Rush, Rush, Shift into Overdrive

CyGames has released its previously teased major update for attractive fighter Granblue Fantasy: Versus. Now available on both PlayStation and PC platforms, Update 2.80 adds three major new mechanics to th??e super-stylish and surprisingly sexy ?anime ring rocker.

The first new mechanic, "Rush", is a quick forward dash that can be activated at the cost of half of your SBA meter. The dash is strike-invincible just after startup, but can still be shut down by projectiles. The purpose of dash is to perfect the timing of the player's advance in order to gain ground in the face of a heavy assault from the opponent. Think of it ala tactical rolls in The King of Fighters, except lacking projectile invincibility. ??Rush can also be linked with certain attacks in o??????????????????????????rder to extend combos.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbJ44fWfMug

The second mechanic, "Backshift", is similar to Rush except used as a retreat rather than an advance. A backshifting player loses half of their SBA meter in order to put some distance between themselves and their opponent. Backshift can also be performed out of knockdown in order to avoid highly offensive players from maintaining their momentum as you return to your return. As such, it is a handy tool for avoid meaties and som?e 50/50 guessing games.

The final new mechanic, Overdrive, is an all-in-one b??uff that can be activated once-per-round. Costing 100% of a filled SBA meter, Overdrive applies several upgrades to your character, including increa?sed damage, increased chip damage, nullified incoming chip damage, faster overhead attacks, and "enhanced simple commands". Overdrive lasts as long as your meter drains, and taking hits will speed up its reduction rate.

These three new additions definitely throw a cat among the pigeons that are the Granblue Fantasy: Versus' dedicated community. It has to be noted that the players were hoping for rollback netcode implementation, which clearly was not on the cards. Here's hoping that update helps make the flow of t??he fight better than it has ever been.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus is available now on PlayStation and PC.

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Bite Me

[Update: Version 2.51 is now live in Granblue Fantasy: Versus, bringing a glut of fixes as well as numerous character balance tweaks. You can check out the full patch notes for the update over on the official website.]

CyGames has announced a release date for the next fighter headed to its stylish one-on-one slugfest Granblue Fantasy: Versus. As teased back in early March, literal lone wolf Eustace will be joining GF:V's st??upidly stylish ??roster of fighters on April 20.

Master marksman Eustace patrols Skydom as a wandering vigilante, delivering judgment to the wicked via the business end of his ornate custom rifle "Flamek Thunder" and a handful of explosive devices. Afforded heightened senses thanks to his raw... animalistic... untamed... wolf-like nature, Eustace is a fearsome opponent, equally dangerous at both long-range and i??n ?close proximity.

As with all previous Granblue Fantasy: Versus DLC characters, Eustace comes complete with a custom lobby avatar, star character icon, and RPG quest chapter. Be sure to check out the Japanese GF:V Twitter account for a selection of short videos showing off Eustace'??s moveset as we see our fuzzy boy locked, cocked, and ready to unload... Ok, I'm calling this article right now.

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Let me scritch his ears, please.

CyGames' visually stunning fighter Granblue Fantasy: Versus is still kickin' ass, and in fact has just announ??ced that next DLC character joining its roster as part of the anime punch-up's second season pass. Locked 'n' loaded, the sharpshooting marksman Eustace will be arriving in-game late next month.

This quite literal "lone wolf" wanders the world as a vigilante, bringing justice to Skydom and visiting harm upon those who seek to inflict pain and punishment on the innocent. A master marksman, Eustace packs heat in the form of his beautifully ornate rifle, "Flamek Thunder," which will no doubt come into play as a part of his Granblue Fantasy: Versus fighting style.

As a weapons master, Eustace is expected to play as a ranged fighter, but we'll know more come April 15, when our wild boy will receive an official gameplay trailer. Additionally, CyGames has also announced a third Battle Pass will be added to Granblue Fantasy: Versus in April, which will offer up numerous exclusive cosmetic items including color variants, weapon skins, avatar??s, and lo?bby cards.

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If you want peace...

Cygames, in association with developer Arc System Works, has announced that Anre, the next DLC character headed to Granblue Fantasy: Versus, will be joining the roster of?? the gorgeous fighting title next week - January 26 to? be exact.

An introspective and impossibly wise being, Anre (or "Un?o") actually dislikes war, combat and the unhappiness and pain that it brings. To this end, Anre has entered the fray?? in the hopes of attaining such power that he will become a deterrent to those who wish harm on mankind. In battle Anre retains his stoic and peaceful demeanor, while fending off assault with expert use of his "Spear of the Eternals", a legendary artifact of devastating faculty.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus is available now on PS4 and PC.

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You know you're a... sweet little heart-break-er...

Granblue Fantasy: Versus receives a brand new character today, one who seems sure to be popular with rushdown fans and DeviantArt supporters everywhere. Foxy franchise fan-favorite Yuel is now ready to join the battle,? arriving as part of the gorgeous fighter's second season pass.

In Granblue Fantasy lore, Yuel is a daring adventurer, who is constantly distracted from her life quest to discover a thousand-years-old treasure by the people and places that she encounters on her journeys. A very popular character in the Granblue Fantasy universe, no doubt thanks to her teasing, femme-fatale nature, lavish design, and playful attitude, Yuel joins the GF:V roster as a speedy rushdown character, tackling her opponents on ground and in the air with her trademark "Foxfire" swords. Yuel is also equipped with her "Third? Dance", a stance that slows mobility but allows for slick counterattacks.

You can check out Yuel in action in this feet-happy gameplay trailer?.

In addition to Yuel's arrival, the trailer above offers the first look at the next DLC character in line for Granblue Fantasy: Versus. Anre may seem relatively short in stature but, as one of the?? masterful deities known as "The Eternals" is actually a being of incredible knowledge and power, tasked ??with providing balance to the world's emotions, and ridding civilization of sadness. Damn, hope he succeeds in that task real soon. Anre will be made available in-game in early 2021.

Finally, Granblue Fantasy: Versus will be receiving a "Battle Pass" of sorts as part of its Version 2.22 update later this month. The pass will challenge players to complete time-limited challenges in order to unlock skins, c??olors, RPG Mode bonuses, in-game currency, and more.

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The PS4 version is still alive, don't worry

It has been a while since we've had any news on Granblue Fantasy Relink, the ambitious console role-playing game from Cygames. The partially PlatinumGames-developed title was first announced back in 2017 for the PlayStation 4 before we even knew about Granblue Fantasy Versus, which launche???d worldwide earlier this year. We've been waiting a while, but it looks like there is still a bit of waiting to do as Cygames announced the title will hit PS4 and PS5 in 2022.

That PS5 version is new, but with everything that's been shown of Relink so far, it was clear from the start this game was destined for stronger hardware. Same goes for that Project Awakening title they showed off back in 2018.

At this year's FES fan festival, Cygames gave updates on the status of Relink, saying it was nearing the final stages of development and turning its attention to asset creation. It also gave us a fresh look at the game, and yep, it ??still looks wonderful.

