Guilty Gear

Guilty Gear is a fighting game from Arc System Works, released on PlayStation in 1998, presenting a dark, industrial world devastated by a war dominated by genetically engineered bio-weapons called Gears, against whom a colorful cast of characters fights, led by the sword-wielding Sol Badguy and his opponents, each with their own dark motives. The game combines fast, technical combat with a strikingly stylized, rock-inspired visual style and music, which set it apart from the start from its contemporaries in a fighting-game genre dominated by more realistic combat.

The fighting system was built on precise timing, long combo chains, a dash-cancel system, and a special Tension system that allowed for powerful super moves as well as risky defensive maneuvers. Each character had a markedly different fighting style, their own weapon, and a strong personality, which set the game apart from the more uniform fighters of its time and laid a solid foundation for later, even more elaborate and deeper sequels that became one of the pillars of the 2D fighting genre. Creator Daisuke Ishiwatari also contributed to composing the energetic, guitar-driven music inspired by heavy metal, which became one of the hallmarks of the entire franchise.

Technically, the PlayStation version offered fluid animation, striking arena backgrounds, and clear, readable combat, even if it still lacked something compared to the acclaim of later, more elaborate sequels. Contemporary reviews praised the originality, depth of the system, speed of combat, and visual identity, thanks to which Guilty Gear quickly built a loyal player community and a followed tournament scene, echoes of which are still noticeable today. Today it is considered the founding entry of one of the most significant modern fighting-game series and an important milestone in the genre's history, whose influence can be seen in many later fighters.

Why play it: For fighting-game fans, it's a chance to experience the founding entry of one of the most significant modern series and to taste the speed and visual style that influenced the entire genre.