Over the years, the Guilty Gear fighting games introduced us to several over-the-top characters that are extremely fun to play. For Aksys Games’ latest release, Guilty Gear Xrd SIGN, a number of familiar faces returned, along with some newcomers ready to mix it up in 2D combat.
Who should you choose? Naturally it’s more of a personal decision, but we have a guide that breaks down our six best characters. That’s not to say you shouldn’t try the others, but these are the ones that will help you dominate the competition once you learn their moves.
Sol Badguy
Sol is a Fireseal sword-carrying maniac who’s been in the Guilty Gear series since the beginning. He’s overly confident, but backs up his attitude with powerful skills, including a Volcanic Viper attack that can set someone aflame in seconds, as well as other charging attacks. What makes Sol so much fun to play is that he announces every one of his attacks, shouting the likes of Volcanic Viper each time, providing a little more oomph behind his strikes. He’s definitely a great character, especially for rookies looking for someone quick, efficient and deadly.
I-No
Not just your typical rock and roll queen, I-No has been a driving force in the Guilty Gear series since XX came out a few years ago. While some may argue that her style takes some getting used to, I-No is a superb brawler who utilizes air dashes with floating, so she can set up better aerial attacks over most characters. She can also strike hard on the ground, using her guitar to get the point across, either through sound waves or with a direct strike. While her Overstrike attacks are limited in range, they’re perfect up close, doing a huge amount of damage.
Ramlethal Valentine
This new character is easily one of the hardest hitting you’ll find in the Guilty Gear universe, a finely built warrior who has no problem moving swiftly, despite the large size of her weaponry. What Ramlethal utilizes best are her balloon-like familiars, named the Lucifero, which she can combine together into a number of lethal combos and attacks. Colored in black and white, she can use these weapons successively, landing blows one after the other and setting up a foe easily for incoming attacks. She takes some getting used to (we suggest messing with the game’s Tutorial mode), but she’s a welcome addition to the roster.
Axl Low
Another veteran that’s been around in the Guilty Gear universe since its inception, Axl Low is a versatile character that can strike opponents with ease, using a combination chain and sickle to get the point across. He has exceptional range, able to strike opponents for heavy damage up close, as well as at a distance. He’s also incredibly quick, able to move rapidly around incoming attacks, enabling you to set up for a mighty counter, or if you’re charged up enough, an Overstrike. Finally, you can strike heavily from above with the Axl Bomber, a good technique that will throw off even the most prepared opponent.
Elphelt Valentine
Another new character to the Guilty Gear franchise, Elphelt claims to be the sister of Ramlethal Valentine. Elphelt fights quite differently from her sibling, substituting routine melee attacks with gun techniques, including rifles and shotguns for close range, as well as a sniper rifle to attack enemies from a distance. She also utilizes other strange weapons, ranging from flowing champagne (yes, we’re serious) to an old-school cannon to grenades shaped like fruit. She’s an odd character, but once you get used to her abilities, she’s quite powerful – and just as good if not better than Ramlethal. Definitely give her a go.
Zato 1/Eddie
Players seeking a great challenge in Xrd SIGN should immediately pick up on the combination of Zato 1 and Eddie. Zato sacrificed his vision so he could fight alongside the Forbidden Beast, Eddie, and utilize his shadow abilities in combat. While this pair has good striking skills, they’re more of a strategic team, as you’ll use them for mix-up combinations with strikes, as well as traps where you can summon Eddie to perform a number of moves, including the Shadow Hole and other small attacks. Once you get the hang of them, Zato 1 and Eddie will certainly give you your money’s worth.
Guilty Gear Xrd SIGN is available now for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4.
