Summary
Developer – Arc System Works
Publisher – Sega (JP) – Bandai Namco (EU/AS) – Arc System Works (U.S)
Platforms – PC, Playstation 4/5
Guilty Gear Strive, like Dragonball Fighters before it is another spectacular fighter from Arc System works. Unlike Blaze Crosstag or DragonBall Fighter Z , they opt out of that tag style and trade that and their usual tricks of the trade for a fresh look at their best franchise. A more lean, focused and fun first approach to it’s mechanics.
The other major hook outside of its gameplay design are the visuals. working on an upgraded engine that revolutionized the sprite based 2d fighters by using 3d models. Guilty Gear Strive pushes that formula to obscene heights. It’s visually arresting, and is easily one of the best looking games I’ve ever seen.
Almost every track has vocals, and I absolutely love the soundtrack. Every character theme may not be a homerun, but Smell of the Game and many others truly help sell the heavy metal atmosphere of this world and the characters occupying it.
In a lot of ways this game feels like Arc system paying homage to Street Fighter. From the gameplay styles, varied roster, and how it truly makes each character live up to their archetype. As somebody who isn’t skilled in any of the earlier Guilty Gears, Strive makes it easy to dig into it’s roster. Unlike some kinetic anime titles that have a lot of characters feeling very samey.
After the recent beta for the game, I was worried that the mechanics would be too stripped down and a lot of depth would be lost.
That dissipates shortly after playing because each character feels pretty unique. A simplified combat system can be tricky. Thankfully they avoid auto combo’s and other mechanics that have pervaded most other fighting titles lately.
The game has a lot of depth and the characters are all pretty nuanced. Roman Cancels, Bursts, all old mechanics from previous titles have been retooled and provide much of the games depth.
Do you use meter for the cancel? Offensively? To open somebody up, or to create a combo string that doesn’t exist on it’s own? The potential is huge, and any worry about the game being too simple have washed away now that everybody has begun digging into it’s systems and how they work in concert together.
The game also has a decent story mode that tries it’s best to conclude a story involving all of these fighters in some way or another. It’s presented like a film. A crazy, insane anime film but a fun one none the less. an absolutely superb training mode and top of the line rollback netcode adds up to a stellar package.
If you are a fan of fighting games even in the slightest, I must recommend a look at Guilty Gear Strive.. It plays great, looks fantastic has a ton of unique characters and has something for casual and hardcore fans alike. The much laughed at online lobby system even shines in the real release. With the superb netcode and ranking system doing a great job of letting lower skill players hang out in beginner rooms to play amongst themselves.
In Heaven or Hell, PC or Playstation, pad or fight stick, Strive simply rocks.
