Second chances are rare these days. In an age of annual roadmaps, seasonal releases, and endless downloadable updates, it can be hard to figure out when to start working on an ongoing game. Worse, you can’t avoid the feeling that you’re already late. If you don’t jump to the bottom, you’re destined to be trampled under the feet of cyber warriors forever. With Granblue Fantasy Versus Rise, the world gets a second chance to invest in one of the most interesting fighting games we’ve seen in a while.
As you may have gathered, this is a major update to the already released fighting game. Granblue Fantasy Showdown. This is a fighting game I reviewed on Eurogamer a few years ago – and I came away from it with mixed emotions. As we part ways, the gorgeous anime warrior appears to be on a journey of self-improvement, as the pack I’ve played recently has addressed many of the issues I had with the original.
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Obviously, this is a 2D fighting game. It’s also an anime fighting game, so not only does it have a unique art style, but it also has a certain speed and fluidity that’s common in this sub-genre. Developed as part of a partnership between Cygames and Arc System Works, a company that has been publishing gold for the past few years, Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising is a smooth, loose, and energetic game video games. Aesthetically and viscerally vibrant. To be honest, it was a lot of fun to play.
What you get in this version of the game is the same solid foundation established in 2020, albeit with three full years of updates, in addition to the significant additions made by this standalone version. The game had 12 characters at launch, but now has 28 characters. New mechanics have been added to provide extra depth, and fun little mini-games have been added to the online lobbies as a fun diversion. From the core gameplay point of view. The original version was a solid package for fans of Granblue and fighting games. Granblue Fantasy Versus Rise is perfect for anyone interested.
Even you, the casual fighting game player. When Granblue was first released, we were at the beginning of an important era. The great age of accessibility. Some people think fighting games are good and don’t need to change, just a good tutorial. Some thought the controls were too difficult – a group ultimately typified by Street Fighter 6’s modern controls. But before SF6 shocked the world, Granblue helped clear the way with simple special moves and MOBA-style cooldowns. This is an answer to the player base problem that others (notably the Rising Thunder team in 2015) have thought of before, but considering those people have abandoned the idea since moving on to Project L, Arc System Works remains the sole proponent of the idea . After playing the game for a while, I have a hard time shaking my head at this concept. It allows for an extremely smooth onboarding process.
This isn’t the only weird thing about the game, but it’s the aspect that breaks down the biggest barrier for new players. There are benefits to completing the actual special move inputs, but if you just want to jump in and press some buttons, you won’t feel burdened by your lack of experience. To be honest, the mini-games were added just for these people. Rising Royale – a Fall Guys mode that adds obtainable Mario Kart style items – is a lot of fun. This is something I’ve played with a few times myself. Not because it’s bad, just because I’m the kind of player who’d rather sit in training mode and figure out combos. It’s not for me, but it’s actually fine. I’m not the one they want to win.
The single-player story mode remains as engaging as ever. It doesn’t follow the cinematic route, instead opting for an RPG-like experience that introduces you to the world and the characters within it. The game remains gorgeous thanks to Arc System Work – a 2.5D animation style that makes every character literally pop off the screen. It’s well known by now – somewhat famous thanks to Guilty Gear: Struggle, but even if you’re used to the visual quality of Arc System Work’s output, it’s worth sitting back and admiring the sheer decadence of it.
Perhaps Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising’s biggest triumph is its online experience. Back in 2020, a big reason why Granblue Fantasy Versus was in the doldrums was due to latency-based netcode. Its inclusion means inconsistent matches with other players can be frustrating at times and downright terrible at times. Playing games now, that’s another story. There are basically no problems playing against distant places. Of course, there are occasional exceptions, and even the most talented technologists can’t overcome the prison yard wifi that Vaseraga in Germany relies on. But this is a big improvement. This change alone takes Granblue from a fixed 3/5 to a 4.
Frankly, the original Granblue Fantasy Versus was made possible by Covid-19. At a time when online infrastructure is so important, it is found lacking. Now, it’s perfect. It plays beautifully. It’s like the original version was the first draft. The initial attempt, while respectable, fell short on key points. Rising feels like a modified version. The Pythagoras of fighting game accessibility, managing to balance a good entry-level experience with competitive depth.
So considering how awesome this game is, should you jump in? Actually this is not a simple answer! It’s not 2020 anymore, and many other companies have managed to step up and deliver great fighting games for any intern. What I’m trying to say is this: if you’re a fan of the art style and have any love for the Azur Lane IP, this is a no-brainer. If you’re a fighting game fan looking for a great side game, this is a great product. If you want to encourage a group of friends to try a new fighting game, Granblue Fantasy Versus Rise may not be the most popular choice, but it’s a pretty good suggestion.
Granblue Fantasy Versus Rise is a panacea for fighting game disease. Just at the end of the year, a blockbuster work was released. You can get it now on PC, PS5, and PS4.
Granblue Fantasy Versus Rise was reviewed using code provided by the publisher. It was reviewed on PC via Steam.
