Arc System Works
is a developer famous for creating stylish fighting games like
Guilty Gear
and
Blazblue
that sell well in Japan and have been picking up steam in the United States. The reason the games go over so well with fans vary, but the main one is because of how true to anime the games are.
Arc System Works seems to be able to turn any franchise into a solid anime fighting game
with unique character designs, memorable music, and stunning visuals. With
Guilty Gear Strive
just around the corner, it'll be interesting to see how it fits among the list of Arc System Works' greatest hits.
Kill La Kill -If (68)
Kill la Kill-IfÂ
is an arena fighter based on theÂ
hit anime series Kill la Kill
. The game's combat is similar to rock paper scissors with extra steps and flashy anime effects. That doesn't mean the combat isn't fun. It's extremely easy to pick up and explain to friends who have played arena fighters, which makes it a fun party game.
The single-player content is lacking, as the story mode can be beaten over the course of a few hours and the fights feel drawn out since enemies have inflated health and deal lots of damage. As an overall package, it was better to wait for discounts than paying full price for
Kill La Kill-If
Granblue Fantasy: Versus (78)
Granblue Fantasy: Versus
 is a huge milestone for Arc System Works and fighting games as a whole. Arcsys understood that the main base of the
Granblue Fantasy
games did not necessarily consist of fighting game fans, and fighting game fans weren't necessarily
Granblue
fans. To account for this, they created a game right in the middle.
The story mode tells the story in a digestible way for new Granblue fans
, and the gameplay is accessible for fans of the franchise. Fighting games often have issues with maintaining depth and accessibility at the same time, but
Granblue Fantasy Versus
is a big step forward in that regard.
Melty Blood: Actress Again Current Code (78)
Melty Blood
is one of the most influential and creative anime fighting games to ever exist. The game features complex combat systems, interactive defensive options, and a diverse group of characters to choose from.
Since its release in 2002
, the game has received a steam rerelease in 2016 and still has an active player base, which demonstrates how beloved it is by the fighting game community.
Melty
Blood
originally was developed and published by different companies but the 2016 rerelease was handled by Arcsys. The game has served as an inspiration for so many anime fighters since like
Under Night-In Birth
and
Big Bang Beat
.
BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle (79)
BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle
might be the most ambitious crossover (fighting game) event since
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
.Â
Cross Tag Battle
includes characters from the
BlazBlue
series,
Persona Arena
games,
Under Night In-Birth,
and more. With a character roster of 40 characters,
Cross Tag Battle
has a lot to explore as a tag team game.
Compared to other
BlazBlue
titles,
Cross Tag
takes a much accessible approach. More complicated inputs are replaced with simple motions, and character move lists are shortened and made more manageable. This makes it easy to learn multiple characters quickly and experiment with team synergy. It's also easy for beginners to pick up, making it fun to play with friends.
Under Night-In-Birth Exe: Late (81)
Under Night In-Birth
, or
UNI
for short, has become sort of a meme among the anime fighter community. Not only is its name ridiculous, but the aesthetic of the battle screens are also cluttered with meaningless words that flash before anybody can actually read them.
UNI
has incredibly deep combat and each character has their own special abilities and mechanics which makes playing each character feel like a different game. The
UNI
community is also still very active with limited support for the game, so there's always time to give it a try for fans who like complex fighting games.
BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma (84)
BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma
is the third game in the
BlazBlue
series and features 28 characters, which was a lot more than the 19 from the game before it.
Chrono Phantasma
has an intense level of depth in each character, so this roster was a lot to tackle for fans. The anime-style really started to shine through in this installment too since it had the power of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
The console release featured extra story mode missions and delved deeper into the new characters like Bullet and Kokonoe. The game was widely praised on release for changing the combat mechanics and also cleaning up the UI to be more pleasant to the eye.
Guilty Gear Xrd REV 2 (85)
Guilty Gear
Xrd REVÂ
2
is the latest entry in the franchise before the release of
Strive
.
Guilty Gear
is known for its extremely complex combat and energetic soundtrack.
REV 2
includes new features from the original
Xrd
that made the final product feel more fulfilling than before.
REV 2
might have some of the most complex battle mechanics known to man in fighting games, but it makes up for that by having an amazing tutorial and solid training mode. For players who are willing to learn,
REV 2
rewards every bit of it and makes the experience a lot of fun to play through.
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax (85)
Persona 4 Arena
is a project that fans received very well on release. The game features characters from
Persona 3Â
andÂ
4
. The crossover was one of the defining features, along with the game's gameplay. Combat had simple controls, but complex character mechanics which made for low skill floor, and high skill ceiling.
Ultimax
also includes the "shadow type" feature, which allowed players to use a more skilled version of their normal character. This inclusion was a fun way to help players bridge the gap between veterans and newcomers alike. More fighting games should include options like this to level the playing field in a casual sense.
BlazBlue: Central Fiction (86)
BlazBlue: Central Fiction
is the latest entry in the franchise, and one of the most beloved anime fighters in recent times.
Central Fiction
's gameplay centers around its characters instead of universal mechanics and gimmicks. Because of this approach, each character stands out in their own way, and every player can find the perfect fit for their style.
Some characters focus on mobility and restricting the movement of their opponent, while others rely on strict execution and long combos to get their damage. Not a lot of competitive fighters have this much depth, which makes
Central Fiction
stand out as one of the most ambitious fighters to make, and for fans to play.
Dragon Ball FighterZ (87)
Dragon Ball FighterZ has everything going for it
. Immense and recognizable character roster, easy-to-learn gameplay, hype music, and so much more.
FighterZ
is one of the most successful fighting games ever, and the player base keeps expanding. Fans of
Dragon Ball
 and fighting games all came together in amazement to enjoy
FighterZ
in 2018.
The graphics supported by the Unreal Engine make scenes from
Dragon Ball Z
, which is astounding. Not only that, it's obvious that the developers truly have a love for the series because of the dramatic finishes. Arc System Works didn't have to include them, but having the dramatic finishes really adds to the sense of immersion in the world of
Dragon Ball
.
FigtherZ
look like they're straight out of an episode of