An In-Depth Look At A.B.A., Guilty Gear: Strive's Latest Character
Guilty Gear Strive has finally revealed its next character and it's a throwback to Guilty Gear Isuka. A.B.A. is back and so is her massive key-shaped axe, Paracelsus. We speculated that A.B.A. could be returning to the series and now we have confirmation of that. We also got a deep look into how she'll play and what changes were made to her character. So if you're looking to potentially play A.B.A. here's a more in-depth look at her kit.
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What's A.B.A.'s Gameplay Like In Strive?
Like all other DLC characters, A.B.A. received a Starter Guide from the official ArcSys channel. It confirms that she's essentially a stance character that uses a "Jealousy Gauge" to go into an obsessive frenzy called "Jealous Rage". In this mode, A.B.A. moves have different properties and her move speed is greatly increased. You'll know she's in this mode when Paracelsus is covered in black liquid. You can gain Jealousy by blocking moves or executing certain special moves. Much of A.B.A.'s kit will revolve around keeping Jealous Rage up as much as possible.
One of A.B.A.'s foundational moves is "Bonding and Dissolving" which automatically triggers Jealous Rage if it hits. It seems to be great to use as a combo ender or if your opponent on top of you and you can't trigger Rage manually. On top of that, A.B.A. has a command dash (Haul and Heed), a dash kick that turns into an overhead in Jealousy (Intertwine and Tilt) and a dash punch with follow-ups (Menace and Groan). All of these moves give A.B.A. some movement options to get in close to make up for her slow walk speed.
Lastly, many of A.B.A.'s specials give her advantage on block, especially in Jealous Rage. So she's going to be a very aggressive character that's going to try to force players into pressing buttons in the middle of her block strings. In addition to that she's got moves that can absorb attacks and her super move, "The Law Is Key, Key is King", is invincible on start-up. Expect A.B.A. to be a character that's going to shock you with how in your face she can be, even without blinding speed like Chipp or Millia.
Who Is A.B.A.?
Going way back to the Guilty Gear XX lore, A.B.A. is a homunculus. A false life form with an obsession with key-shaped things and a very unsettling attachment to Paracelsus. In previous installments, A.B.A.'s primary motivation was to obtain a new body for Paracelsus so they could live out their days in harmony. However, anyone that gets in her way, or tries to take Paracelsus from her is subject to her jealousy and wrath.
This aspect of her character is played up in Strive. She rambles to Paracelsus, talks to him instead of to her opponents, and completely shifts her personality to protect him. In many ways she's the anti-Elphelt. Where the former is all about romantic love, A.B.A. is the poster child for unhealthy, one-sided adoration.
When does A.B.A. Release?
A.B.A. is just around the corner and releases on March 26th on all platforms. So if she looks like your jam, make sure you have either the Guilty Gear Character Pass Season 3 or buy her on the 26th to get fighting ASAP.
