Guilty Gear Strive. The Best Way to Get Into Fighting Games.

     

     Since its release on PC earlier this month, Guilty Gear Strive has been taking up most of my free time. And I have to say that this is the most fun I have had playing a fighting game online. The mechanics are low in number and easy to learn while still having enough depth to allow for fun experimentation. That's the key thing with Strive. Every time you learn something new, whether it be a combo or a movement option, it immediately feels rewarding. Most fighting games take days of learning before you even feel confidant enough to play against another player online. But thanks to its skill-based matchmaking and god-tier tutorial, Strive will have you feeling like a beast in no time.

     Speaking of beasts, this game has one of the best base rosters of any fighting game I've ever played. Not only is every character stunning visually, but they all play differently as well. No two characters have the same game plan so chances are everyone can find someone that appeals to them. Whether you like to mash buttons really fast, play defensively, move around a lot, set traps, or block for 90% of the game and kill your opponent off of two grabs, Strive has a character for you. The only thing Strive really lacks is a full-screen zoner. Which in my opinion is a good thing because nothing is more frustrating than losing to someone who is playing a different game than you.  

     However, we can't talk about Strive without mentioning role-back netcode. Lag during online matches is what makes it hard to take most fighting games seriously. When the game is lagging, neither player is playing at their best and no matter who wins it does not feel earned. But games such as Mortal Kombat 11, Them's Fighting Herds, and of course, Guilty Gear Strive, minimize the amount of lag during games. This alone makes the game instantly appealing to both fighting game veterans and newcomers alike. It's still not quite as good as playing offline but it is as close as it can be (assuming both players have decent internet.) Even on a wireless connection, I get minimal lag during my matches with an average of 80 ms.

     Other games, such as Tekken, Smash Bros, and Street Fighter, have such unbearable online environments that the viability of character depends on whether you are playing online or offline. This became unable to deny after the Covid-19 pandemic prevented any in-person tournaments from taking place. When you look at the tournament results for online tournaments, the players who make it far are completely different than the ones who do well in offline events. This isn't just players though, the characters they play are different too.

     Bottom line, if you have watched Strive gameplay and thought it looked fun, try it out. As someone who has only fighting games casually before this, I can confirm that it will not take long to catch up if you are motivated. The rollback revolution is here and Strive is paving the way for online games not to be cancer.