I think the choice to bring back Clean Hits from XX was fantastic. Even if he doesn't have Sidewinder anymore, it still makes him so much more powerful in terms of gamefeel. The removal of Dragon Install is a massive shame of course, but even without it he is still a really fun character overall.

I like the fact that this version of Ky acts as a sort of midpoint in terms of unique mechanics. XX Ky had nothing while Xrd had Grinders, so Shock State is a pretty simple concept that fits him well. Giving him Dragon Install was also a really good call given what happened in Xrd, and I like how it functions here.

I think the extra actions given to May's dolphin specials is an interesting way to take the character. Is it fun to fight against? Absolutely not. But it makes sense for her gameplay to be like this I suppose.

One Vision is perfect in every way. Perfect idea given his story developments in Strive, and a really cool concept in general for a zoner. It isn't the most powerful move ever but it leads to cool situations. I also really like Bomber loops, as locking his best damage behind a close-range option is perfect.

Tightrope has been praised before and for very good reason. It and Chipp's wall run make for a really cool take on giving Chipp hyper-mobility, since Tsuyoshishiki Ten'i isn't in the game.

Karas are a perfect way to make a grappler good at higher levels as long as it is balanced around correctly. The lower skill levels can still use his powerful tools, and as opponents adapt they can start adding in karas to give his attacks even more power. I just wish they could actually balance him properly.

Something I never really see mentioned is the fact that Faust's idle pose is so different from previous games. It really emphasizes how powerful Crawl is since he goes from tallest in the game to shortest. I also really like the increased emphasis in interacting with items, especially launching them with 5D/214H. Bomb tennis in general is also fun.

I don't have much nice to say about Millia but I do like what they did with Tandem Top mechanically. Having it leave Millia in the air is a great idea that if noting else increases the fear factor of the following mixup.

Visually this is the best version of Eddie by FAR. He looks incredible in this game and I really like what they did with his animations in general. He feels more like a shadow now. As for gameplay, I like the set of attacks Eddie has this time. Float is also just an amusing move, as useless as it is.

If Ram's gimmick had to change from Xrd, this was a good way to do it. Obviously it was a bit of a mess at the start of Season 4, but I like where she has ended up at this point. I'm not really sure which of the two Strive concepts I like more, but both are somewhat interesting.

I don't care what people say, Leo is a cool top tier. I really like how they designed his moveset in this game, especially the reverse gatlings. Brynhildr feels appropriately terrifying.

Nago is just a fanstastic design overall. I love how Blood Rage works, I love how it changes his options over time, and I love his ability to use it to his advantage sometimes. He feels like he has always belonged in Guilty Gear and I hope he always returns.

This is a very specific thing but I really like c.S > 2H combos. Locking 2H's combo power behind hitting c.S makes it much more interesting to me, for some reason. I just like Floating Crumple in general. Besides that, bringing in Chave was a great way to change her gameplay.

The removal of guardpoint is sad for his identity as a character but fantastic for his opponent's sanity. I think Suigetsu No Hakobi was a fine alternative and the fact that he can add it to the start of his specials is cool.

Megalomania was a great addition to her moveset. I just find her gameplay fun overall and I like her overall power.

Behemoth Typhoon is a perfectly executed special. The way it follows the different half circles is perfect, and it feels suitably powerful. No notes.

I miss the tower-defense gameplay she had in Xrd, but this is a fine directon to take her. I also like the ability to take off her mask.

I really like the idea behind his gun. A lot. Having to balance both Concentration and Ammo along with losing the entire H button + ability to block are all well-thought out and have the potential to be really cool.

Unfortunately his balance has been impossible from the start so we haven't ever seen a version of him that can be seen as cool by most people. But I'm hopeful that 2.0 can finally make him a character that most people appreciate.

I miss her guard cancels, but I'm happy they at least let her use Hiiragi now. In that role, I really like that it acts as a "momentum-reversal" rather than a raw damage dealer. I also like tether and how it functions with her moveset.

I wish Testament had retained their trapping based moveset but I do like the new direction. Their teleports are cool and I like how Stain works.

Her overall gameplan is enjoyable. I like the option to choose when Stop and Dash hits.

This was a good way to adapt his Calorie mechanic from Xrd. I don't really know how to explain his overall gameplay other than the fact that it fits his personality well.

They are my main. Probably my favorite fighting game character with the only competition being Xrd Bedman. Error 6e is a perfect mechanic that leads to so many cool situations. In particular, having to make up new combos due to weird hits / error timing is so enjoyable, and the timing of errors in general is at the heart of why I love their gameplay so much.

A perfectly done spellcaster moveset. I love his over-the-top spell options and the sheer pain felt when you break his shield is incredible.

Cards are a fun mechanic that I think are a solid replacement for Mist Finer levels. I do wish he still had Glitter is Gold as a pure combo tool though. Perhaps he throws a poker chip instead?

I really like how they adapted her moveset to her new weapon. She has a bunch of attacks that area near identical in overall animation but still feel appropriate for her new concept. I also really like Bomb-Bombnnière as a reinterpretation of her Xrd throw animation.

She feels appropriately terrifying in Jealous Rage. Danzai especially feels devestating and is a fun combo tool. I also like the new way of building her stance's meter, and I find her overall gameplay to be cool.

Pilebunker loops are a perfect thing for Slayer. It lets Pilebunker itself feel super powerful against the wall, while still bringing back its combo utility from Xrd. I also love Last Horizon.

Ice Field is a fun gimmick to give her, though I miss the weird interactions it used to have. I think this was a good way to design her if they really wanted to focus on zoning.

Tryambaka is my favorite new tool on a returning character's moveset. Such a perfect concept with a lot of different uses. Bringing in Robo-Ky was a good choice as well, even if he probably won't last into 2.0. I do wish Venom was less focused on spamming Stinger Aim though.

My second main. I really love how Arbalest works and I like how it warps her combo game quite a lot. There is basically nothing about her moveset I would change, besides making Weapons Free be utilized a bit more. The fact she got leaked is also a massive bonus. I have always loved seeing behind-the-scenes parts of game development, so getting to see that for Strive to such a massive extent was amazing. In a sense, she kind of acts as the face of that experience for me.

Quickhacks are conceptually really cool, though I wish they were all a bit more useful. Short Nerve Circuit is also an interesting sidegrade to Testament's Stain.