10 Gaming Franchises You Didn't Realise Are Still Around
3. Guilty Gear
The late 1990s had a deluge of fighting games, including Tekken 3, Soulcalibur, Street Fighter III, and Marvel vs Capcom. Although 1998's Guilty Gear wasn't on the same level, players were won over by its anime-inspired design, fast-paced gameplay, heavy metal soundtrack, and extreme combat mechanics.
Guilty Gear didn't earn crazy money but made enough to warrant a sequel. Then another. Then another. And with each dynamic entry outdoing the last, it was only a matter of time before Arc System's unappreciated franchise became as iconic as heavy-hitters, like Super Smash Bros or Mortal Kombat.
Sadly, Guilty Gear never broke out of its cult-classic status, which is a shame since it's still around to this day. In fact, 2021's Guilty Gear Strive, which was ported to the Switch this year, is arguable the best of the lot.
Strive has simplified the mechanics, so it's easy for newcomers to pick up. Thanks to the gorgeous 2.5D graphics and cinematic camera angles, each bout really emulates an anime brawl. And with the top-tier rollback net code, online play is an absolute dream.
If you miss playing Guilty Gear back in the day, Strive is worth jumping into.