Fantasy Strike Gameplay Video
Fantasy Strike is a 2D fighter with a simplified button layout and a deep strategic metagame that does a great job of combining easy controls with a complex combat experience. There are ten characters to choose from, each with their own steep learning curve and nuances.
Check out our video below to watch us play as Valerie, a manic painter who wields a rainbow paintbrush as her weapon of choice.
In Fantasy Strike, fighters have between five and eight hit points rather than a single massive health bar. It takes at least two good hits to erase a single point at once, unless you can pull off a devastating combo. Between the beatings received and the mysterious move sets, the game comes with a most curious difficulty curve. The controls are simple, but this leaves more room for punishing gameplay and essential strategy, and you have no choice but to master them or be annihilated at every turn.
As we said in our review: “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.”
What do you think of the different Fantasy Strike characters? Let us know in the comments below!
