Guilty Gear Strive Season 4 has officially begun, and to usher in another arc of content Arc System Works has just added newest DLC fighter Dizzy, as well as a large set of balance changes to the game.
While fans are happy to receive new content, it appears as though the early impressions of the Guilty Gear Strive Season 4 balance changes aren’t the best among many in the fighting game community. While a lot of players have taken to social media to share their concerns and dislike for some of the latest changes, Evo 2023 Strive champion and Evo 2024 top 8 placer Leffen’s voice carries a whole lot of weight among them, and right now it appears he is very unhappy with Guilty Gear Strive Season 4.
The latest big batch of Guilty Gear Strive patch notes kicks off with some quick details on what ArcSys aimed for with the ver. 4.00 update. It reads as follows:
“This update focuses on adjustments to individual characters, rather than universal mechanics. We’ve focused on re-evaluating the core concepts and strengths and weaknesses for each character, adding new aspects and ways to play in line with that for all of them.
“Many characters have received significant changes to their tactics and controls, meaning players will have to go back and practice to re-learn some things. However, we hope that this new version of the game will be fun for everyone.”
Every character on the playable Strive roster received balance changes here with the Season 4 update. Leffen took to Twitter to share his findings so far, and after spending some time with the new patch had some not so good things to say about it.
Firstly, Leffen makes note of what particular balance changes stand out the most right now as problematic.
“Ramlethal somehow buffed, Nagoriyuki has kara bite, May buffed, etc.” Leffen began. “Harder chars giga nerfed. Zato/Faust barely buffed.
ArcSys really f****** don’t like people who play hard chars and do well don’t they.”
He elaborates further on Ramlethal’s newfound strength saying she is “god now.”
These ram changes are legit a joke.
She is god now lmfaoooooo who tested this— TSM Leffen (@TSM_Leffen) October 31, 2024
Overall, it looks as though the top level Guilty Gear Strive competitor really dislikes this new update going so far as to say that the Season 4 patch is “horrible” and that Arc System Works has ruined their game.
Ok after more time with the strive changes:
This is unfortunately maybe the worst patch the game has ever had. Full on kusoge all across and most importantly these Ram balance changes are a COMPLETE joke.
1.0 sol level, or worse.
sad they keep releasing such unfinished patches.— TSM Leffen (@TSM_Leffen) October 31, 2024
I labbed the new Strive patch on the flight, gave it 5 hours or so.
To release this horrible, buggy patch, after Season 4 was already delayed so much. Still no word on the other specials.
I just feel sad. Strive is clearly an afterthought to arcsys. It feels like time to move on— TSM Leffen (@TSM_Leffen) November 1, 2024
I loved DBFZ and it changed my life. Then they stopped caring and now I dont even like looking at the game.
I feel the exact same thing for Strive. Why do they ruin their games like this?— TSM Leffen (@TSM_Leffen) November 1, 2024
In america, streaming the new guilty gear patch
trying dizzy and talking about how s4 patch is the worst yethttps://t.co/8NOSC7r3wT— TSM Leffen (@TSM_Leffen) November 1, 2024
What do you think of the new Guilty Gear Strive Season 4 balance changes? Do you agree with Leffen here? Let us know in the comments below.