joestar (Spear)
Jonathan Joestar (Training)
Jonathan Joestar (Post-Training)
Jonathan Joestar (Underwater)
Robert E. O. Speedwagon (Hammer)
Jonathan Joestar (Shirtless)
Jonathan Joestar (Wounded)
Jonathan Joestar (Honeymoon)
Dio Brando (Boxing)
Dio Brando (13)
Dio Brando (14)
Dio Brando (21)
Dio Brando (Live Subject Test)
Dio Brando (Vampire)
Dio Brando (Shirtless)
Dio Brando (Cemetery)
Erina Pendleton (Young)
Erina Pendleton (Adult)
Dio Brando (Styx's Body)
Back cover
Clean front cover art
Jonathan Joestar render
Dio Brando render
The group of heroes at the ending
Disc given to those who pre-ordered the game
Pre-order disc contents: a Hirohiko Araki 30 min interview, game trailers and a teaser for the Phantom Blood film
Pre-order disc
Front cover of a strategy guide
Stage list from the strategy guide
Last page of the strategy guide, advertising a golden Stone Mask fridge magnet with only 50 units in circulation
2006 event poster
2006 promo poster
Promotional poster
Game ad #1 featured in Ultra Jump September 2006
Game ad #1 featured in Ultra Jump October 2006
Game ad #2 featured in Ultra Jump October 2006
Game ad #1 featured in Ultra Jump November 2006
Game ad #2 featured in Ultra Jump November 2006
V Jump (08/2006)
V Jump (09/2006)
V Jump (10/2006)
V Jump #1/2 (12/2006)
V Jump #2/2 (12/2006)
Game ad featured in Weekly Shonen Jump (late January/early February 2006)
Game ad featured in Weekly Shonen Jump (late June/early July 2006)
Front of an A4 promotional card
Back of an A4 promotional card
Pop-out Character Cards #1
Pop-out Character Cards #2
A real-life Stone Mask that was sold in limited quantities at an event
Close-up of the mask
Inside of the mask
The side of the box the mask is packaged in
The back of the box the mask is packaged in
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