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TFG Exclusive: Guilty Gear -STRIVE- Interview!
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Axl Low -STRIVE- illustration by Kenta Asano
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TFG Webmaster: First off, it's an honor to conduct this interview! Huge thanks to Arc System Works America for the opportunity. The Guilty Gear series has come such a long way since the original PS1 title in 1998... and I can honestly say that I've never been more excited for a new installment of the series after I
got the chance to play the GGStrive beta.
Q. What can you tell us about the storyline and/or timeline of GGStrive at this point, and what can players who enjoy single-player content expect out of the game's Story mode?
Arc System Works: It is a continuation of the previous title, Guilty Gear Xrd REV2,
and will conclude the story that underlines the series as a whole.
However, it should also be a enjoyable for players who have no knowledge of the past entries in the series. We will have more info to give on the story later on.
Q.
You guys recently announced that Arcade Mode will have different "story routes" which will alter the opponents depending on a player's skill level and performance. Could you elaborate on how these alternate story routes are triggered and what players can expect in a classic Arcade mode playthrough?
A.
Sorry, we can't answer this.
Q.
The 3D anime-inspired graphics of Strive are beyond stunning... and several notches above the Xrd series, which was visually groundbreaking itself! How did Arc System Works achieve this unprecedented new level of visuals?
A.
Thank you for the compliment. With Xrd, the previous title, we tried to reproduce the look of hand-drawn 2D anime, and by using technology from other titles we were able to achieve that goal to a certain extent.
The next step for this project was to continue experimenting by trial and error, for example by introducing live-action filmic styling and camera work.
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Chipp Zanuff -STRIVE- illustration by Yuuki Kato
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Q.
After playing the PS4 beta, Chipp Zanuff became far and away my favorite character to use due to his awesome speed and high-flying combos. (I also love his new visual design!) Are there other characters in Strive who might compare to Chipp's speed or combo style?
A.
The concept behind Guilty Gear is that each character has their own appeal. Chipp has something that only Chipp can bring to the table.
The new character, Giovanna, also has speedy attacks, but hers are quite different from Chipp's.
In particular, if you look into combining her moves with Roman Cancel, then she can definitely perform some multidimensional moves.
Q.
Could you give us some more details about Online mode(s) and the Netcode? What goals do you hope to achieve with the online lobbies, and how else (besides lobbies) can players enter online matches?
A.
Player matching will be implemented in the final product, so if you want to play against friends or a limited number of players, please wait until the game is fully released. The other modes are intended to bring all the players together in the same lobby.
Quick match will move you directly from the menu to the training standby screen, but during that time your avatar will exist in the lobby.
For this title, we wanted to create a dynamic ranking system that accurately places each player with others that are around the same skill level, to create the most enjoyable matches. For this reason, we needed to make sure our system included and compared players of all skill levels.
Q.
How do you think -Strive- will appeal to both casual and hardcore players of the series?
A.
We think we will be able to offer a gameplay experience that has never been seen before in a fighting game. It should even feel new for experienced Guilty Gear players who have been with us for more than 20 years.
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I-NO -STRIVE-
illustration by
Ein Lee
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Q.
Can you elaborate on Strive's new Roman Cancel system? What are some effective ways to use Roman Cancel to extend combos? And how can Roman Cancel be used defensively?
A.
For players who aren't familiar with fighting games, I think they're better off only focusing on using a Roman Cancel just after landing an attack.
That way, your opponent will float slowly while in the air, making it a good opportunity to hit them with a powerful special move.
As for defense, using a Roman Cancel while guarding will push back your opponent.
These next techniques are a little more advanced, but for this game:
- The Roman Cancel can be inputted just before you dash so it will activate as you're moving.
- The Roman Cancel can also be canceled directly after activation by using a normal or special move.
By intentionally not letting the Roman Cancel's shockwave hit, you can further extend your combo's damage.
Outside of combos, a Roman Cancel can be used, for example, to move downwards in the air to prevent your opponent from landing an air throw.
As your opponent whiffs their air throw, a huge time window will open up from them being slowed down, giving you ample time to set up a powerful counter.
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Zato-One -STRIVE- illustration by Skan Srisuwan
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Q.
Could you tell us anything more about the mysterious PS5-exclusive "Tag" or "Assist" feature that was teased last year, showing 3 characters on screen at once? Is this mode or feature planned for the PC version down the line?
A.
Sorry, we can't answer this.
Q.
How many stages will be available at launch? And does the "Wall Break" system function differently on any specific stages? Has the Wall Break system been tweaked at all since the first PS4 beta? (On a personal note, while playing the beta... I thought it would be cool to be able to continue a combo
after a wall break.)
A.
There will be 10 stages at the time of release.
All stages will feature breakable walls, and none of them will affect the balance of battles.
We are constantly making subtle tweaks with the breakable walls, but generally, the mechanic will remain the same.
The idea of continuing a combo after breaking a wall is not something we're considering at the moment, as it would deviate from the point of the mechanic.
Q.
Just for fun... if it was possible to have "Guest Characters" appear in Guilty Gear Strive as DLC down the line, what other fighting game characters or universe do you think would be a good / entertaining fit for the GG universe / game engine?
A.
Personally, we think it would be interesting to see characters that have never been depicted in an anime style before.
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May -STRIVE- illustration by Asana Maeda
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TFG Webmaster / Frank Joseph:
Thanks again Arc System Works for taking the time for this interview! I think the entire fighting game community is incredibly excited about GGStrive and definitely ready for a brand new fighting game in 2021. I can't wait to play Strive this April!
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Keep in mind this interview was conducted in February 2021.
Arc System Works:
Thank you. Unfortunately, the launch has been pushed back to June, but what it means is that we'll be able to provide a game of even higher quality to our fans.
Please look forward to it.
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