Republished on Wednesday, August 31, 2022: Following the announcement of the PlayStation Plus lineup in September, I’m reviving this review from the archives. The original is below.
Granblue Fantasy Versus, the wildly popular mobile fighting title, is another shining example of the brilliance of developer Arc System Works. Much like Dragon Ball FighterZ, the Japanese studio took existing assets and turned it into a great-looking, highly competitive brawler.
However, like FighterZ, you don’t have to practice hours a day to enjoy the game, and Granblue Fantasy Versus has a particularly smooth learning curve. At its most basic level, Versus is easy to pick up and play. The move list is concise and to the point, and most of the input rarely needs to be done. Additionally, a dedicated shortcut button (his R1 on PlayStation 4) allows the player to unleash special attacks by simply pressing two or three buttons simultaneously.
Even advanced players can gain mileage from shortcuts and weave them into combos that would otherwise require far more dexterous numbers. It’s balanced by the fact that it’s based on a shortcut version and it takes a while before you can run it again. Usually use the regular version with quarter circle or double tap directional inputs. Cooldowns are barely noticeable. Even if you’ve never touched a fighting game before, you already have an incentive to improve.
But accessible controls aren’t the only thing that makes Versus appealing to players of all skill levels. In terms of visual design and pacing, it’s an incredibly clean fighter that’s easy to read and understand. While other Arc System Works titles like Guilty Gear, BlazBlue, and the aforementioned Dragon Ball FighterZ focus on long, devastating combos, Versus plays more like a Street Fighter. Basically, this is a grounded and intentional fighting game. There are still combos to master and huge damage to be found with the right setup, but you won’t be juggling your opponent in the corners for half the match.
Truth be told, it’s probably the most understated fighting game released by Arc System Works, but that’s by no means a criticism. Matches in Versus are varied and rewarding, whether it’s cautious thrusting competition or brutal beatdowns. Of course, it also helps that it feels great to play. Attacks have a satisfying weight to them, and every character is delightfully different.
But you can’t write about characters without mentioning the size of the playable roster.At launch, Granblue Fantasy Versus only has 11 playable characters. The number itself doesn’t really matter as long as it’s fun to use. The real problem is that this is his release at full price with not one but two seasons of DLC in the pipeline. Considering how good the game is, it’s a very disappointing, sour model.
To be fair, outside of the character roster, Versus is a pretty complete package. A tutorial challenge is provided. However, Granblue diverges from its peers with the interestingly named ‘RPG Mode’. It’s a mission-based side-scrolling action-adventure with a story of its own.
RPG mode has a repetitive structure, but it certainly gets busy if you’re playing alone. Sandwiched between scenes of dialogue with English or Japanese audio are side-scrolling levels that task you with defeating enemies of all kinds. From generic monsters to big bad bosses, it’s actually a good way to get used to the feel of the game, and it doesn’t skimp on the RPG elements either. Level up your party and collect loot in the form of different weapons. That skin can be applied in other modes. Normally, you’ll do missions until you’re full.
I doubt fighting game aficionados will spend that much time in RPG mode, but it’s still a pretty solid single-player (or two-player co-op) offering and a welcome addition to Dragon’s Crown Pro’s Evoke the atmosphere. That said, if you’re thinking of buying Granblue Fantasy Versus just for the RPG mode, you’ll have to wait for the game to come out. Definitely not scalable. Additionally, annoyingly long loading screens appear frequently.
If you’re not playing RPG modes or playing against friends locally, chances are you’re testing your skills online. After blasting through a few introductory matches to determine your starting rank, you’re free to create, join, or let the game find your opponents while warming your fingers in training mode. It’s all well done and a quick match but netcode seems to be hit and miss so far. Connections tended to drop at times, resulting in noticeable delays.
Before jumping to conclusions, I should at least stress how great this game is. Arc System Works is no stranger to stunning visuals, and Granblue Fantasy Versus does not disappoint. A truly gorgeous title packed with pristine artwork and very good animation. Even the HUD and menus look good, but are dotted with a few minor dialog typos.
Conclusion
Arc System Works has done it again. Granblue Fantasy Versus is a fantasy fighting game that is sometimes surprisingly gorgeous. It’s also incredibly accessible, facilitating a surprisingly smooth learning curve. It’s a tight, satisfying fighter that’s replaced by some fantastically-paced matches. The dedicated RPG mode adds even more life when played primarily alone. ‘s real criticism is directed at the title’s disappointingly small character roster.
