Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising is my new favorite fighting game

SHOULD I PLAY GRANBLUE FANTASY: VERSUS RISING?

If you’re a fan of fighting games, RPGs, or the Granblue Fantasy series, you’ll have a blast with Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising. I’d only heard about this series from friends before now. But I was quickly pulled in by the combination of great animation, characters, and online play, plus a story mode that mixes in RPG-style unlockable skill sets.

TIME PLAYED

I spent around six hours on Versus: Rising on PlayStation 5. I mostly used this time to experiment with different characters and check out the arcade and story modes. I also may have spent way too much time in the online lobby playing a soccer match with some players I had just met.

WHAT’S AWESOME ABOUT GRANBLUE FANTASY VERSUS: RISING?

• The artwork and graphics. Verus: Rising may only be a 2.5D fighting experience but don’t be fooled; the game looks absolutely incredible. It felt like I was watching anime while playing. It’s more than just the waifu material too, as the character designs and beautiful environments really work together.

I was also able to explore the visuals even further using the great Figure Studio feature. With Figure Studio, all of the backgrounds and character figures I collected in the game could be posed in whatever way I wanted to create cool diorama images. It was a great way to highlight and appreciate the art that contributes so heavily to the look and feel of the game.

• The journal and lore. I’ve never played Granblue Fantasy and also missed out on the first fighting game spin-off, 2020’s Granblue Fantasy Versus. As such, I had a lot to learn by geeking out and heading to the journal, which contains much of this universe’s lore. The journal provides more than just detailed character bios. I was also able to check out character illustrations, read about the game’s various weapons, learn the history of different stages, and—one of the more remarkable features—listen to the battle music from across the game. It’s a great method for newbies like me to get schooled on Granblue Fantasy.

• The story mode. Versus: Rising tells an original narrative set in the world of Granblue Fantasy. This tale spans three parts and even includes the original story from Granblue Fantasy Versus. It’s a great way to provide context to all of the fighting and does a great job of teaching tutorials and setting up the how-tos of being successful at with the game’s flashy fighting. Add in a variety of quest objectives, and I never got bored with what Versus: Rising had to offer. 

• Online matches, even when waiting in the lobby. Sure, I may have gotten my ass kicked a few times in online combat, but it was fun nonetheless. The game’s online multiplayer mode does a great job of matching players of equal skill levels together, but I even had fun just hanging out and exploring the lobby. See, the online lobby itself is loaded with mini-games that easily drew my attention away from the actual fighting. I got lost in a very competitive soccer match between some players I met online and even had a little lobby helper warning me to take a break! Suffice to say, I think the next game in the series should probably be Granblue Fantasy Soccer.

• The awesome action. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the fighting in an actual fighting game, but I was satisfied with this aspect in Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising as well. Moves were very easy to learn, and the fact that I could collect different skill sets and mix and match them with my character added a level of customization. In addition, I liked the fact that I could team up with other characters to take down bosses or face multiple opponents at a single time. This added some variety to the traditional monotony of one-on-one fighting games.

• Grand Bruise Legends. If the idea of a battle royale where you avoid obstacles while taking out other players as you race to the finish line sounds awesome to you, then you’re in good company. I could easily spend my entire time on this mode in Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising. The challenges in this mode are fun and varied; they reminded me of Mario Party or Fall Guys, with some elements from Squid Game, as you go from game to game until only one person is standing.

WHAT’S SUCKS ABOUT GRANBLUE FANTASY VERSUS: RISING?

• Waiting for a match. It took twenty minutes or more to get into some online game modes like Grand Bruise Legends. This was a minor inconvenience in an otherwise excellent game, but I still hope it’s something that’s addressed. Then again, the long waits could have just been due to playing early review code!

PLATFORM TESTED:

PlayStation 5.