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Version 2.11 now live

Granblue Fantasy: Versus has been updated to Version 2.11, bringing a selection of bug fixes and mo?de tweaks to CyGames' attractive fighter, along with all-new DLC character Cagliostro.

Known as "The Prettiest Alchemist?," Cagliostro is a young mistress of the arcane arts, arts ?that she utilizes in the pursuit of a state of absolute cuteness. Despite her adorable demeanor, Cagliostro has quite a temper bubbling under her kawaii surface and is a force to be reckoned with in the thick of the fight.

Not only is Cagliostro capable of prod??ucing huge swords and spears from the environment with ea??se, but her tricky teleportation skills also keep her well out of harm's way. Sneaky gal. Cagliostro is available to purchase for around $7, which includes the requisite lobby avatar and a new RPG Mode chapter.

Alongside Cagliostro, the new update fixes several minor text and technical issues across the board, as well as tweaking an ongoing issue involving Throw Breaking. You can check out the full patch notes over on the official Granblue Fantasy: Versus blog.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus is available now on PS4 and PC.

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Cagliostro demonstrates her magical might

Publisher Arc System Works, in conjunction with developer CyGames, has revealed the third character headed to Granblue Fantasy: Versus as part of the gorgeous fighter's second character pass. And this ti??me around its none of than the daring adventurer, Yuel.

Yuel was announced in a brief teaser at the end of a new gameplay trailer, which gave us our first look at cheerful mage Cagliostro in action. Yuel is an extremely popular character among the Granblue Fantasy community, undoubtedly thanks to her teasing, femme-fatale nature. A br??ave and steadfast warrior on an epic journey to find a thousand-year-old treasure, Yuel is very easi??ly distracted by the worlds, characters, and events she experiences while en route to her goal. She also throws up a pretty mean nWo Wolfpac signal.

As for Cagliostro, the young alchemist will launch in Granblue Fantasy: Versus tomorrow, October 20, bringing her ancient arcane powers to the fight. A "mistress of blades," as it were, Cagliostro uses her magic skills to conjure up razor-sharp sw?ords, spears, and whirring buzz saws on the battlefield, while staying out of her foe's grasp with her frustrating teleport abilities. Don't let her cute, wholesome demeanor fool you, this angry gal will cut you down in seconds flat.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus is available now on PC and PS4.

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Abs for days and nights

CyGames has released Version 2.01 for anime fighting title Granblue Fantasy: Versus. The new update brings a slew of tweaks and bug-fixes to the cult fighter, along with the first DLC character of GF:V's second season, Belial.

One of the main antagonists of Granblue Fantasy: Versus' single-player mode, The Fallen Angel is now available for purchase as a playable roste??r addition. Luring in opponents with a rogueish, nonchalant attitude and an amazing midriff, Belial is then quick to dispatch his foes with damaging "slashing" attacks, and powerful metaphysical weaponry.

Belial is the first of six characters that will arrive in-game over the course of GF:V's second season. The Fallen Angel will be followed by cutesy alchemist Cagliostro at some point in October, w?ith a further four characters to be reveale??d and released over the coming months.

You can check out the fully-translated patch notes for Version 2.01 over on EventHubs.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus is available now on PS4 and PC.

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RPG mode getting new chapters as well

It was a bit odd last December when Arc System Works and Cygames pulled back the curtain on the second season of DLC characters for Granblue Fantasy: Versus before the first season had even been revealed. But with such a large Granblue cast to choose from, it was pretty predictable the DLC train would keep rolling full-steam ahead. After wrapping up its first season with the addition of Zooey, Versus is ready to?? start its sophomore year with the previously revealed Belial and cute-as-a-button C?agliostro.

Belial will be available for download on September 23 with Cagliostro following in late October. It should be noted due to C??OVID-19, neither character will launch with their English language voice overs. Twenty-twenty will see one more character added to the season pass with three more to follow in 2021.

Additionally, on August 9 -- or late night on August 8 depending on your timezone -- Granblue Fantasy: Versus will update to version 1.40. This update will add Boss Battle T??ime Attack and Blitz modes, as well as new chapters to the RPG mode. 

Granblue Fantasy: Versus is now available on PS4 and PC.

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Dragon Days

CyGames has released the newest update for its artistic fighting title Granblue Fantasy: Versus. Version 1.31, which is live now on both PC and PS4 platforms, brings the last of the gam??e's initial batch of DLC characte??rs, along with a laundry list of in-game tweaks.

Zooey, accompanied by her serpentine pals Dyrn and Lyrn, has graced the GF:V universe with her presence in order to prevent the bringing of chaos through The Singularities - namely Djeeta, Gran, and Beelzebub. A master of swor?dsmanship, with her attacks boosted by her command of lightning, Zooey's shit-list is a pretty bleak place to be. T?here's a storm coming...

Zooey comes loaded with a selection of new missions, combo trials, in-game avatars, and other lobby goodies. Also available right now is a glossy new stage: The Jewel Resort. Both Zooey and The Jewel Resort are available as part of the GF:V season pass, or can be purchased separately. Further characters are expected to launch this ??fall.

In addition to the arrival of Zooey, Version 1.31 brings about Granblue Fantasy: Versus' largest balance update since release. The patch contains some tweaks to GF:V's control system, shifting directional priority and move buffer mechanics, along with various balance changes to the fighter's roster. Several irritating bugs have also been squashed. You can check out the full list of changes over at the official GF:V blog.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus is available now on PS4 and PC.

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She calls the big one Bitey

CyGames and Arc System Works have announced that fifth DLC character Zooey will be made available for purchase in Granblue Fantasy: Versus on April 28. The ethereal dragon mom joins previous roster additions Narmaya, Beelzebub, Soriz, and Djeeta.

Accompanied by her dragon deities, Dyrn and Lyrn, Zooey arrives in the GF: V universe with plans to bring order to the chaos caused by The Singularites - namely Gran, Djeeta, and Beelzebub. With her dragon pals, lightning magic abilities, and expe??rt swordplay, this petite but overwhelmingly powerful fighter should not be taken lightly by anybody.

Zooey will be made available to purchase on April 7. In keeping with all GF:V DLC fighters, ??Zooey arrives as part of the game's Character Pass, or can be picked up as a stand-alone purchase.

It raises eyebrows to see Granblue Fantasy: Versus drop four paid DLC characters within its first month of release, but it seems that ArcSys is not done yet, as the above trailer's climax reveals a second character pass, which will add Belial and five further characters thi??s fall.

On the free side of affairs, more chapters are being added gratis to the GF:V RPG mode, with Episodes 41-45 scheduled to release this summer, and Episodes 46-50 landing in early 2021. Finally, the Granblue Fantasy: Versus soundtrack will be made a??vailable to purchase June 17.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus is available now on PS4 and PC.

