Review: Guilty Gear -Strive- is the most accessible entry in the series
There’s nothing quite like the thrill of beating your friends to a pulp with an over-the-top special move that defies gravity and logic. From the fighting game craze of the ’90s to the genre’s resurrection in the late aughts, the satisfaction of a hard-fought win or the maddening frustration that comes with a loss are the essential pillars that drive those who play these games.
While games like Street Fighter V and Mortal Kombat 11 enjoy the most mainstream exposure, games like Guilty Gear cultivated a cult following thanks to its soundtrack, complex fighting game engine, and absolutely gorgeous 2D visuals. Now with more than 20 years of entries under its belt, can Arc System Works finally push Guilty Gear into the spotlight it so deserves? It seems like that’s the plan with the latest entry in the series, Guilty Gear -Strive-.
With a more accessible fighting engine, reworked training modes, and improved skill-based matchmaking, Arc System Works seems determined to make this the Guilty Gear that sticks in the consciousness of fans, casuals, and spectators alike, but does it work? Guilty Gear -Strive- is more accessible than ever before and is better for it and maintains the same visual flair and outstanding music the series is known for, but this is a fighter for fighting fans, so don’t come in looking for compelling single-player content.
Guilty Gear -Strive-
The Good
- Gorgeous visuals
- Great soundtrack
- Controls are more accessible to newcomers
- Robust online features
The Bad
- Smaller roster than previous entries
- Online multiplayer stability remains to be seen
- Lack of single-player content
- No cross-play with PlayStation versions
Guilty Gear -Strive-: Triumph or die
Source: Windows Central
Category | GameNameXXX |
---|---|
Title | Guilty Gear -Strive- |
Developer | Arc System Works |
Publisher | Arc System Works |
Genre | Fighting |
Minimum requirements | Windows 8/10 (64 bit), AMD FX-4350 / Intel Core i5-3450, 4GB of RAM, Radeon HD 6870, 1 GB / GeForce GTX 650 Ti, 1 GB |
Game size | 17.6GB |
Players | 1-2 players |
Launch price | $60 |
There’s also a wall break mechanic that’s been introduced in Strive. Essentially, once you beat an opponent against the edge of the stage, and can send them flying into another section of the map. It’s not something particularly new to the genre but definitely adds to the fast-paced nature of the game, giving it that epic anime battle feel that Dragon Ball FighterZ got right.
All about starting fights
Source: Windows Central
The real meat and potatoes of the game — the online multiplayer — is where you’ll spend most of your time.
But the real meat and potatoes of the game — the online multiplayer — is where you’ll spend most of your time. Arc System Works seems dedicated to getting the online play right and has put together a very cool system that sorts players onto different floors of a tower by their skill. Once placed in the tower, players can move their 8-bit avatar around and start queuing up for fights at Duel Stations. You can even climb the tower to face stronger opponents, but you’re not allowed to descend the tower to bully noobs, a clever decision that should make things easier for newcomers. If you’re not interested in competitive sparring, you can also join casual fights in the park section, separate from the tower.
Unfortunately, at the time of review, the online servers were still under maintenance, and I wasn’t able to get many fights in. Arc System Works seems dedicated to getting the online play right, they even cited that as the reason why they delayed the game from its April 9, 2021, release date. They’ve been listening to fan feedback and have held public betas leading up to release that have been praised by players. At the time of writing, no crossplay is planned between the PC version and the PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5 version of the game.
Guilty Gear -Strive-: Not enough meat on the bone
Source: Windows Central
Nothing would kill this game faster than constant network errors.
Most importantly though are the online servers, which were just were still being adjusted during my playtime. While I trust that Arc System Works will have any issues sorted out by launch, nothing would kill this game faster than constant network errors.
Prospective players should keep in mind that aside from the multiplayer, there’s not much else to do. Each character’s Arcade mode took about 20 minutes to complete, so if you’re a fan of Mortal Kombat’s single-player shenanigans, for example, you’re gonna be disappointed here. And with a full $60 price tag, Strive might have a hard time pulling in that new fanbase it clearly wants to attract. It just doesn’t have enough meat on its bones to appeal to those outside of the target demographic.
Guilty Gear -Strive-: Should you play it?
Source: Windows Central
Guilty Gear -Strive- establishes a solid foundation for new gamers to experience the long-running series while offering the depth the series is known for. With a Season Pass already on the horizon, I expect Guilty Gear -Strive- to continue to evolve as time goes on. While fans of fighters will be happy with Strive’s offering, I worry that newcomers might not have a reason to stick around.
With that being said, I enjoyed my time with the game enough to recommend it. Be sure to check out our picks for the best controllers for playing on the PC or best arcade sticks to ensure you have the gear you need to stand your ground online.
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