Few games have the style and substance of Guilty Gear Strive. A fantastic 2.5D fighting game worthy of the praise it’s received since its launch back in 2021, the continued success means that sales are typically few and far between (not to mention relatively minor), but right now, you can grab the game at its lowest price ever for a limited time.
There aren’t many fighting games that can see a dedicated player base like Guilty Gear Strive. Almost four years after the game’s release, and multiple DLCs later, the non-stop action and engaging animations make it hard to put down, setting Arc System Works as one of the best action game developers right now.
Admittedly, the story mode is fairly lacking in terms of gameplay – in fact, there are no actual moments where you play the game. For many Steam Deck games, that would be a major problem, but Guilty Gear Strive’s cinematic narrative is essentially a four-hour movie that gives you the end of The Gear Hunters Saga and gives you an insight into the fantastic world of the series.
After watching the story (or skipping it, if that’s what you’d prefer), the next step is jumping straight into the action. Guilty Gear Strive isn’t a single-player game, so you’re working toward fighting opponents in online matches. Fortunately, it’s a game that nails the balance of welcoming newcomers but offers plenty of depth as you progressively play through each character in the roster.
Even without understanding all of the mechanics, Guilty Gear Strive feels and looks incredible to play, regardless of whether you lose your first battles. Attacks offer flair and beauty with each button press, combos look devastatingly powerful, and each character looks absolutely stunning. Compared to your standard fighting game visuals with the likes of Mortal Kombat, Tekken, and Street Fighter, Guilty Gear Strive looks rather lovely.
If you’re looking for something competitive, blood-pumping, and good fun on your handheld console, you can grab Guilty Gear Strive for just $19.99 / £18.49 on Fanatical. That’s 50% off the standard retail price and the lowest price the game has ever been, so if you’re always chasing that new fighting action like I am, it’s a must-have discount.
Even if you don’t have Valve’s console, Guilty Gear Strive is a fantastic game on any of the best Steam Deck alternatives. However, pairing this fighting game with the best Steam Deck dock and a great monitor makes for a fun time, so I definitely recommend picking up a dock when you can.