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Beautiful Beatdowns

The latest update is now live for the PS4 edition of lovely looking fighter Granblue Fantasy: Versus. Version 1.21 brings a new run of balance tweaks and bug fixes, and also adds new DLC ch?aracters to the store. The Version 1.21 update will go live on PC A?pril 13.

The official patch notes (as translated by EventHubs) only feature a small and immediately problematic series of changes, as Version 1.21 is merely a prelude to a more substantial patch expected later this month, which is expected to tweak GF:V on a more fundamental level, improving projectile hitboxes, and plus-frames? on close normals across the cast. For now, however, tweaks have been made to Charlotta, Zeta, and Vaseraga, among others.

Old boy martial arts master Soriz and Granblue Fantasy protagonist Djeeta are the latest DLC characters to join the roster, following Beelzebub and Narmaya. Both characters are now available to purchase individually, or arrive as part of the Granblue Fantasy: Versus character pass. They will be followed by dragon master Zooey at a later date.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus is available now on PS4 and PC.

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Another seven days in the dojo

Tomorrow sees the scheduled release of two new roster additions for gorgeous-looking fighter Granblue Fantasy: Versus, but it appears PC players will have to wait a little longer to get their mitts on the divine Djeeta and martial arts master, Soriz.

Publisher XSEED has announced at the final hour that both characters will be delayed until April 13 on the PC platform, with GF:V director Tetsuya Fukuhara citing development issues as the cause for the postponement. Both Djeeta and Soriz are still expected to launch on PS4 tomorrow, April 7, where they can be purchased individually or will arrive as part of the GF:V character pass.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus is available now on PS4 and PC.

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I need a hero

It appears that Granblue Fantasy: Versus DLC character Djeeta will be making her way to the roster very soon, according to a recently leaked trailer from Arc System Works, which you can check out right here.

Djeeta is essentially the female player avatar in the original Granblue Fantasy title - her male counterpart being Gran, who is already on the roster. Although they are essentially character swaps in their origin games, Granblue Fantasy: Versus will see Djeet?a have an entirely different moveset to Gran, making her "a capable captain in her own right."

Djeeta will be made available to purchase on April 7, alongside martial arts expert Soriz. This pairing will be followed by dragon gal Zooey at a later date. As with all GF:V DLC characters, Djeeta can be purchased separately or arrives as part of the game's Character Pass. There has been concern from some players at the notion of at least four paid DLC characters within a mere month of GF:V's release, (two o?n la??unch day, in fact). Regardless, I wouldn't be surprised if we see even more announced in future.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus is available now on PS4 and PC.

Granbl??ue Fantasy: Versus DLC character Djeeta launches April 7 [Gematsu / Ruliweb]

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Let yer ol' dad handle this one

Arc System Works and CyGames have revealed the launch date for Soriz, the next DLC fighter headed to the attractive Granblue Fantasy: Versus. The expert martial artist will be ready to step into the ri?ng on April 7.

A mature gentleman who once ran a successful weapon store, Soriz soon realised that with discipline and training he could hone his own body into becoming the ultimate weapon. With that mantra in mind, Soriz set about tuning his body to perfection and making his hand-to-hand abilities second-to-none. While that all sounds very noble, the official blurb does also state tha??t h??e is capable of being "a mere dirty old man." Okay...

Soriz launches on April 7 worldwide, and can be purchased individually or as part of the Granblue Fantasy: Versus Character Pass Set, which also includes Beelzebub, Narmaya, Zooey, and Djeeta, the latter two of whom will a??rrive at a later date.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus is available now on PS4 and PC.

Granblue Fantas??y: Versus DLC character Soriz launches April 7 [Gematsu]

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Quit dragon it out

CyGames and Arc System Works have officially revealed the fifth DLC character headed to lush fighting game Granblue Fantasy: Versus, and of no surprise to anybody it is indeed the guardian of the skies, Zooey, as inadvertently revealed late last week.

As you can see in the hard-rockin' video below, Zooey certainly seems to be momentarily casting aside her kind and sympathetic nature, proudly stepping into battle armed with a resplendent sword and shield combo, whilst accompanied by some spirited wyvern pals. In fact, it was noted by Gematsu that Zooey will have an exclusive "Wyvern Gauge", so no doubt? her winged friends?? will serve her well in combat.

As demonstrated by the new trailer, Zooey is the final character in the GF:V character pass and is expected to arrive late April. Zooey will follow on from Beelzebub and Narmaya - both available in game right now - and Soriz and Djeeta, who are coming at a later? date. The next trailer will drop o?n March 24, though I expect Zooey will have to take a backseat while the spotlight shines on other approaching DLC characters.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus is available now on PS4 in Japan and North Ameri??ca. It will?? also launch on PC March 13 and on PS4 in Europe March 27.

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Yo, you wanna play some footsies?

Granblue Fantasy: Versus is finally out, and if you've read our review, you should have a solid idea of how it works compared to other fighting games. Granblue Fantasy: Versus, I think, succeeds in mak?ing every character feel distinct in their playstyle and preferred strategy. You'll just need to take some time testing each of them in the training mode to really figure out which fighter is right for you.

If you pick based on aesthetics alone, then it may be easier to pick the seductive Metera or the edgelord Vaseraga. But if you want to figur?e out who best fits you in terms of playstyle like keepaway, rushdown, or mixup, then here is a general overview of every initial character from launch, from someone who has been at th?e game since it first debuted overseas.

I’ll go over each character from the launch roster, in a simplified explanation of how they play, and important moves they’ll be relying?? on. Damage is high, so matches can end quickly if you guess wrong a few times in a row. Plus, there’s not a lot of distance to the corner, so a good chunk of a match is going to be spent either doling out or suffering through some especially powerful corner combos.

Gran, as the main hero, is an all-around fighter with incredibly potent stagger pressure. Depending on the matchup, he can make it very difficult for his opponent to do anything o??ther than block. Because of all of his tools, he’s a very good all-rounder, using his fast fireball to control space when he wants or just rush in with his advancing attack, Overdrive Surge, before pressing a lot of buttons that are plus on block.

• Gran literally has a tool for every occasion: Reginleiv is a fireball for zoning, Overdrive Surge gets you in and is safe on block when spaced right, and Rising Sword is an invincible reversal to get out of jail free.
• Close M and crouch L are notoriously plus on block and fast to start, letting Gran pressure opponents into making mistakes if they panic to break out.
• His Skybound and Super Skybound Arts are invincible on startup, giving you high damage punishes if you predict your opponent is going to do something dumb.

Katalina, the big sister figure to Gran and Lyria, has largely the same strengths as Gran: projectile zoning, an advancing attack, and a reversal. The difference is Katalina’s sword gives her?? longer reach for more effective pokes, but her advancing attack isn’t as safe compared to Gran’s. Otherwise, Katalina is also an all-rounder like him, with some slight trades that make her more suited to frustrating opponents with long-range pokes before capitalizing on mistakes.

