Fantasy Strike

 PlayStation 4
User Score
6.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 22 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 22
  3. Negative: 6 out of 22

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  1. acrata
    Jul 27, 2019
    10
    This is the fighting game I’ve been waiting years for. Tons of depth, but easy execution. When you lose, you know it’s because you made bad decisions, not because you misinputted.
  2. Iantweed
    Jul 28, 2019
    10
    It’s a 1v1 fighting game that’s got that classic “easy to play, hard to master” vibe. The game feels like old school Street Fighter 2, yet the controls are simple enough that non-fighting game experts can pick them up in minutes.

    A must buy
  3. McDukk
    Aug 5, 2019
    10
    Fantasy Strike is a fighting game that allows anyone to experience the nail biting drama that comes with high level play in a fighting game!

    The genre convention of complicated inputs is gone, replaced with 1 or 2 button inputs for everything you could want to do. Don't let this fool you, though, the game still has a lot of deep decisions to make. The difference is now you will be able    Fantasy Strike is a fighting game that allows anyone to experience the nail biting drama that comes with high level play in a fighting game!

    The genre convention of complicated inputs is gone, replaced with 1 or 2 button inputs for everything you could want to do.

    Don't let this fool you, though, the game still has a lot of deep decisions to make. The difference is now you will be able to get to those moments without slaving away for hours and hours in training mode just to learn one combo.

    The original cast is colorful and interesting, and the graphics look excellent. The gameplay is satisfying, and just feels fun and intuitive. Every time I input a command, the character does exactly what I intended. Unfortunately for me, I usually want to do the wrong move!

    Ultimately, the game always comes down to the decisions you make rather than the execution. Every time I lose (which admittedly is most of the time) I come away with a sense of what I could have done differently. A very different experience than watching my opponent combo me to death because of a single mistake.

    Fortunately, the game comes with a lot of learning tools. The tutorial takes you through the basics of how all the commands work, and there are spotlight videos for each character to show you how their moves work, and outline a basic strategy on what moves are most effective for that character. There is also a training mode which breaks down all the frame data for each move, and even allows you to advance the game 1 frame at a time.

    Despite being a multiplayer game at heart, the game also has several single player modes that are actually enjoyable! There is of course an arcade mode, featuring snippets of story for each character, with several battles along the way. Most innovative in the single player modes, the "boss rush" features fights against difficult opponents, but with your character granted extra powers between each match! As an added bonus, you can actually play these single player modes while the game searches for an opponent for you online.

    You may think that a game loaded would so many features would have a daunting interface, but it turns out it is actually quite intuitive. If you want to add someone as a friend, you can look them up in your recent matches or search for them by name. If you want to play against your friend, that's an option on you can just click. If you want to watch your friend play against someone else, that's another option you can just click!

    So if you are like me, and have always dreamed of playing Zangief but were scared away by the complicated inputs, Fantasy Strike is the fighting game for you.

    If you are already good at complex fighting game inputs, Fantasy Strike can still be the game for you! Its excellent balance, responsive controls and deep gameplay let experienced players enjoy the action as well. And then imagine bringing your beginner friends to the game, giving them a quick lesson, then seeing them actually play a fighting game at the level where they are making meaningful decisions!

    I also want to emphasize the high quality of net code in this game. Notably their rollback system means that you always see the results of your actions on your screen immediately, just like you would for offline play. I do not understand the specifics, but it features cross platform play, and the gameplay is almost always smooth, no matter how far away my opponent is. I certainly was not expecting to play matches from the United States against someone in New Zealand without any lag! Either way, this is now the first fighting game I recommend to my friends. Give it a try, and see what it means to play a high quality fighting game that is accessible to everyone!    … Expand
  4. sev_voro
    Aug 10, 2019
    10
    the game i'd been waiting for my whole life, a fighting game where you don't need to worry about special move motions or the opponent knowing some ridiculous combo that you can never pull off. You just get straight to doing all the good stuff people do in fighting games: reads, okizeme, throw teching, combos, it's all here, but it's just easier to do, and you spend less time fighting yourthe game i'd been waiting for my whole life, a fighting game where you don't need to worry about special move motions or the opponent knowing some ridiculous combo that you can never pull off. You just get straight to doing all the good stuff people do in fighting games: reads, okizeme, throw teching, combos, it's all here, but it's just easier to do, and you spend less time fighting your controls and more time fighting your opponent. As someone who loves fighting games but has never been able to play them competitively due to my disability, this game is a dream come true and i cannot recommend it enough!… Expand
  5. Darches
    Aug 3, 2020
    10
    tl;dr tl;dr
    It's now my 2nd favorite fighting game. Please give Sirlin all your money so I can have more characters. Smash Ultimate plays a bit better but is harder to control and has serious problems. Fantasy Strike has less expressive gameplay but is incredibly balanced and has ALL the quality of life features.
    Fantasy Strike is more than just "another fighting game." It's a    tl;dr tl;dr
    It's now my 2nd favorite fighting game. Please give Sirlin all your money so I can have more characters. Smash Ultimate plays a bit better but is harder to control and has serious problems. Fantasy Strike has less expressive gameplay but is incredibly balanced and has ALL the quality of life features.

    Fantasy Strike is more than just "another fighting game." It's a philosophy and the culmination of Sirlin's work. tl;dr review:

    Pros
    +Accessible. Anyone with working fingers can play.
    +Competitive. Sirlin says no grinding!
    +Balanced. Unlike 99% of game developers, Sirlin knows how to balance things. All moves are useful and all characters are viable. It's amazing.
    +Elegant. The yomi counter is especially innovative and fun.
    +Challenging. While FS is easy to pick up it's very hard to master. The mind games are intense, the roster is diverse, and you can train and learn nuances like in any other fighter. There's serious replay value here.
    +Plays great. Rollback networking and cross platform support make this game a joy to play.
    +Polished.
    +Sounds great. This is probably my favorite fighting game sound track.
    +Looks great. It's the best that you could ask for from an indie company. I love the fantasy martial arts style and the designs, lore, movesets, and presentation all come together perfectly.
    +Good single player modes.

    Cons
    -Far less freedom, especially compared to Smash Ultimate. You still get meaningful choices, they're just less granular and expressive. It's a reasonable cost to pay for an insane boost in accessibility.

    Conclusion
    Despite the lack of freedom and my initial tilt from losing too much, I keep coming back for more! It's addicting. There are few games where even losing is this much fun. While it's not as mechanically fun as Smash Ultimate, Fantasy Strike does everything right and is the kind of fighting game that we've been sorely lacking. Games like this are a rare treat and I'm incredibly happy to see Sirlin's design work finally put into action. IMO this makes most other fighting games obsolete. Buy it.    … Expand
  6. C571987b
    Feb 11, 2021
    0
    The worst game that i have ever played !!!Keep away from it if you don't want to be nervous.

Critic Reviews

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Critic score distribution:
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  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. COGconnected
    Jul 24, 2019
    75
    Fighting games come with their own language, one assembled out of controls, concepts, and character types. We’re so well-versed in this dialect that it can be jarring to try and pick up a new one. Fantasy Strike lays this daunting task at your feet with comfort and ease. Before long, you’re wholly absorbed in the game’s unique rhythms. At the same time, you’re learning the basics common to all fighting games. When to block, when to counter, what moves work best, and when. With a little patience, you can pretty good at this game. Yet if you spend enough time in these trenches, you’ll end up better at all of them. While it’s not perfect, Fantasy Strike is a rock-solid entry in the larger fighting pantheon.
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