Looking for a crazy, intense, over-the-top fighting game? Guilty Gear Xrd – SIGN – is exactly what you’re looking for. It is the long-awaited latest title in the Guilty Gear series that has developed a die-hard fan base. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect going into Guilty Gear, but within minutes of in-your-face action mixed with strange characters, I knew this game had – at the very least – some personality. I feared that would be all the game had to offer, but once I dove into the combat I discovered that Xrd – SIGN – knew exactly what it was doing.

On a visual standpoint Xrd –SIGN – is flawless. Running at a smooth 60 fps and 1080p it is what we all want a game to run at nowadays. The real perfection isn’t only from the technical capabilities, but its aesthetic style. It is a 3D cel-shaded game built to resemble a 2D anime fighter, and it has done this perfectly. At a glance, it will appear to be a 2D anime, but when the fighting starts, and the camera circles for certain animations, the 3D element becomes apparent. Xrd – SIGN – is a beautiful game to look at from the character detail, the outrageous attacks, and the even the backdrops. Beating the snot out of your enemy has never looked so good.

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The very next thing you’ll notice after the visuals Xrd – SIGN – offers, is the complete wackiness it boasts so proudly.  80’s metal, futuristic weapons, over-the-top story, and a colorful cast of characters will make sure you never look away from the screen. There is a story mode with zero gameplay, and it is essentially just watching a string of cut-scenes. I can’t say for sure I understood everything that was going on, but I definitely enjoyed watching whatever it was unfold on screen.

This carries over into the fighting with the playable characters that all have their own absurd unique style. Some characters are basic and standard (not to say they aren’t fun), and other characters are as if a mad-man came up with them. A man with a bag on his head was teleporting around me and opening doors to smack me in the face. And that is considered fairly normal compared to some of the other characters you can play as.

This also means that since every character is so absurd in so many ways, they feel very different to play as. Many fighting games out there allow you to switch between characters fairly easily as they may have the same outline of possible moves. In Xrd – SIGN – switching characters takes a little bit more effect. Not to say you need to relearn all the basics every time, but one character will feel dramatically different from another one. The plus side to that is it means there is a character for everyone. Experiment with different people and you will undeniably find the one that works best for you.

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Another thing Xrd – SIGN – does well is cater to expert players and complete newbies. Admittedly, every fighting game should do this, but some are more successful than others. There are your two basic styles coming into this title. You can button-mash your way to victory, or take the time, learn the moves, and really become an expert. Everyone knows button-mashing can only get you so far, but for a complete novice, Xrd – SIGN – does well to keep it fun by not forcing you to take hours of practice before you can even win a match.

There are modes to help you learn the advanced techniques, and extremely in-depth tutorials to explain everything you need to know about certain attacks. One of my favorite modes was the Mission Mode that breaks down your moves and even suggests when to use them. It teaches you how to do a proper counter and what attack to follow up with. It’s a great way to break down the combat slowly so you can really learn the moves.

The fighting overall is greatly done. The controls are tight and concise. The battles are fast-paced and constant with high-octane action. The varied fighting styles between the characters keeps each battle interesting and naturally there are many intense moments. There are few things better than trapping your enemy in your deadly combo and knocking them to the moon with your skill. Xrd – SIGN – makes this even better by being so over-the-top with the animations you’ll get a geeky grin on your face watching the powerful moves unfold. At its core, Xrd – SIGN – is an excellent fighter that hits all the check marks, but then adds on visual flair to kick it to the next level. Expert fighters will find all the core mechanics to their liking, and recreational fighters will still find the game addicting and fun.

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Xrd – SIGN – is not without a few problems. The main one being the lack of characters you can choose from. There are only 15 characters available. While they are varied, and each one is fun, 15 doesn’t feel big enough compared to some other games that boast rosters with dozens and dozens of characters. Certainly, quantity doesn’t make a game better or worse, but a few more characters would go a long way to keep the game fresh and new.

You can also take your fighting online, which is another mode expected in fighters today. The issue is how Xrd – SIGN – handles it. It feels a little outdated. Most fighting games allow you to select either ranked match or unranked match, the game does its thing, and you are matched with another player looking for a fight. Xrd – SIGN – forces you to create a lobby, or search for a lobby, and hope someone is sitting there waiting for you. Unless you want to be the person sitting around waiting for a fight. Either way, it isn’t the most efficient way to handle online matches. Once you get into a fight things go pretty smoothly, but there was some lag (could be my own internet connection) and any lag in a precise fighting game like this is deadly.

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When I booted up Guilty Gear Xrd – SIGN – I didn’t know much about it except some people in the world really loved the series. The attractive visuals, colorful characters, and intense action caught my eye immediately. The game hooked me long enough for me to start diving into the combat, and then it really had me with no intention of letting go. Guilty Gear Xrd – SIGN – is great for fighting experts and novices alike. The only real problem is how it doesn’t offer anything new in terms of the fighting genre. You will have a lot of fun with Guilty Gear Xrd – SIGN – but by no means do you need to drop all other fighting titles to experience this one. That being said, this game undeniably has its charm, and who couldn’t use another fun fighting title in their collection?

This review is based off a review code for the Playstation 4 version of Guilty Gear Xrd – SIGN – developed by Arc System Works Team Red and distributed by Arc System Works

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Guilty Pleasure | Guilty Gear Xrd SIGN Review
Overall Score8
Positives
  • Precise and Fun Combat
  • Wonderful Visuals
  • Great Tutorial Breakdown
Negatives
  • Bigger Roster Would Help
  • Online Mode Not Efficient and Awkward
8Overall Score
Reader Rating: (0 Votes)
0.0

About The Author

Neil has had a passion for video games ever since the Atari entered his life so many years ago. He's been writing about them for over two years and sees no end in sight. Reach out to him on twitter @nconnors13