• Katalina has a tool to handle anything that comes her way. Frozen Blade for zoning, Enchanted Lands to close space, and Emerald Sword as an invincible reversal.
• Katalina’s stand out buttons are close M and far M. Far M is a long-reaching poke to keep your opponent in check and close M links into itself, making it a great hit confirm for a combo or a strong pressure tool on block.

Lancelot is a fast rushdown character who relies on confusing mixups to bewilder opponents before opening them up. While his left/right mixups can be negated by holding the block button rather than holding back, his high/low game is still an effective way to confuse people while they block his slow-moving setup pr?ojectile. Once Lan?celot scores a knockdown, he can suck his opponents down into a deadly vortex. His fast run, effective command dash, and multitude of air options making getting in on unprepared opponents a snap.

• Wogenstrom is a slow-moving but fast-recovering fireball that Lancelot can run behind to brute force the neutral into his favor. It’s not great in a fireball war but use it after knockdown to get his oki going and really start putting the pressure on as they’re forced to block it.
• Lancelot’s unique action is a command dash called Wirberlwind. When used in the air, Lancelot quickly hits the ground, letting him immediately go into his fast low-hitting crouch L, forcing a passive opponent to guess if he’ll jump for an overhead or hit the ground for a low.
• The first two hits of his rekkas, Southern Cross, are safe on block and create frame traps if you space the timing of the follow-ups. Combined with close M, crouching L, and his footspeed, Lancelot can keep his opponent blocking for a while.

Percival, Lancelot’s fellow dragon knight, uses the long reach of his sword Flamberge to keep his opponents blocking until he can open them up. Percival’s sword provides an immense range that lets him whiff punish his opponent’s bad decisions. He is also a resource character, stocking flame orbs from Trauemerei to reap increased strengths on his special attacks to rea??lly lay on the damage whether they block or hit. Since he is a resource character, Percival will be making micro-decisions on knockdown whether to ready his oki or charge Trauemerei stocks. But with his far M and H to use as spacing, you can potentially scare your opponent into giving you the breathing room you want to charge orbs.

• Far medium is an incredible poke, both reaching far and moving Percival forward slightly. Cancel it into Anzuenden, which is basically Sol Badguy’s Gunflame, to really force your opponent to block or act.
• Lord’s Charge is the cornerstone of Percival’s pressure and mixup. As a fast-moving command dash, he can hit low, perform a wide swing that keeps his turn on block, or do nothing and throw instead, with all these actions being enhanced with Trauemerei orbs. The heavy follow-up, Zerreisen, also does obscene damage, especially with orbs stocked on a clean hit. Learning his combos to punish mistakes into Zerreisen can really tip the match into his favor.
• Percival’s rising attack, Platzen, is very useful. Not only is it a reversal, but the medium and heavy versions start with a shoulder charge, making it easier to use in combos that end in a knockdown. Of course, it also benefits with increased damage with orbs stocked up.

Charlotta, also known as the pipsqueak reincarnation of E. Honda, is a difficult-to-contain and difficult-to-punish rushdown character whose constant barrage of safe attacks and mixups let her crush the opposition under her small, adorable heel. Her small stature is a double-edged sword, making her a smaller target to hit but with shorter range on her normals. While she has no way to deal with fireballs effectively, once she pushes someone into the corner, C?harlotta’s damage skyrockets thanks to her corner combos and her demon flip mixup. It’s important to note that, thanks to easy inputs, Charlotta’s charge input special moves are always on tap with the touch of the easy input button.

• Sword of Lumiel is Charlotta’s way of keeping her turn. Anyone who blocks this is forced to respect her or get their counterattack stuffed. Combined with close M, which advances Charlotta forward, and she can be annoying to push out once she gets in.
• Shining Onslaught has a fast recovery on whiff. Not only is it difficult to punish on block, but spacing it so it whiffs right in front of the opponent can let Charlotta sneak in a surprise low with her crouching L.
• Noble Strategy provides Charlotta with Akuma’s Demon Flip mixups, including a dive that lets her start her offense and a grab that leads to damaging combos in the corner.
• Unlike most reversals, Charlotta’s Holy Ladder is difficult to punish on block depending on the matchup, ranging from unrewarding to impossible. There’s almost no reason to risk the longer cooldown on the EX version unless you absolutely want the extra damage, otherwise, the lesser versions have just as much invincibility with the same relative safeness on block.

Lowain might look like a joke character but he has several ways of throwing a ton of crap on the screen to control neutral, with Brofam and Lady Katerpillar, before becoming a setup character who thrives on people who decide to block rather than risk a tr??ade. Asides from being a setup character, he’s also somewhat of a comeback character who turns dangerous when backed into a corner. His Super Skybound Art is capable of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, as even a knowledgeable opponent who knows how to avoid chip damage still has to deal with the Lowain player changing up his attacks to throw them off. Since there’s no way of stopping Lowain from using his SSA to call mom when in a pinch, you should nev?er count him out.

• Crouch M and crouch U not only lets Lowain poke, but it also lets him low profile most attacks. True to Lowain’s smooth personality, these two attacks let Lowain slip through higher attacks and smack his opponent. Both moves are also special cancelable, with Awesome Sauce being his go-to move.
• Both Sammy & Tommy, as well as Magnificent Tool of Destruction, are Lowain’s main setup moves that let him approach or create oki. While they can be negated with just about any attack, Lowain is free to act how he wants while these moves play out. He can even create true unblockables by calling Elsam out to hit with his low hitting slide while Lowain prepares either a jump in or his overhead.
• While Human Pyramid Attack is certainly usable, any Lowain player worth their salt will wait until they can call mom with his SSA, Try This On For Size! There’s no stopping this move from coming out, so Lowain can use this when he’s in a bad spot to immediately get out of jail free. All of Yggdrasil’s moves can be spot dodged but do a ton of chip damage if the opponent isn’t confident in timing it correctly, so the real challenge is tricking your opponent into messing up their timing with different moves. The most effective strategy tends to involve trying to trick the opponent into blocking either the green projectile or the lightning strike so that the unblockable lava is guaranteed. In most cases, even the most basic patterns tend to push an opponent to the opposite end of the screen, letting Lowain reappear onscreen safely. Skilled opponents can figure out a way to sprint up before Yggy disappears and be in a position to punish Lowain.

Ladiva is the grappler of the game, and the character I personally main. She differs from other grapplers in the genre in that her game plan doesn’t 100% revolve around landing her command grab but rather putting her opponent in 50/50 mixups to either block her attacks or jump to avoid a buffered command grab. She can’t play like Zangief because the range on her command grab isn&rsqu??o;t extreme and Ladiva’s neutral strategy almost non-existent. Despite that though, since it’s relatively simple t??o carry someone to the corner, Ladiva is capable of doing 50% easily with her corner loops. Ladiva’s matchups are tough, but you’ll definitely like the damage she puts out as a grappler if like you like grabbing people out of crouch block and making them sweat on her grab mixups. Just be wary of how she absolutely devours cooldowns since her EX moves make her especially powerful but she’ll sometimes be missing her special moves at critical moments.

