May and Axl are up next in Guilty Gear -Strive- Starter Guide #3 & #4

Arc System Works has released the next pair of videos in its Guilty Gear -Strive- Starter Guide series. This time we take a look at the Jellyfish Pirate May and 20th-century gang leader Axl Low.

Johnny’s first mate is another rushdown character that’s simple to use and has powerful moves. Making use of sea creatures in her attacks, May can brutally pressure her opponents, giving them little time to think and react.

Of particular note is Overhead Kiss, which is an inescapable grab that does significant damage and can be followed up with a combo. Be careful how you use it, though, as it’s easy to punish. Another great move is The Wonderful and Dynamic Goshogawara, which not only breaks enemy combos but is also a good option on wakeup.

Next up is time-traveling Axl Low, who is a ranged character with several long and mid-range moves but lacks close-range options. Moves like his Sickle Flash extend all the way across the screen, keeping opponents at bay. This move is also unique because of how it can cancel projectiles and attack at the same time.

Like May, Axl also has a great grab, but in the case of Winter Mantis, he grabs opponents that are far-away and pulls them in. In exchange for its reach and damage, Winter Mantis suffers from a long startup. Don’t forget to use Axl Bomber if characters like May close-in and are piling the pressure.

We’ve got just one more day to wait before the Guilty Gear -Strive- closed beta begins. It’ll run from April 16-19 this weekend on Playstation 4.