I received the game for free, but I spent a nontrivial amount of time playing base GBVS and GBVSR on a semi-competitive level (to be frank I wasn't that good at the game, but I still cared). I wish nothing but the best for this game, but sadly I do not think it is a good fighting game gameplay-wise.

to the game's credit, introducing regular content on a timeline (even if it's behind a paywall), a free rotation of playable characters, and a great lobby system and netcode all in one package makes it a game worth trying out if youre interested in the granblue IP or like fighting games.

GBVSR is also a good fighting game to try out if you feel like fighting games are too intimidating because of execution demands. by its design, GBVSR has been made such that this barrier is as low as possible while still remaining a fighting game. beginners will have no trouble picking the game up.

however, the new system mechanics (in particular the brave points/counter, 66L, and many characters' ultimate skills) are uninteresting and infuriating to play with/against. the character balance is also very bad. the result is that you get a fighting game where the interactions are extremely unfun on both offence and defense. obviously this is just an opinion, but it's an opinion from someone who tried to earnestly improve/lab the game on a semi-competitive level.

this is also where the game being made to be as beginner-friendly as possible comes back to bite it. the game is, by its design, rigid and simple in many areas in order to limit decision-making or potential development of tech. consequently, there is less room to develop ways to play around the infuriating new system mechanics than you would see in other fighting games that aren't purposely designed for the lowest common denominator of players. many of these issues would be more excusable if GBVSR was a completely new fighting game, but rising wasn't.

I'm also disappointed in their lack of attention to Grand Bruise. from the beginning, the game should have been updated semi-frequently in accordance with the battle passes or with some sort of timeline in order to keep people invested and actually queuing up to play. at the time of writing this review, you can barely get any games on grand bruise because it's been the same maps in rotation since release.

I received the game for free, but I spent a nontrivial amount of time playing base GBVS and GBVSR on a semi-competitive level (to be frank I wasn't that good at the game, but I still cared). I wish nothing but the best for this game, but sadly I do not think it is a good fighting game gameplay-wise. to the game's credit, introducing regular content on a timeline (even if it's behind a paywall), a free rotation of playable characters, and a great lobby system and netcode all in one package makes it a game worth trying out if youre interested in the granblue IP or like fighting games. GBVSR is also a good fighting game to try out if you feel like fighting games are too intimidating because of execution demands. by its design, GBVSR has been made such that this barrier is as low as possible while still remaining a fighting game. beginners will have no trouble picking the game up. however, the new system mechanics (in particular the brave points/counter, 66L, and many characters' ultimate skills) are uninteresting and infuriating to play with/against. the character balance is also very bad. the result is that you get a fighting game where the interactions are extremely unfun on both offence and defense. obviously this is just an opinion, but it's an opinion from someone who tried to earnestly improve/lab the game on a semi-competitive level. this is also where the game being made to be as beginner-friendly as possible comes back to bite it. the game is, by its design, rigid and simple in many areas in order to limit decision-making or potential development of tech. consequently, there is less room to develop ways to play around the infuriating new system mechanics than you would see in other fighting games that aren't purposely designed for the lowest common denominator of players. many of these issues would be more excusable if GBVSR was a completely new fighting game, but rising wasn't. I'm also disappointed in their lack of attention to Grand Bruise. from the beginning, the game should have been updated semi-frequently in accordance with the battle passes or with some sort of timeline in order to keep people invested and actually queuing up to play. at the time of writing this review, you can barely get any games on grand bruise because it's been the same maps in rotation since release.