• Far and away Ladiva’s most important move is the Jewel Resort Screwdriver. Since the light and EX versions come out as fast as her fastest lights, moves that give her frame advantage on block make her very scary to deal with. The main plan with her Screwdriver is buffer the 360 input or easy input it as late as possible during her blockstrings so that it actually works since grabs don’t work in hitstun. After conditioning people to fear it, she can substitute with other attacks that will hit opponents during the startup of their jump animation. The medium version is three frames slower but has great reach for that surprise factor,. Just be wary of people mashing lights to stop it. Since it’s slower though, it easier to time it outside of blockstun.
• Love’s Headbutt is extremely important in setting people up for Ladiva’s 50/50 guessing game. The frame advantage given from the medium and EX versions allow Ladiva to continue her pressure, but her EX version is special in how many uses it has. It provides frame advantage on block, extends combos on hit, and can be repeated two more times for just damage and hard knockdown. So depending on what you need, you can either go for guaranteed damage or put them through a 50/50 and gamble for more damage.
• Elegant Lariat is key in Ladiva’s corner carry and corner loops but despite it sending Ladiva careening forward, it’s generally not a great tool for closing space in neutral. It also whiffs on crouching characters, which makes it absolutely maddening to hit confirm correctly. Still, this move guard crushes on stand block, meaning Ladiva can once again prepare her grab mixup as they recover.
• Since every matchup will be looking to zone you, you’ll be using far M a lot to counter poke and maybe even fish for counter hits. Far H is a high risk/high reward move with more active frames but it tends to whiff on crouchers. Crouching M is Ladiva’s only reliable low outside of sweep but it functions like Ryu’s crouch M, being a reliable, long-range low that you can special cancel.
• Ladiva’s Skybound Art is of special mention as Maximum Love Bomb is a unique trump card she can use to immediately punish a fireball. Not only is it invincible, but it is also invincible the entire time as Ladiva quickly crosses half a screen’s length to deliver a punishing blow. It does not go fullscreen though, so you’ll have to hover around mid-screen before using it. Still, it’s fully invincible on startup, so you can easily react to a fireball and pass through completely while delivering this punish.

Welcome to Metera, the exact opposite of Ladiva, being a keepaway zoner. Nearly everything revolves around frustrating her opponent with a variety of projectiles at mid-screen before committing to offense established either from set-play with Aetherial Seal or fast overheads with her Zephyr hop. To counterbalance this, Metera has mediocre frame data and no reversal to contest people who get close. However, Metera’s Zephyr gives her great, if not predictable options in the air to escape the corner. If you want a character who zones like Sagat but still has damaging combos in the corner, Metera’s your? girl.

• Metera’s far H is actually a mid hitting projectile which can be canceled into either high or low Starry Sky. She prefers mid-screen zoning to fullscreen because the opponent has time to use the crossover move to pass between far H and Starry Sky. If the opponent is between mid-screen to close, far M is her safest poke. If they get any closer than that though, Metera is better off blocking.
• Metera also has access to three different lows, far L, crouch L, and crouch U, which is also a sliding sweep not unlike a certain dictator’s slide from Street Fighter V. Since Metera also has bad movement speed, crouch U is not only used to knock people down but also push them into the corner where they’re bound to have a bad time.
• Crouch H is an anti-air shot that can be fired as a low angle for pre-emptive jumps or a steep angle for people jumping right on Metera. Metera lacks any good defensive options if an opponent is right on top of her head, so being ready on the draw with this early is important for Metera to capitalize off anti-air shots.
• Since Starry Sky can be ducked or jumped over like Sagat’s fireball game, Metera has two other tools to establish dominance during neutral. The Great Fall creates a shower of arrows at certain points away from Metera that can stop advances and is also an air unblockable hit on the way up. Aetherial Seal is a butterfly that does nothing by itself but explodes when it comes into contact with any of Metera’s arrows. Both of these moves are especially useful on oki since most of Metera’s other moves aren’t all that great at challenging other attacks.

Of the two hardcore zoning characters, Ferry is stronger than Metera in terms of?? pure keepaway. Her main tools to challenge neutral have ??huge, active, difficult to avoid hitboxes. It’s not a stretch to say that she can tilt players by just pressing H and keeping people out with a face full of whip.

But her game plan isn’t the same as Metera’s because Ferry is a setplay character. Ferry’s plan revolves around hitting her opponent with her pet, Geegee, which hits multiple times and sets them up for Ferry’s mixup game on block. She mainly achieves this by hitting them with Gespenst then using Heel to drag them in and knock them down so that Geegee can park on top of them to start the mixup. Ferry’s keepaway also benefits Granblue Fantasy Versus’ unique cooldown mechanics, as she can keep her opponent in check with her long-range buttons while her moves go into cooldown until you’re ready to use her setplay again. If you’re a fan of zoning and setups like Menat from Street Fighter V, you should try Ferry.

• Far M, far H, and crouch M are all of Ferry’s long-range moves, perfect for keep people out and conditioning them to block at a distance. Gespenst can’t combo from most of these moves unless it’s the EX version, but staggering this move after Ferry’s big buttons keep people on their toes unless they want to lose health for not paying attention.
• Ferry’s main trap is called Geegee, Get’em! And any player will quickly learn to hate this little guy if they’re at the receiving end of this move. Like any good setplay tool, Geegee turns into a multi-hitting hitbox, being easy to block in most situations but creating a lockdown that holds people down while Ferry goes for a high/low mixup. It’s important to time Geegee’s arrival exactly as hitting Ferry in any way causes Geegee to disappear.
• Most keepaway characters would kill to have a reversal like Ferry does in the form of Beppo, Sic’em! Only the EX move is invincible on frame 1, which makes this one of the riskier defensive options in the game since a blocked attack means you won’t have access to this move against for quite some time. As if frame 1 invincibility isn’t enough, it also inflicts a hard knockdown, letting Ferry throw out Geegee as an added bonus.

Zeta can do a variety of things thanks to the versatility provided by her spear. She has a beam that will pierce through fireballs, a rush attack that can be repeated in any direction including backwards, and generally good range on her normals thanks to using a polearm as a weapon. All these tools together allow Zeta to engage her opponent freely however she wants and never have to meet them on their terms. If she is forced to deal with an opponent on defense, her options are poor, having no reversal and having to depend on an armored guard point instead. Zeta is a good choice if you want to play rushdown b?ut be flexible outside of it to dictate the match the ??way you want it to go.

