Guilty Gear Xrd -Sign- was a big success and Guilty Gear Xrd Revelator, while being simply a follow-up with more characters, is honestly everything Xrd Sign included and then some. Most people will think that it is just a title update with more characters and little to no changes, but the changes are actually quite big and the effect on the game is vast. The result? A well balanced and fluid fighting game with enough simplicity to help newcomers enter the ring but enough complexity to keep the hardcore fans happy as well.
The story for Guilty Gear Xrd Revelator is all over the place. Many character and plots are continued from already established plot lines and the story is continued from Xrd Sign. At the beginning of Xrd Sign a mysterious girl named Ramlethal appeared and declared war on all of humanity and said that she was under orders from the Universal Will. There is a whole plot focusing on her becoming more than the weapon that the Universal Will created and eventually becoming her own person. I don’t want to spoil any plot points for anyone that hasn’t played it but it’s a delight to watch it unfold even if there’s no direct gameplay involved in the plot.
The gameplay itself is quite smooth. The characters all feel and play in their own unique way and having completely different move sets and attributes as well. Characters have some familiar base attacks you can use while learning their unique traits and moves so you’ll never feel completely lost. Guilty Gear Xrd Revelator has a combo system that works universally with almost every character. This same system was even carried over to BlazBlue for their final entree. It’s very solid and fantastic in that it allows you to do really advanced combos a lot easier than older fighting games but it’s not too easy; some precision and planning is still required.
The graphics of Sign return for this entry and everything looks just as smooth and clean as before. I was never a huge fan of 3D models, but the models in Guilty Gear Xrd Revelator look fantastic; characters are vibrant and the action and effects look fantastic. Its a really fancy use of the Unreal Engine and the result is one of the best looking fighting games ever made, one that retains its anime-esque look while also making itself look distinct and recognizable. The stages look fantastic as well, although they are simply a backdrop to the action, they are all distinct and have their own moving parts to them that make them a little more than simple backdrops.
The music is fantastic. Guilty Gear has always traditionally featured metal sounding guitars and awesome rock music; its theme has always been heavy riffs and screeching notes. Guilty Gear Xrd Revelator is no different and that’s a good thing since it carries on the tradition quite well. The basic themes from Sign are back in this version of the game of course but we’ve also been treated to some new tracks as well. Great music is essential and thankfully this entry is consistent with the rest of the series.
The online multiplayer returns in Guilty Gear Xrd Revelator with a lobby system that allows multiple people to play together in the same room. It retains that arcade style feel while also allowing players to just pick up and play. As a result matches feel more personable. It’s reminiscent of the by-gone arcade era where quarters thrown on the edge of the cabinet got you a spot in the tournament. It also lets you meet new people easily and the style really encourages good sportsmanship and helps foster a good community. Sadly, I am got into the game a little later in its life cycle, so the rooms were a lot less populated now then at launch, but I played with a few of my friends and a few strangers and it was very fun. Online play keeps getting better and better, a testament to how far we have come with fighting games and online multiplayer compared to the past. I can’t wait for a day where lag-less online play becomes the standard but right now, Guilty Gear Xrd Revelator shows us that in regards to its online multiplayer, it is the new standard.
Guilty Gear Xrd Revelator is a fantastic sequel to the re-coming of Guilty Gear Xrd Sign. A game that took the many positives of Sign and improved upon them to create an even greater experience. Everything you could want in a fighting game is here, whether you’re a newcomer to Guilty Gear or a series veteran. I only wish that more people could play this stellar fighting game so they could see how truly great it is. A fantastic entry point for anyone looking to play any of the Japanese fighting games or for those wanting to jump into fighting games for the first time. Guilty Gear Xrd Revelator proves that fighting games can have it all.
Note: If you’d like to see the other half of this double feature, click here