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The sweet scent of the game
Arc System Works has long been at the top of the fighting game anime subgenre, a position that has only been strengthened with games like Dragon Ball FighterZ. With Guilty Gear Strive, the developer has combined many of its best aspects into one: a great look, an engaging combat system, a solid roster, and excellent netcode.
That doesn’t mean it’s not lacking in some areas, especially when compared to other popular fighting games. But Guilty Gear Strive excels where it’s needed; and while he’s not quite all-encompassing, he’s also very good at what he does. It pits anime characters against each other in spectacular fights full of wonderful effects, and in what is one of its greatest strengths it makes it easy to do online.
Strive is the new platform for Guilty Gear moving forward, following Xrd Sign and its Revelator updates on the previous generation. It’s still available on PlayStation 4 and PC, but I took the opportunity to see what a next-generation fighting game would be like on PlayStation 5.
Guilty Gear Strive (PC, PS4, PS5 [reviewed]) Developer: Arc System Works Publisher: Arc System Works Published: June 11, 2021 List Price: $ 59.99
The starting squad of 15 players also brings a good deal of variety to the table. It’s simple enough with just two newcomers, but both the return of an older character in Anji and the reorganization of various character kits offer new looks and ways to play to the old standards. Ramlethal quickly became my boss; it has great swords, good attacks and fits easily into my play style of fishing in neutral space to hit and punish stubborn opponents. But characters like May and Potemkin, who I’ve bounced back to in the past, were also attracting me to Strive right now.
As for the combat system, it gets complicated here. Guilty Gear is sometimes known, although not as much as other anime fighters, for having more complex mechanics to think about. In Guilty Gear Strive, some have returned and some have gone away. I’m writing this review more for the interested brawler rather than the fluent brawler; While the removal of dead angle attacks, changes to Gatling combos, and the addition of Wall Breaks are one thing for the latter group, the jargon may go over the head of the former.
Wall breaks are the most visible change and are an interesting addition overall. What it means for competitive play is one thing, but at the medium level, I saw it as a reward for a good combo. It allows the restoration of neutral ground, with a momentum advantage for the player who scores the break of the wall, and it also looks visually interesting.
As for the overall systems, Guilty Gear Strive feels more accessible than previous games. The systems have been simplified, the options are a little clearer, and overall, it won’t seem overwhelming upfront. That’s not to say you still can’t be rocked by a Sol Badguy player as you attempt to scale matchmaking towers, but the access ramp is a little smoother than it felt in the past.
Missions help a bit with that, even if they make some sort of compromise. There are many very situational and in-depth tutorials designed to teach players everything from Guilty Gear fundamentals (what a Roman Cancel is, how to use Faultless Defense) to more complex and challenging tasks (canceling a Roman Cancel). While it’s great for picking up speed, I wish there had been a little more focus on character-specific combos. It’s a minor thing that the community usually fixes, but I’ve gotten used to having them as interactive warm-ups before playing.
There are a few other places where Guilty Gear Strive feels even leaner than other fighting games. Its Story Mode is essentially a lengthy cinematic, and while I really like the interactive lore timeline that lets you read all of the series’ deep story, it made the single player options a bit limited. There is a cosmetic progression with your combat money, which you can use to fish for things like trailers, concept art, music, and clothing for your online avatar.
And while the lobbies may be better, they still resemble what used to be the old vilified lobbies. Having stations, rematches, and Player Match options are all great, but the pieces of this still look clunky. The lobbies are at least functional and take you to the star of the show: the actual online game.
It sounds a little strange to say, but the strength of online play may be worth it on its own for Guilty Gear Strive. I have played fighting games online in many ways: on different platforms, on third party apps, connecting to random servers and getting beaten up. Guilty Gear Strive’s rollback netcode is smooth and surprisingly capable. For one of my evening rumble sessions with another reviewer, I tested how well the Wi-Fi held up and even across many state lines, we had a solid connection with literally one or two weird hitches in several matches.
Online alone can’t create a game, but it can accentuate what’s already there, and that’s the double strength of Guilty Gear Strive. It’s a fundamentally solid and fun game to play against other people, and playing it online doesn’t seem to settle for a lesser experience than fighting in person. Netcode has done this before, reviving many other games including a previous Guilty Gear game in the online scene, but this has to be a priority for the future, especially as the pandemic has made it so clear just how important netcode can be in the long run. end of a game. feasibility.
It may be lacking in some areas when compared to fighting games with larger suites of features or options for those not looking for a competitive experience. Guilty Gear Strive is absolutely that – this is a fighting game you get if you want to play against other people, rather than playing through a cinematic campaign or series of CPU challenges.
As a competitive fighting game, though, it’s one I keep coming back to and thinking about. Guilty Gear’s cast of characters have always been unique and memorable, and they’re showcased excellently here. Combat is thrilling, thrilling, accessible, with enough depth to keep working and perfecting what I do. And his online play makes it ridiculously easy to confront anyone, without having to think about bad connections ruining our good times, even if lobbies are still let’s call them bizarre.
If I was looking for a ramp to figure out Guilty Gear or even one-on-one anime fighters, this is the game to do it with; and what’s here looks poised to serve as a platform for more to come, as there will no doubt be balance shifts and new characters to come. I can complain about what might be missing, but Guilty Gear Strive is also what I needed right now: a good, solid, and very online fighting game with lots of big swords, charging dolphins, and doctors with questionable credentials to go. around.
[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]
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