• Zeta’s projectile, Infinite Wonders, is unique in that it is a true beam, so it’ll absolutely crush any other projectile in the game short of another Infinite Wonders in a mirror match. This is the main reason why a rushdown character like Zeta doesn’t fear a zoning strategy as much as most other characters.
• Spear of Arvess is Zeta’s bread and butter move, used as both a combo ender and occasionally as a cheeky poke, so long as you lunge backward after hitting. Angling the follow-ups, especially with the extra follow up on the EX version, allow for more combo potential and safe jump opportunities.
• Knee Assault is the heavy follow up from Zeta’s guard point stance, Rhapsody. This move catapults her forwards while allowing her to continue to attack from the air, adding to her pressure. This move is one of the reasons Zeta’s rushdown can sustain for a long time, though gutsy opponents can reversal out in the small gap in pressure.
• True to being a spear user, Zeta’s far M is a good old fashion thrust that can keep opponents in check. Her crouching M is largely the same but faster. Taken together with far H alongside Infinite Wonders and Zeta can keep people at arm’s length until Zeta is ready to commit to some serious offense.

Vaseraga, the big edgelord with a heart of gold, easily appeals to the player who has a preference for big, bulky, powerhouse who can dish out as much damage as they’ll probably take due to the sheer size of their hitbox. V?aseraga’s main tool is his unique move, Soul Forge, which grants armor to several of his key attacks. In simplified terms, what Vaseraga hopes to do is bully the opponent with his armored moves until they get so scared of pressing buttons against him that they leave themselves open to his command throw. Vaseraga will oftentimes find himself in a catch-22 whenever he scores a knockdown:?? Vaseraga wants to press the offensive whenever he has the chance but he also needs space to use Soul Forge safely without fear of a punish. If you want to play the biggest character in the game with access to some of the highest damage per hit, Vaseraga (who in English is voiced by SungWon Cho) is your man.

• Far H is similar to Zangief’s fierce punch in Street Fighter V, being a monstrously powerful button to push with a very high commitment to recovery if you whiff it. Crouch H is one of the best anti-airs in the game, being key to some of his highest damage juggles and more than capable of plucking people out of the air from far away. Playing against a Vaseraga that knows what this button is capable of means limiting the time you spend jumping against him.
• Vaseraga’s projectile, Instinction, is invaluable for a character as large and as slow as him. While it doesn’t go fullscreen, it allows Vaseraga to challenge people from farther away without extending his hurtbox, and using it at the end of blockstrings is safe. It, of course, has the double-edged effect of knocking people away to fullscreen, where Vaseraga can’t do anything but chase them down.
• Battalions of Fear is one of Vaseraga’s most valuable moves in neutral, allowing him to force his way into his opponent’s face under the protection of armor if used after a Soul Forge. Like any advancing move, it’s unsafe when used up close, but Vaseraga will usually be using this attack from max range anyways in an attempt to get in on unwilling opponents.
• Savage Rampage is Vaseraga’s special walking stance, each follow up having important properties to take advantage of especially since the stance has armor after Soul Forge. Light attack is a high swing that knocks people out of the air, medium is a nasty low sweep, heavy is plus on block and ground bounces on hit, setting up for extended combos, and the unique button is a mid attack that has its own separate instance of armor for when you think the opponent is going to attempt to challenge you with a fast attack.

That covers the launch cast of Granblue Fantasy: Versus. Two new characters are already on the slate for March 3 with more to follow, so more matchup knowledge will be ?needed even then. Hopefully, this guide can help you choose who fits you based on your preferred playstyle and even if you pick based on aesthetics, this will hopefully educate you on how your cool new character choice plays in a nutshell.

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The truth is in the colours

Publisher Cygames has prematurely leaked the identity of the fifth DLC character headed to its delightful 2D fighter Granblue Fantasy: Versus. Joining the previously revealed qu?artet of Beelzebub, Narmaya, Soriz and Djeeta is The Arbiter of ?the Skies, Zooey.

In the Granblue Fantasy series, Zooey is depicted as a kind-hearted, overly-empathetic girl, charged with keeping balance in the skies of the universe. Despite her diminutive stature and gentle nature, Zooey is more than adept in battle with her sword and shield. Zooey's inclusion was leaked via the Asian PlayStation Store, which included the gal's name as part of a Color Pack purchase featuring only the Granblue Fantasy: Versus DL??C characters. Zooey has since b??een removed from the page.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus launches in North America today, bringing with it the first two DLC characters, Beelzebub and Narmaya (though the former can be unlocked for free by completing the game's Story Mode). You can check out Chris Carter's review right here.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus is available on PS4 now in Japan and North America. It will launch in Europe on March 23, and on PC via Steam March 13.

Gra?nblue Fa??ntasy: Versus DLC character Zooey reveal leaked [Gematsu]

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Slice 'n' Nice

Arc System Works' stunning fighter Granblue Fantasy: Versus has announced the coming of its second DLC character, the friendly-but-fearsome swordswoman Na?rmaya, who will be made available to purchase worldwide on March 3 - incidentally launch day for the game's North American release.

Narmaya's charming presence and diminutive stature belie her incred?ible skills in battle. As part of a family whose goal is the mastery of every fighting style known to man or woman, Narmaya's sword technique is above reproach, allowing her to deal huge damage at close range, or fend off her assailants with stylish ranged jabs. Despite her frighteningly effective abilities, Narmaya is a delight to know, with a personality bursting with warmth and friendliness - almost to a fault.

Narmaya will be made available to purchase on March 3, alongside the devilish Chaos Bringer, Beelzebub. Both characters can be purchased separately or are included as part of the Granblue Fantasy: Versus Character Pass. As a reminder, Beelzebub can also be unlocked in game for f??ree by completing the Story Mode.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus launches on PS4 in North America March 3, in Europe on March 27, and on PC worldwide March 13.

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Physical set cancelled due to time constraints

Marvelous Europe finally has a release date for the European and Australian editions of Granblue Fantasy: Versus. The gorgeous looking 2D fighter will be hitting the continents on March 27, just a couple of weeks after its March 3 N??orth American street date.

Unfortunately, in a statement on its official website, the publisher also announced that plans have been cancelled for the physical Premium Edition, previously expected to be a Marvelous Europe Online Store within Europe. Marvelous puts the cancellatio?n down to "ongoing time constraints and production issues."

"We know that a lot of Granblue Fantasy fans are eager for this physical Premium Edition and, as fans ourselves, it is with deep regret that we will not be able to produce this edition for Europe," reads the statement. "We would like to apologize to those affected and we thank you for your continued support with Granblue Fantasy: Versus."

European fans will still be able to pick up GF:V in standard physical or digital editions, or in a "Digital Deluxe" format.? This bundle includes several in-game items such as avatars, themes, character colours, a digital artbook, digital soundtrack and a pass for five incoming DLC characters.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus launched in Japan at the start of February to huge success, thanks in small part to eager western players who chose to purchase a copy of the fighter through import merchants or on the JPN PSN store. Granblue Fantasy: Versus launches officially in North A??merica on March 3, before following in Europe and Australia on March 27.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus to?? launch this March within Europe?? and Australia [Official]

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The Chaos Bringer cometh

Granblue Fantasy: Versus might not be out on these shores just yet, but Arc System Works is all ready to drop the beautiful fighter's first DLC character. The Chaos Bringer himself, Beelzebub, will be made available to purchase worldwide on March 3, which also happens to be GF:V's North American launch date.

