Developer: Ark System Works Team Red
Publisher: PQube
Platform: PS4, PS3
Tested on: PS4
Guilty Gear Xrd Revelator – Review
With Guilty Gear Xrd -Revelator- we pick up where the previous installment, Guilty Gear Xrd -Sign- ended. Since the latter one picked up rather strong scores, we were aching to find out if the developer managed to at least match the quality of its predecessor, or even surpass it. We’ll take you along on our ride to find out how this one turned out.
Story
In Guilty Gear Xrd Revelator’s story mode,we get taken on a flashback tour throughout its predecessor’s story, a welcome feature for players who did not get to play it, and also a nice trip down memory lane for those who finished it. We found this to be a more than welcome addition other games with plural installments should take note off.
After watching the prelude, we don’t get to play with any of the characters, instead we get a decent anime with save points, where we get to see more than just the surface of the characters, which is unusual for a game in the fighting genre. Since during all other modes our thumbs can use some well deserved rest, the idea doesn’t seem half bad + we get to relate tot he characters in an unseen way. Too bad it’s a tad bit too time consuming, although the content is solid.
Graphics
The art style in this game is simply amazing to be frank, each character has been built to perfection, with an eye for every minor detail. The backgrounds are all unique and each fighting stage had some sort of interactive vibe and seemed like it was breathing action. This is refreshing, compared to most other games in the genre, where it seems like they threw in some backgrounds, just to have something to fill up the void. The use of hand drawn graphics we’re used to in this franchise, makes it unique style stand out even more and only adds to the excitement.
Sound
This is one of the features where Revelator really stands out, the loud and heavy sountrack, which can only be described with the term ‘Rockin’ really manages to bring out even the biggest pacifist’s inner fighter. With it’s roaring sounds, the fantastic guitar riffs, the pounding drums… It just makes you wanna destroy everything in sight, which is a good thing since we’re playing a fighting game. The voice acting is only in Japanese, which didn’t bother us in the least, since it fits right into the atmosphere of the game.
Gameplay
The combat in this game is really well thought out, although you will need to complete the tutorial, since mere button bashing won’t do the trick. While you might barely get away with this in the offline modes, this will leave you defenceless in the online section. Since you’re matched up against other players, things tend to get really hairy, since you’ll encounter some players who have toned their skills to perfection. Since it has a leaderboard and tons of unlockables, such as costumes and other items, it will keep you busy for a large amount of time. Next to the online and story mode, it also offers the usual arcade mode and the dojo mode, which will help you understand how to perform all the moves and combos in the game.
Players who are not accustomed to the genre, can choose between two control modes, first off we have the stylish mode where you can easiliy perform combos and special moves with the use of only one button. The Technical mode is plain and simply put, as tough as it sounds, since you will have to tone your skills to perfection, if you want to make any progress in the game. In any of these modes, the combat is more than enjoyable. All moves, from the most basic to the craziest combos, are rendered gorgeouslyand the combat system has a lot of depth. The only downside we managed to find, was the fact that it played better with the directional arrow, instead of the left D-pad, since it’s way more precise.
Conclusion
With its refined combat, stunning visuals and truly motivating soundtrack, Guilty Gear Xrd -Revelator- manages to stand out from the crowd. The depth of the story mode only enhances this, even though it’s just a bit too long and we would’ve liked it even more if they would have combined it with the fighting itself. The difficult controls could scare new players away from the genre, while it pays off to master every aspect of the combat. Guilty Gear Xrd Revelator has at least shown it’s a contender for the crown in its genre, with a unique and most refreshing style and flair.
No Comments