The game features four main modes: Network Mode, Practice Mode, Battle Mode and Story Mode. The first allows online matches through the PlayStation Network (PSN), which may be ranked in world rankings. The Practice Mode features a regular training mode, a tutorial mode that teaches the basic controls, a mission mode that simulates battle situations, and a challenge mode that is focused on performing combos.
The Battle Mode comprises the arcade mode, which unveils part of the game's story after the player defeats eight opponents; a versus mode, in which the player can have offline battles with a second player or against a CPU; and a special "M.O.M" mode. The M.O.M. Mode, which is an acronym for "Medal of Millionaires", is a variation of the regular survival mode in which the player earns medals based on performance and improves through a progression system.
The last mode of Guilty Gear Xrd is the Story Mode, which is new in the current installment. This mode presents the full game story as a film-like animation divided into several chapters, for uninterrupted viewing. The viewer can pause the movie at any time to investigate a glossary of game terms and plot devices, which are described in the library mode.
Synopsis
Plot
The game is set in 2187, one year after its predecessor, Guilty Gear 2: Overture.
Starting in Sign's storyline, the first part is set in arcade mode through each characters' own storyline, and focuses on Ramlethal Valentine's arc, while the second part of the storyline is set after arcade mode's storyline on the console version, focusing on after the capture of Ramlethal in Conclave and Justice's arc, and also serves as the beginning of Elphelt Valentine's arc in the final chapter.
Later in Revelator/Rev 2, the storyline now focuses on Elphelt Valentine and Jack-O's arc since the final chapter of Sign's story mode on console version.
Additional storyline of Rev 2 follows the concluded epilogue of Revelator's story.
Characters
The arcade version of the game initially featured thirteen playable characters. Sol Badguy, Ky Kiske, Millia Rage, May, Chipp Zanuff, Potemkin, Venom, Axl Low, I-No, Faust, Slayer, and Zato-1 return from previous installments, while one new character, Bedman, has been added. The game also features a new boss character known as Ramlethal Valentine, who was added to the playable roster in arcades via an update. Additionally, the console versions add Sin Kiske from Overture, and new characters Elphelt Valentine and Leo Whitefang, as playable DLC characters, bringing the total roster count to 17. The console exclusive characters Sin, Elphelt, and Leo were added to the arcade version along with balance changes on March 19, 2015.
The sequel Revelator made balance changes and added Johnny, who was non-playable in Sign's story mode, and a new female character named Jack-O' Valentine. Along with returning Jam Kuradoberi as a playable character, Revelator also gives Sign's newcomer Elphelt a darker look for story purposes. Another returning character, Dizzy, was also added to the playable roster as the result of a fan vote conducted by Arc System Works, defeating Bridget and Baiken in a close race, with a total of 32,990 votes. The new character introduced in Revelator, Kum Haehyun, who is non-playable in the arcade version, was announced as a DLC character for the console version. Raven from Guilty Gear 2: Overture is the last of the six new additions to the Revelator sequel.
Baiken, on the other hand, returned as playable in an updated version of Revelator, Rev 2, followed by a new character who is a chief officer of Chipp Zanuff, Answer.
Reception
The game has received generally favorable reviews, holding a Metacritic score of 85, based on 23 critics; for 2014, it was the 16th best rated game for PS4 and the 131st overall in the site. Giant Bomb staff chose the game as the Best-Looking Game of 2014, praising the "crazy polygonal anime madness" and highlighting the camera capacity of "revealing the game's true nature" when it revolves around the scenario during a special move. Geoffrey Thew of Hardcore Gamer elected it the third best game of 2014, commenting that "The characters are as vibrant and wonderful as we've come to expect from the company, and the new graphics are beyond gorgeous ... but it's the fighting mechanics that really steal the show." It was also nominated for Best Fighting Game of the Year at Game Critics Awards, Hardcore Gamer Awards, and IGN Awards, but lost to Super Smash Bros. for Wii U in all three. In 2015, Guilty Gear Xrd Sign was nominated for Best Fighting game at The Game Awards 2015, but lost to Mortal Kombat X.
The game has been unanimously praised for its visuals; Electronic Gaming Monthly's Eric L. Patterson complimented it saying "this is the most impressive ... fighting game I've even seen (or played) when it comes to the graphics on display," while Earnest Cavalli of Engadget declared that "from a purely aesthetic standpoint," Guilty Gear Xrd -Sign- is "faultless." Other very praised aspect was its accessibility, attributed to its equally praised tutorials. GameCentral affirmed it can "may well be the best yet for any fighting game." Darry Husky of IGN asserted, "Guilty Gear Xrd does an admirable job of making it all accessible not only for those of us making the jump from other fighting games, but for those checking the genre out for the very first time."
