If you're looking for the ideal Guilty Gear experience, this is NOT what I would recommend. While fun, the game will get stale easily, and lose its appeal once you get into the subpar ranking systems, the boring presentation of the UI, and the repetitive playstyle of the characters.

Unlike older GG titles, the combo system in Strive removes almost all freedom, and limits the player's choices in how they approach. There is a lack of uniqueness in player's actions, as you will see many people use the same exact options over and over. This was my most anticipated game of 2020, than 2021, but sadly, the game left a very poor impact on me.

While I will continue to play GG Strive for fun every now and then, older titles such as Accent Core Plus R, and Xrd Rev 2 shine brighter for me, with mechanics and wild options that never seem to get old. If there's one thing I could ask for now, it's to also continue supporting Rev 2, as it's community is still lively and passionate about the game. As for Strive, if this is what you're considering to be your first Guilty Gear game, I would say to give it a pass, and go for the other two titles I have mentioned, as they still have active playerbases who love their game with a diehard passion.