Guilty Gear Strive (Open β #2) -- Local Matches #1
1There was a second "beta" session with two new (returning) characters, so OF COURSE I was able to con a local P2 into taking a peek. That just makes sense!
Tell me how much sense it makes, I dare ya:
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The thing I absolutely miss most when playing fighting games online these days is a proper character select screen. It's a huge part of the atmosphere and makes picking a wide variety of gameplay styles something more immersive than checking off single options on a menu.
More than that, however, it's often rendered impossible or maybe even just a little more annoying than necessary to play the way I'd like, which is to use a bunch of different characters. If I had my way, I'd play a different character every time, but the majority of games these days just aren't amenable to making that happen in a convenient way.
Sure, I get that they want to streamline the experience for your typical player who picks a character and rarely looks back, but then what... I'm expected to ignore the vast majority of my own options and be satisfied with a revolving door of other characters to merely fight AGAINST instead of WITH?
...now, perhaps this particular video doth protest a bit too much, and what's going on with P2 is very specifically the kind of thing they're trying to curtail in the precious economy of online player interactions... but... I mean, a timer keeping them from taking all day is as old as the arcades, so... this shouldn't actually be that hard, right, guys?!
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Match #1 -- Castle of the Silver Feet
Anji vs. I-No
Naturally, the very FIRST thing you "should" do is test out the fresh blood... doubly so if you pit them against one another immediately. What could possibly go wrong?!
...I mean... you could have absolutely no idea what you're doing, that's what.
On the upside, Anji Mito is pretty user friendly in that he attacks quickly and gracefully. Maybe a little TOO gracefully. His projectile is a bit on the lazy side of things, so a wary player seems unlikely to have to put up with much pressure from it at all. His direct attacks are also full of seemingly wasteful flourishes... BUT they also contain quite a number of frames with built-in guard points that will allow him to steamroll straight through an attack without stopping.
...if only I could even begin to understand what those were or how to do exactly that, because that'd really help make him much more fearsome for my foes!
There really is something to be said for games that are a fair bit less coy about all but plastering a big neon sign "THIS IS A GUARD POINT!" over the relevant parts of the body during their active frames... but I suppose that'd really clash with the aesthetic around here.
Instead, we like to put a gigantic "COUNTER!" declaration all over the screen while the camera goes wild. THAT's the kind of subtlety we go for!
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Match #2 -- Castle of the Silver Feet
I-No vs. Anji
On the other hand, I-No has always been a very particular player when it comes to being picky on persnickety and downright technical inputs. Sure, they've lowered the barrier significantly and simplified her along with the rest of the cast, but it's not like I can un-ingrain entire generations of Guilty Gear games' worth of "I have no idea how I'm supposed to make this character work" just because Strive is striving to meet me halfway.
On the other hand, I have to say that I really dig this outfit. I understand that it's going to attract a lot of attention from spoiled manchildren, but there's still nothing especially puritanical about her... I just don't have to worry about being embarrassed to be seen playing a game that contains her in the wrong company. That should probably be a red flag, rather than a thing people will feel the need to get riled up over.
Heck, I'll meet the crazies halfway and say that I kinda expected her to be wearing only what it seemed particularly apparent she had on and was actually coming around to it by comparison... but when she does THAT victory pose (sadly not seen here), even I have to say I'm a little surprised how "dressed up" she actually is.
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Match #3 -- Seventh Heaven District
Nagoriyuki vs. Giovanna
It'd be hard to get an even more volatile matchup than this... especially if there's a side just more or less button-mashing with a rushdown character facing off against someone who... kinda maybe remembers how Nagoriyuki's unique meters and mechanics function. The difference in knowing and not is extreme... even more so than those massive attacks already are.
On the other hand, knowing won't really save you if you happen to do just about everything WRONG... because entering Blood Rage when you don't have the resources or positioning to make anything happen is a really good way to waste most of your life bar for nothing.
...just smash her through the wall, that's all you gotta do, right?! Rrrraaaaarrrrwwwghhh!