Having spent thousands of years sealed away in Pandemonium for his invasive acts, Beelzebub is awakened by the fallen angel, Belial. Returning to his chaotic ways, Beelzebub immediately continues?? to his endless quest to become the one supreme being, supported by Avatar, the embodi??ment of destruction, and rocking some frankly fucking amazing hair.

Purchasing Beelzebub will unlock The Chaos Bringer himself, along with additional quests and in-game character icons and lobby avatars. However, it is important to note that Beelzebub can also be?? unlocked free-of-charge by simply completing the game's RPG mode, so you're probably best going down that route.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus launches in North America on PS4 March 3. Although the game is also coming to Europe in Q1 of 2020, no s??pecific date has been announced.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus DLC character Beelzeb??ub l??aunches March 3 [Gematsu]

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A month after the Japanese launch

Fighting game fans will have to wait just a little longer for Granblue Fantasy: Versus, the lat??est attention-grabber from Arc System ?Works. It's launching in North America on March 3, 2020.

The European rel??ease date hasn't been confirme?d yet.

One of my favorite aspects of fighting games is when they have fleshed-out story modes that aren't just a series of samey one-on-one battles. Versus has a side-scrolling RPG story mode with leveling, gear, and abilities – exactly the sort of thing that can help rope in "every once in a while" fighting?? fans.

Apart from the standard PlayStation 4 release of Granblue Fantasy: Versus, XSEED is also prepping an $80 Premium Edition with an art book and soundtrack, as well as a fighter pass. ??On the Season 1 DLC docket, there's ??Chaos Bringer, Narmaya, Soriz, Djeeta, and an unknown fifth playable character.

I'm not expecting to play Versus, but it does remind me about Granblue Fantasy ReLink, a co-op action-RPG that's more my speed. Both of these spin-offs are neat, even as a total Granblue newcomer.

If nothing else, I'll watch this at EVO!

The post Granblue Fantasy: Versus is out on March 3, 2020 appeared first on Destructoid.

Let me be your fantasy

Get your morning off to a guitar wailin' start with the opening movie to Arc System Works' Granblue Fantasy: Versus, which launches on PS4 i??n Japan next month - with a western planned for later in the first quarter of 2020.

Of no surprise to anyone, the anime movie that opens this stylistic fighting game is fast-paced and highly-dramatic, featuring some of the guys and gals of the Granblue Fantasy roster preparing to throw down, all backed with a pompous, hard-rocking theme tune, composed?? by Tsutomu Narita.

Mixing in-game action with neatly-drawn cinematics, we see characters such as Katalina, ?Ferry, Lancelot, Charlotta and, obviously, Gran themselves standing around?? looking stoic, before launching into weapon-based warfare. But don't let me spoil the action, check it out for yourselves below.

Most of my own fighting time is already hard split between two titles, but I'm hoping I can find room for Granblue Fantasy: Versus, as it's shaping up to a be a gorgeous-looking outlier. Whether t??he gameplay will match up to its beautiful visuals, only time will tell, but with Xseed Games and ArcSys in its corner, it seems a snug fit.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus launches on PS??4 in Japan February 6, and will head west at a later date.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus opening movie [Gematsu]

The post Check out the opening to Gra??nblue: Fantasy Versus right here appeared first on Destructoid.

Prettyboy Quartet

Most folks might get their first taste of Granblue Fantasy with next year's Granblue Versus, but there's another Granblue game slated for next year and dressed to impress: the action-RPG Granblue Fantasy ReLink, now with a new trailer and?? ten-minute gameplay clip straight from this weekend's Granblue?? Fantasy Fes convention.

The trailer and clip stars the Dragon Knights, four of the most popular characters in Granblue Fantasy. Hailing from the kingdom of Feendrache, Percival the Lord of Flames, and the Twinfang Prodigy Lancelot - both of whom also happen to be on the Granblue Versus roster - are joined by Fellowship Knight Vane and Siegfried the Dragonslayer.

The gameplay clip also showcases multiplayer co-op, with four play??ers taking control of the knights as they run a quest to track down a lost airship, fighting monsters and ??an ancient dragon along the way.

I gotta say, the game looks shiny and colorful. I also like some especially Granblue-e?sque touches, like the UI design and fonts being straight from the mobile game (even the stickers the players are using to communicate!), alongside mechanical adaptations like flashy charge attacks and chain burst follow-up s??trikes. 

It also ends on an interesting stinger featuring sh?adowy characters and someone that looks a bit like the lead heroine Lyria.

Granblue Fantasy ReLink doesn't have a release date yet, but it is slated?? for PS4.

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Something wicked this way comes

Fighting games having multiple season passes is the new normal at this point. Games like Tekken 7, Dragon Ball FighterZ, and BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle have extended their relevancy in the genre by introducing new characters long after their original release. So it's no surprise the Arc System Works developed Granblue Fantasy: Versus is following suit. It was already announced there would be a character pass for the title, but today, we learned there are already plans for a sec?ond pass with Belial as ??its headliner.

As?? for the first character pas??s, the four characters revealed so far are:

• Chaos Bringer
• Narmaya
• Soriz
• Djeeta

The fifth and final character remains a mystery, though I'm sure our resident Granblue fans have some idea of who it could be. Granblue Fantasy: Versus is expected to release for the PlayStation 4 in Japan in ?early February, 2020. A western release from Xseed Games has been confirmed ?but we are still without a date.

The post Granblue Fantasy: Versus reveals four characters from its first season pass…and one from its second appeared first on Destructoid.

She'll shoot an arrow through your knee

Granblue Fantasy: Versus is shaping up to be one of the most highly anticipated games on the market. With the wizards at Arc System Works behind it, the colorful world of Cygames's hit mobile app is truly putting its best foot forward with its fighting game debut. The action is solid, the animation is fluid, and the developer is going above and beyond by putting an entire side-scrolling RPG in the final package.

All signs point to it being one hell of a game when it finally releases, and th??is week at Tokyo Game Show, Arc System Works gave fans yet another reason to pick it up: Metera has officially joined the cast.

Metera is the ninth character to be added to the roster as one of the starting 11 fighters. She'll be available at launch alongside Gran, Katalina, Charlotta, Lancelot, Ferry, Lowain, Ladiva, and Percival. Five more characters are in the works as part of a season pass. Granblue Fantasy: Versus launches in Japan on February 6, 2020.?? A western release from Xseed Games will happen sometime after that.

