I take a look at the general dynamics of the game, which stands out with its different style and art style.
Guilty Gear -Strive- is the last game of Guilty Gear, one of the lesser known series of the martial world in the west. Let's examine together how good the game was, which caught our attention at first with its different art style, interesting characters and solid music.
Guilty Gear -Strive- review - Get ready to rock!
The first Guilty Gear game was published in 1998 by Arc System Works, which also developed it. I met the game, which has 7 main games and many updated versions specific to different systems, together with the latest -STRIVE-, with Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- in 2014. Afterwards, I didn't spend much time on the series, but the fights I enjoyed watching at big fighting events like EVO were usually Guilty Gear games.
Pluses
+ Different characters from each other
+ Visually stunning
+ Training modes suitable for new players
+ Online performance is great
+ Musics
+ Smooth performance
Cons
- Lobby system mixed
- You do not understand a thing when you enter the story from the middle
- Few new characters
Heaven Or Hell
Guilty Gear -Strive-, both developed and distributed by Arc System Works, stands out from other games with its anime-style visuals. Blending both 2D and 3D visuals, the game gives a different atmosphere than the usual fighting games. The character designs are both aesthetic and have a unique style. The areas we fight are enriched with 2D but 3D visuals.
I loved the visual art style of the game. The characters don't have a strange feeling in the episode, the effects and lighting that explode around during the fight look terrific. Sometimes, even while eating a stick from my opponent, “But he beats very well!” that's what I'm watching. However, players who want a simpler screen may experience boredom. In my personal opinion, the interface is exactly as it should be.
I had the opportunity to play the game on both Playstation 4 and Playstation 5. On the Playstation 4 side, the graphics and effects are a little duller. But don't think that I mean bad when I say it's dull, it's still very nice, you only feel the difference after the effects in the Playstation 5 version. The game I tried on a normal PS4 console also performed well in terms of loading times. I've had no issues with performance on either console.
I also want to praise the music of the game. I'm already a fan of hard rock and metal genres, I even normally listen to the old music of the series. This time, vocals were added to these songs and it was perfect for me. The vocals are beautiful, the music does not fade into the background and you do not get distracted by the music during the fight. There are great songs such as Society, which is Potemkin's theme, fueling it with both its lyrics and music, and Colors, which suits Faust with its ups and downs. I actually liked all the songs, but I don't want to make it too long. You also have the chance to buy the soundtracks of old games using the in-game currency you collected with your 8-bit character.
One of the rare games where you can beat a man with a dolphin
Guilty Gear -STRIVE- comes with 15 characters in its output. Two new fighters have been added alongside the characters we will remember from old games such as Axl Low, Faust, Sold Badguy, Potemkin, I-No and May (Totsugeki!). Special ops officer Giovanna, who fights alongside the wolf spirit Rei, and Nagoriyuki, the samurai vampire who gets stronger as she beats her opponent. More characters will be coming as DLC, as is the tradition of the Guilty Gear series. It is said that 5 characters will be added for the first season, some of which are completely new. I expected more characters in the output, but even learning to use (or stop) what's happening takes enough time. I can't complain much.
The combat system of the game has become more accessible than the old games. You can learn each character quickly and use them in fights. Of course, on the online side, when combos, special attacks, etc. are involved, you realize that the mastering part still requires time, but someone who has just started the game can improve himself quickly by working on the training and mission parts.
The mission part is really successful, it prepares you for many attacks that you will encounter in online fights. As someone who was constantly beaten up by May's dolphins (the "Totsugeki!" cries were in my dreams now), I even found a special training for it. The makers have worked to make the game an experience that will not only delight old fans but also new players. The "combo memorization" thing, which I had the biggest difficulty in my time, is no longer a necessity. The combat system is still more elaborate, but a newcomer is not completely helpless.
I also need to mention how good the online mode of the game is. The lobby system is not good, it has become a bit smoother than previous betas but it still feels like it's a lot of work. You are thrown into a room according to your level and you try to find opponents here. You can go higher if you want, but I do not recommend it, they beat a lot. There is no chance to go any lower.
Game Modes and Movie-Like Story
Normally, in reviews, I write about the story first and then touch on parts like graphics, gameplay, and performance. I chose to take a different approach to Guilty Gear -STRIVE-. The game has offline, online and story modes. Let's examine each mode and its contents in turn. In the offline part, there are options that we can play against the computer or our friends in the same house. Survival mode, 1v1 match against CPU and training mode, as well as Arcade mode with information about the stories of the characters are also here.
In the arcade mode, you have to beat various opponents with the character you choose, and finally defeat Nagoriyuki, who is causing serious difficulties. In the last fight of the mode, where you have a good time and sometimes two people become one and dive into one opponent, you can say "I am ready for online fights now" after Nagoriyuki sweeps the floor with you. You're not actually, but at least you get used to the character.
The game also has a story mode. The story continues where the previous game left off. If you're a player who logs in directly with Guilty Gear -STRIVE-, there's a good chance you don't understand the striking parts of the story. Before entering here, I suggest you read the summary of the stories in other games or watch the video. In this game, you will watch the whole story like a movie. Yes, the game's story mode is a movie that takes about 4 hours. When I first entered, I had the remote in my hand, waiting for the part of the game to offer me a fight, and after half an hour, I switched to the level of "let me get my coffee and watch it on the big screen". For someone who has watched anime back-to-back (me when I was a student), it's a gripping story that can be finished in one sitting. However, I suggest you watch it in parts.
My Result
Guilty Gear -STRIVE- has the potential to be my favorite game among 2D fighting games. Although I have finished the review, I plan to continue working on the characters and spend a little more time in online arenas. We've got a great game that embraces both newbies and old fans alike. With its robust online system and easy to get used to gameplay, it will offer great entertainment in the online arena.
If the art style it uses doesn't bother you, I definitely recommend giving this game a chance. Although the number of characters is actually small, the fact that each of the characters has a separate gameplay makes up for this gap somewhat. The thing that will annoy you the most in the game may be the new character DLC packs.
Playstation 4 and Playstation 5 versions of the game have cross-play support among themselves. So if you buy from any platform, you have the chance to play with your friends on the other platform.
