Screenshots & trailers
What players say
Why the number is what it is: aspect mentions counted across 300 sampled Steam reviews (269 positive / 31 negative), recent and most-helpful. Plain keyword counting, fully reproducible; nothing here is written by a machine.
What positive reviews talk about
- Story & writing13% mention it
- Music & audio6% mention it
- Visuals & art4% mention it
What negative reviews complain about
- Story & writing32% mention it
- Monetization13% mention it
- Controls & UI10% mention it
Satisfaction by hours played
Same score, different games: see how sentiment holds up the longer people play.
Under 5h
78%
23 reviews
5-15h
94%
52 reviews
15-40h
94%
68 reviews
40-100h
86%
71 reviews
100h+
90%
86 reviews
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 86 | 75 |
| Creator reviews (3 tracked) | – | 87 | 2 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 88% | 82 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 84% | 78 | 3000 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Dec 13, 2024) · 300 reviews sampled · 9182 total reviews in window · weighted 197.8 up / 33.9 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (109)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 85
“Guilty Gear Strive is yet another excellent addition to the series and an easy recommendation for fighting game fans. It not only feels good to play, but is easily the best-looking 2D fighter on the market and has bunch of unique characters to try out on top of that. As a fan of the series that has been looking forward to it all year, it’s about time and I’ll likely be playing this one on and off into the future.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Arc System Works tried to turn Guilty Gear -Strive- into more accessible game, that can be enjoyed by newcomers. But Strive still have plenty of gameplay depth, great visuals and cool music. If you ever wanted to try Guilty Gear, now is definitely the right time.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Spectacular fighting that is hugely hospitable both for the series veterans and for the Guilty Gear newcomers as well.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Strive is a bold step in a new direction for the Guilty Gear series. Its visual creativity and attention to detail without fault, Arc System Works has again gone above and beyond in its graphical evolution. True, there are some background clashes, but when all is said and done, it's dazzling. With all DLC characters unlocked, there's a lifetime of learning here, as well as tons of modes and bonuses to pore through.While Strive is perhaps only the first step for Guilty Gear's new evolutionary arc, and its sequels will no doubt improve certain aspects and find a way to better appease fans new and old, it remains undeniably solid. The most impressive aspect, though, is the strength of the port here, crafted with a kind of magic to perform near enough 1:1 with its multi-platform counterparts. And the soundtrack? Whether it's your heaven or hell, it most certainly rocks.”
read full review ↗ - 80
- 83
“Guilty Gear Strive sets a new standard for fighting games. Despite having few contents, it’s more accessible than ever, and we believe future updates will include lots of additional fighters.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Guilty Gear -Strive- 2.0 reaffirms its status as one of the best modern takes on the competitive fighting game genre. Arc System Works has succeeded in making the genre more accessible without sacrificing its depth, offering a complete, satisfying, and visually stunning experience. This update is concrete proof of how post-launch support can transform an excellent title into an absolute benchmark. There are still some lingering concerns regarding the management of additional content, but overall, this is a product that every fan of the genre should try.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Even if the game's full package is still missing a few things, you can't go wrong with this generation's new anime fighting game title. If you're new to fighting games, Guilty Gear Strive is a must-play.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Mechanically rewarding, visually sumptuous, & aurally satisfying to an insane degree.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Guilty Gear -Strive- is a superb entry in the 2D Fighter genre, and has the looks, sounds, and stability to back the claim. While smaller compared to other titles, the initial roster of fifteen fighters feels distinct, and most picks have a fitting theme to complement their personality and playstyle. The Story Mode does a great job showcasing who these characters are, while providing a good narrative to boot - and while the act of getting matched with other players can be a pain, the online play experience is incredibly solid. Let's rock!”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Gorgeous visuals, a banger soundtrack, unique characters, solid fighting mechanics, and a solid online component all form a neat package ready to be devoured.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“If you're a fan of online fighting games and plan to spend a lot of time fighting friends across the world, then Guilty Gear Strive is best in class. If you're looking for more single-player modes and content there are other fighting games on the market that have more options.”
read full review ↗
cublikefoot
GameMAG
3DNews
Nintendo Life
FourFaceButtons
SpaceNerd.it
STWGames Italia
Kakuchopurei
VGChartz
Cubed3
Nexus Hub
Prima Games…and 97 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Update Patch 2.01 (May 13, 2026)May 13, 2026
- Update Patch 2.00 (April 8, 2026)Apr 8, 2026
- Update Patch 1.51 (October 22, 2025)Oct 21, 2025
- Update Patch 1.50 (October 9, 2025)Oct 8, 2025
- Update Patch 1.49 (September 9, 2025)Sep 10, 2025
- Update Patch 1.48 (August 21, 2025)Aug 21, 2025
- Update Patch 1.46 (May 27, 2025)May 27, 2025
- Update Patch 1.44 (March 24, 2024)Mar 24, 2025
- Update Patch 1.43 (December 20, 2024)Dec 20, 2024
- Announcement Regarding Occurring Errors and Plans for Upcoming Balance UpdateDec 13, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- [Ver.1.41] Known Issues (November 22, 2024)Nov 22, 2024
- Update Patch 1.41 (November 18, 2024)Nov 18, 2024
- [Ver.1.40] Known IssuesNov 5, 2024
- Update Patch 1.40 (October 31, 2024)Oct 31, 2024
- New character 「Queen Dizzy」 & Major update on October 31st!!Sep 30, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- Update Patch 1.38 (July 22, 2024)Jul 22, 2024
- Update Patch 1.37 (May 30, 2024)May 30, 2024
- Update Patch 1.36 (April 4, 2024)Apr 4, 2024
- Update Patch 1.35 (March 26, 2024)Mar 26, 2024
- Update Patch 1.34 (January 11, 2024)Jan 11, 2024
- Update Patch 1.33 (December 8, 2023)Dec 8, 2023
- Update Patch 1.28 (June 15, 2023)Jun 15, 2023
- Update Patch 1.25 (Mar 1, 2023)Mar 2, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- Update Patch 1.24 (Dec 15, 2022)Dec 15, 2022
- Update Patch 1.19Jul 1, 2022
- Update Coming July 1stJun 24, 2022
- Ver1.17 Update Notice (2022/4/29)Apr 29, 2022
- Ver1.16 Update Notice (2022/3/28)Mar 28, 2022