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Impressions from E3

Granblue Fantasy is a franchise that's just begging to be an international sensation. Developer Cygames has built it up to be one of the biggest mobile games in Japan, but outside of the country, it's nary a blip on the radar. That's going to change in the next few years with two massive projects. One, Granblue Fantasy: Relink, is a collaboration between Cygames and PlatinumGames, the latter of which ended its work on the title back in February. Relink&nbs??p;was a no-??show at E3 this year, but is still planned to launch on PlayStation 4.

The other game is Granblue Fantasy: Versus, a collaboration between Cygames and Dragon Ball FighterZ developer Arc System Works. You might have already played it during a beta that was held at the end of May/beginning of June. I was able to take it for a spin at E3 last week and found a fighter that melded well with my questionable fi??ghting game skills.

Fighting games come in all shapes and sizes and, for me, the genre is at its best when players of all different skill levels can join in the fun without memorizing a myriad of methods for combos and special moves. I'm not Chris Moyse. I can't rattle off a chain of button inputs from memory on the fly, which he absolutely did when I sent him a picture of an Arcade1Up Mortal Kombat cabinet during the convention. Not enough of my brain is reserved for fighting game formulas, which is why I greatly appreciate titles like Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, Blade Strangers, and Granblue Fantasy: Versus.

The E3 demo only had a small sampling of characters to choose from. The recently announced Ladiva was not one of them. Gran, Lancelot, Catalina, Ferry, and Charlotta were playable and the five of them made for a great sampling as they showed off the range of fighters we'll see in the final product. For instance, Ferry is a ranged character specializing at keeping her opponents at a distance while the diminutive Charlotta is more of an up-close fighter. Playing as Ferry was odd at first because I've never really attempted ranged cha??racters to my knowledge, but as I picked up on how her special moves work I realized the potential of using a fighter like that.

What made her moves, as well as the special moves of others, so easy to learn is Versus' simplified input commands. Holding R1 and pressing a direction on the D-pad will pull off a special move. For anyone like me who likes to screw around with every character in a fighting game without getting too invested in any of them, this is something that will keep me playing far longer than most other titles in the genre. This skills button allowed me to pull off some pretty fun combos in my fight with the Xseed employee, which put a smile on my ??face even if I knew he was letting me win.

Every special move comes with its own cooldown that is visible to both players. If you use the shortcut, the cooldown will be a standard length. However, if you reall??y get into the characters and learn the actual input??s for their moves, the cooldown will be shortened. It's a wonderful system that rewards players who wish to take their skills further.

With only three basic attack buttons (light, medium, heavy) pulling off combos doesn't take much effort and button-mashers may feel like fighting-game gods with how easily they are able to pull off visually impressive moves. For players who dedicate themselves to the systems of the game, Versus includes an alternative block button they can use to negate the frantic attacks of players just blindly pressing away. Holding back on the control pad works?? for a standard block, but if you press the block button, you can actually side-step your opponent, creating an opening for your own devastating combo. I wasn't able to pull it off all that well in my E3 demo, but I imagine YouTube will be filled with videos of amazing side-step counters not long after this game hits the market.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus will release for PlayStation 4 in 2019 in Japan. Xseed is handling? publishing duties in North America and a release date has not yet been set. I asked the Xseed representat??ive who played against me if the game will come to any other platforms. He replied that right now, Xseed is only focused on releasing the game for PS4.

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JIBUN WTF

Granblue Fantasy Versus might be grabbing the headlines as the hot new anime fighter, but the game it's based on isn't abo??ut to give up all the attention, and its newest targets are otaku with nostalgia for the halycon days of 2008 and thereabouts.

Cygames' mobile moneymaker has just kicked off a crossover event between none other than Code Geass, the landmark Sunrise anime series, which recently staged a comeback via a series of feature adaptations and a quasi-sequel Code Geass: Lelouch of the Re;ssurection. The event, which started today, features an original story stemming off the 20th episode of the original series, and starring principal characters Lelouch, C.C., Kallen, and Suzaku, piloting their respective "Knightmare Frame" mecha through the fantasy sky-world of Granblue Fantasy. 

Weird crossovers are, of course, the order of the day for many gacha games, but Granblue is particularly prolific, featuring crossovers with practically anything: Other games (Persona 5), kid-oriented shows like Detective Conan and Precure. Heck, Granblue's skybound universe is one of the few places where warring tribes of idol anime fandom can sit down for peace talks as they grind.

The event runs from today through June 26th. If you're n??ot up to joining, you can watch a convenient showcase of most of the game's playable crossover characters (as of late 2018) below.

The post Granblue?? Fantasy recruits the Black Knights in ?Code Geass crossover appeared first on Destructoid.

Mr. Cygames, tear down this wall

Characterizing the relationship between the fanbases of the Love Live! and Idolm@ster tends to veer between "beautiful friendship" and "vicious rivalry", depending whose social media feeds you follow, but mobile megagame Granblue Fantasy is casting its ballot for unity, thanks to its latest event. Fresh off the back of its summer specials and Persona 5 crossover, Love Love Sunshine!! Aquors Sky-High! kicks off today. It'll feature a new stoyline that will see the school idols of Aquors (the idol unit featured in Love Live Sunshine) debut in Granblue Fantasy's skybound setting. Aquors' music will feature in the game during the event, as well, and new pieces of gear themed after the Love Live franchise and idol fandom in general wil?l be available.

All nine members of Aquors - Yoshiko Tsushima, Hanamaru Kunikida, Ruby Kurosawa, Chika Takami, Riko Sakurauchi, You Watanabe, Dia Kurosawa, Kanan Matsuura, and Mari Ohara - will be playable in-game, but in a twist, appear on the battlefield in trios based on their "year", making for three distinct units. A tweet from the official Granblue account previewed the mechanic, which looks like it will make for a crowde??d front line once you catch 'em all:&nbs?p; 

【グランブルーファンタジー】8/9から開催の「ラブライブ！サンシャイン!!」コラボで加入するAqoursメンバーのバトル演出を一足早くご紹介！バトルには学年ごとに3人1組で参加！さらに、図鑑やマイページでは3人の掛け合いボイスも聞けます！
開催まであと少し！お楽しみに！#グラブル #lovelive pic.twitter.com/mVgfSoysmf

— グランブルーファンタジー (@granbluefantasy) August 7, 2018

Where, you might ask, does the element of Idolm@ster rivalry come in? It's simple: Over the last few years Granblue has run no less than five different collaboration events with the Idolm@ster franchise. And while the Idolm@ster has the numbers on its side with twenty playable Idolm@ster characters between the Cinderella Girls and SideM banners, all of them are merely silver "SR" characters, while the nine (technically three) new Love Live additions start at gold "SSR" rank. Whichever side of this collaboration comes out on time, one can at least be sure that Granblue is at?? lea??st trying to have something for everyone.

As an aside, if you're thinking about starting with Granblue Fantasy, idol events like this (and their reruns) are a good time to do so, as the various idol characters are all easily obtainable without spending a cent ?on gacha rolls, and?? in many cases are good enough to carry an early and mid-game roster. Some are even competitive as the best characters in their rarities and elements. 

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