For this week’s game, we played Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising. Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising is a relatively new 2D fighting game developed by Arc System Works as a sequel to Granblue Fantasy Versus. The game can be played on platforms such as a Windows device or on Playstation 4 and Playstation 5. A Windows device was surprisingly hard to procure as I only really use Apple devices, and the Windows laptop that I was able to play on was a little slow and did not have very much storage left (the game was around 20 GBs!).
Playing the game for this class was the first time I had ever heard of the Granblue franchise, and I thought that the game reminded me a bit like if Street Fighter had a child with Genshin Impact. I am not very familiar with 2D fighting games, but I have played a little bit of Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat a long time ago, so this game felt quite nostalgic for me. The animations were pretty well made and definitely chunky for my laptop since I had to put all of my specs to really low quality for everything to run smoothly. I also had a preconception of anime-esque games being less 2D fighting games and more 3D roleplaying games (which is more like the lobby of the game) so it was a great, new experience to see all of these types of animations in the form of a 2D fighting game.
I am glad we viewed this game under the lens of whether button smashing actually works, because I am pretty sure all I did for the first hour of playing the game was button smash. As I had very little experience with other 2D fighting games, I did not put any thought into what kind of moves or combinations of moves I was creating, but rather trying to move around the other person’s moves and button smashing when I got close enough to them. As a result, I was often the one getting combo’ed after stepping in a bit too hard (either on purpose or as a result of button smashing), which was kind of embarrassing since I was mostly playing against CPUs. While I feel like there is a large learning gap to be able to move correctly and precisely press the correct buttons, I believe that anyone could start playing the game, since the developers made button-mashing actually work between players at a beginning level.
Overall, I would rate the game a 7/10, since I thought the game was fun, but I am not sure if I would pick it up again since I do not have the dedication to play over and over to learn all of the movement and attack combinations. I usually do not lean towards these types of games (other than maybe Super Smash Bros) but I am glad I had the opportunity to get out of my gaming comfort zone and play this game. That being said, if I were to play against friends casually, I would love to pick up the game again!
Thanks for sharing your experience with Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising, Jenny! Your review provides a comprehensive look at the game, especially for someone new to the Granblue franchise and 2D fighting games.
It’s interesting to hear about the technical challenges you faced with playing on a less-than-ideal Windows device. It’s a good reminder that gaming hardware can significantly impact the experience, especially with graphically intensive games.
Your comparison of the game to a mix of Street Fighter and Genshin Impact is a fun and apt description. The nostalgia factor you mentioned, combined with the anime-style animations, makes it sound like a unique blend that stands out in the fighting game genre. It’s great that you appreciated the visual style, even if you had to lower the settings to play smoothly.
Button-mashing is a common starting point for many players in fighting games, and it’s good to know that Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising accommodates that while also offering deeper mechanics for those who want to learn. Your honesty about the learning curve and the initial struggles is refreshing and relatable for many gamers.
Your overall rating and reflections on stepping out of your gaming comfort zone highlight the value of trying new genres. It’s great to hear that you enjoyed the game enough to consider playing it casually with friends, even if it’s not something you’d dedicate a lot of time to mastering.
Thanks for the detailed and thoughtful review! It’s helpful for anyone considering trying out Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising, especially those who are new to 2D fighting games.
I think the interesting thing about Smash and how accessible it is, is that there’s a rather finite amount of buttons to actually press. There aren’t any of the long combinations to go through, and most of the “combos” in Smash are a lot more freeform. The jump to a different fighting game is definitely huge, and your reflections on it are right. I wonder what it is that attracts some people to fighting games and if it could be characterized in some way, as it appeals to a niche, but a very very dedicated niche.