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GUILTY GEAR

GUILTY GEAR Game Cover
81%Game Brain Score
gameplay, music
character development, optimization
81% User Score Based on 406 reviews

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Nintendo SwitchPCPlaystation 4WindowsPlayStation
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GUILTY GEAR Game Cover

About

GUILTY GEAR is a single player and multiplayer arcade action adventure game. It was developed by Arc System Works and was released on May 15, 2019. It received positive reviews from players.

"Guilty Gear" is a fast-paced fighting game set in the 22nd century, where synthetic beings known as "gears" exist. The game's story revolves around a tournament organized by the Sacred Order to find a worthy hunter of the renegade gear, Justice, who has recently broken free from prison. Players take control of various characters, including the enigmatic Sol Badguy and the skilled knight Ky Kiske, to compete in the tournament and uncover its secrets. The winner is granted any wish, making the stakes higher than ever.

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GUILTY GEAR screenshot
GUILTY GEAR screenshot
GUILTY GEAR screenshot
GUILTY GEAR screenshot
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81%
Audience ScoreBased on 406 reviews
gameplay10 positive mentions
atmosphere2 negative mentions
  • The game features a fantastic soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
  • The combat system is fast-paced and allows for creative combos, making it enjoyable for players who appreciate skill-based gameplay.
  • As a piece of gaming history, it provides insight into the origins of the Guilty Gear franchise and showcases unique character designs.
  • The game suffers from severe balance issues, with certain characters being overpowered and the final boss being particularly frustrating.
  • Inputs can be unresponsive or difficult to execute, leading to a frustrating experience for players unfamiliar with the mechanics.
  • The AI is often unfair, utilizing instant kills and spamming moves that can make progression feel cheap and unbalanced.
  • gameplay
    69 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of this title is characterized by a mix of innovative yet flawed mechanics, such as the controversial instant kill feature and severe character balance issues, leading to a punishing experience that can feel unfair. While the fast-paced action and unique mechanics offer depth for dedicated players, the lack of tutorials and the overwhelming difficulty, especially in arcade mode, can deter newcomers. Despite its shortcomings, the game is noted for its distinctive art style and exceptional soundtrack, making it a memorable, if frustrating, entry in the fighting genre.

    • “At the time of its release, it stood out among contemporaries like Street Fighter Alpha 3, King of Fighters '98, and Marvel vs. Capcom due to its distinctive art style, innovative mechanics, and punishing difficulty.”
    • “Guilty Gear introduced several unique mechanics rarely seen before its time, such as air dash mechanics that allow players more freedom in aerial movement compared to many contemporary fighters.”
    • “The soundtrack is phenomenal, the gameplay holds up incredibly well, and just about everything was thoroughly enjoyable.”
    • “Inputs are way less forgiving than more modern titles; the 'destroyed' mechanic is an instant lose situation if you can't figure out how to perform the inputs in a timely and accurate manner. The character balancing is all over the place, and the arcade mode ends with a boss that can spam a super giant laser that eats a huge amount of your health, which has almost no counterplay.”
    • “The instant kill moves are what really put this game over the edge into 'just watch some YouTube videos.' They're not that hard to execute, and they have an escape mechanic, but it's almost impossible to escape them as a human player.”
    • “This game is an absolute mess; it embodies the term 'kusoge' with so much questionable design, balance, and strange mechanics to keep you up at night for hours.”
  • music
    55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many players praising its high-octane rock soundtrack that perfectly complements the fast-paced gameplay. Composed by Daisuke Ishiwatari, the soundtrack is described as phenomenal and a standout feature, often enjoyed outside of gameplay. While some players noted issues with sound effects being overshadowed by the music, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack significantly enhances the gaming experience.

    • “The music hits pretty hard and is one of my favorites in the series.”
    • “It's all so good and the music is everything you’d expect from a Guilty Gear game: fast-paced heavy rock tracks that get the adrenaline pumping and perfectly fit the intensity of the fights.”
    • “The soundtrack is phenomenal, the gameplay holds up incredibly well, and just about everything was thoroughly enjoyable.”
    • “The guilty gear series is about the gameplay first, music and visuals second, and story last.”
    • “- no way to turn off the music”
    • “However, it is a game with effort for its art, character design, sprites, and music.”
  • story
    33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Guilty Gear - The Missing Link" is intriguing and rich in lore, primarily conveyed through short cutscenes and character dialogues during the arcade mode. However, many players find the storytelling fragmented and lacking context, often requiring external resources like manuals or online summaries for a fuller understanding. While the narrative is enjoyable and showcases the series' roots, it is considered basic compared to later entries, with a focus on arcade-style endings rather than a comprehensive story mode.

