Season 3 of Guilty Gear -Strive- is well and truly underway as Johnny, everyone’s favourite katana-wielding pirate / gambler / ladies’ man, joins the roster.
Johnny brings his signature blend of quick-draw sword techniques, Mist Finer stance attacks, unorthodox movement (by Guilty Gear standards, at any rate), and overabundance of swag. The biggest difference this time around is the lack of the iconic “Glitter is Gold” attack: in previous games, Johnny—ever the gambling man—had a limited stock of coins that, when tossed at the opponent, would power up some of Johnny’s attacks. This time around, the gambling aspect is tied to a new attack, Deal: Johnny throws a playing card that can be subsequently cut with a sword attack to trigger additional effects. As such, Strive Johnny should be less reliant on managing a finite extra resource than his earlier counterparts, but with new potential for card-based positional traps.
Johnny is the first of four new characters planned for this season, following the same model as the previous two seasons. He can be purchased individually for $11.25, or as part of the $39.95 Season Pass 3. The Season Pass also includes three more (as yet unannounced) characters, two new stages, and additional colours for the Season 3 characters.
Regardless of whether or not you buy Johnny or the new Season Pass, Season 3 also brings with it a major game system update, which includes the introduction of two new universal mechanics: “Wild Assault, a powerful offensive maneuver which allows players to take the initiative and rush forward while attacking; and Deflect Shield, a defensive manoeuvre that creates considerable distance between the opponent while blocking their aggression.” At the cost of 50% of your Burst gauge, these are expensive options, but they also introduce a new dynamic for resource management.
Alongside Season 3 and Johnny, Arc System Works is releasing Guilty Gear -Strive- Daredevil Edition, which includes the base game, Season Passes 1, 2, and 3, digital sounds and artworks, and the 25th Anniversary colour pack.