    • “The lore is amazing, awesome dialogues, beautiful scenarios, cool characters... you can also see about the story of Guilty Gear on their official website (they even have a free manga of it) or watch it on YouTube, but anyway...”
    • “I really liked how well written the story is for its genre, and this is a pretty big showcase of Daisuke Ishiwatari's skills as a game developer.”
    • “While not a good starting point for the series, I would highly recommend giving the game a shot despite its flaws if you feel invested in the franchise and have completed the other games while thirsting for more story.”
    • “The story is fragmented; there’s barely any in-game.”
    • “Sadly, this game struggles with a problem lots of old games have, where the story and some game mechanics are only properly explained in the manual, which the digital port does not have (although user gageschleser uploaded a scan of it in the game's guides).”
    • “It is enjoyable, but compared to the later games, it lacks characters and moves, and the story is basic arcade style 'win the tournament, see a short ending scene.'”
  • graphics
    26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are praised for their distinctive hand-drawn visuals and unique art style, which set it apart from contemporaries at the time of its release. While some reviews note that the pixel art may appear dim and low-resolution by modern standards, it is still considered charming and timeless, contributing to the game's overall aesthetic appeal. The combination of cool character designs, a rock-inspired atmosphere, and a strong soundtrack enhances the visual experience, making it a standout title in the anime fighting genre.

    • “At the time of its release, it stood out among contemporaries like Street Fighter Alpha 3, King of Fighters '98, and Marvel vs Capcom due to its distinctive art style, innovative mechanics, and punishing difficulty.”
    • “Everything about it is so stylish; the aesthetics and character designs are so cool.”
    • “The original pixel art graphics are still beautiful and as timeless as Street Fighter or other fighting games of its day.”
    • “When it comes to its visuals, the game may look somewhat dimly colored and low resolution nowadays.”
    • “The gameplay is clunky and the graphics are chunky in this faithful PS1 port.”
    • “It looks like it did in the PlayStation era, so expect 16/32-bit graphics.”
  • humor
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is largely derived from its broken mechanics and absurdities, with players finding amusement in the game's flaws, such as the instant kill system and unbalanced gameplay. Many reviews highlight the comedic value of playing with friends, describing the experience as both hilariously entertaining and frustratingly flawed, making it a "funny broken kusoge." Overall, while the game may not excel in traditional gameplay, its humor shines through its chaotic and unpredictable nature.

    • “Kickass music, awesome art, and tons of funny broken mechanics.”
    • “It's really funny to play with friends.”
    • “This game is hilariously broken, but very easy to understand and complete, especially for a Guilty Gear game.”
  • character development
    9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is highlighted by its bold and distinctive designs, which draw inspiration from rock culture and have evolved impressively over the years. While some critiques mention poor character design in certain instances, the overall aesthetic and memorable character designs are celebrated as a significant strength of the franchise, showcasing the talent of creator Daisuke Ishiwatari. The combination of stylish visuals, intriguing story elements, and a strong soundtrack contributes to a rich character experience.

    • “The character designs are memorable and have only gotten better with later installments in the series.”
    • “Everything about it is so stylish; the aesthetics and character designs are so cool.”
    • “This character is the epitome of poor character design.”
    • “However, it is a game with effort for its art, character design, sprites, and music.”
    • “One of Guilty Gear's most notable strengths is its bold and distinctive character design.”
  • optimization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it successfully delivers smooth animations and flashy special effects, it struggles to appeal to newcomers due to its origins and limitations on less capable consoles. Overall, it showcases a vision that prioritizes performance despite its challenges.

    • “But this was unavoidable in order to allow smooth animations, zoom-in camera, and flashy special effects to perform at a reasonably smooth performance on a console that wasn't all that good at handling 2D games in the first place.”
  • replayability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players note that the game offers significant replayability, with some characters, like Johnny, being perceived as more enjoyable to play than others, such as Axl. This variety in character playstyles contributes to the overall replay value of the game.

  • emotional
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express strong emotional responses to the game, highlighting feelings of guilt and frustration due to perceived unfairness and ineffective mechanics. The intense emotional turmoil, including sadness and despair, suggests that the game's challenges deeply resonate with players, evoking a powerful connection to their experiences.

    • “All of the gears made me feel really guilty.”
    • “It's a broken mess; justice is completely unfair. Potemkin is useless, and it makes me want to cry.”
  • atmosphere
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a dark and pessimistic tone, which many players feel is lacking in later installments. Despite its anime-inspired visuals and heavy metal soundtrack, the game successfully maintains a gritty ambiance that enhances the overall experience.

    • “Guilty Gear is an anime fighting game that has a darker atmosphere to it, aside from the cartoony art style and heavy metal music.”
    • “Of all the things I love the most is its dark and pessimistic atmosphere, something that's missing in its later series.”
    • “Guilty Gear is an anime fighting game that has a darker atmosphere to it, despite the cartoony art style and heavy metal music.”
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9h Median play time
9h Average play time
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Frequently Asked Questions

GUILTY GEAR is a arcade action adventure game.

GUILTY GEAR is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Windows and others.

On average players spend around 9 hours playing GUILTY GEAR.

GUILTY GEAR was released on May 15, 2019.

GUILTY GEAR was developed by Arc System Works.

GUILTY GEAR has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its character development.

GUILTY GEAR is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Guilty Gear Xrd: Sign, One Piece Burning Blood, Vanguard Princess, GUILTY GEAR Xrd REV 2, BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger and others.