Arc System Works has been slowly revealing the playable cast for the upcoming Guilty Gear Strive. Last weekend’s installment of the annual—and aptly-named—Frosty Faustings tournament series hosted to a brand new trailer for Faust, a longstanding figure in the Guilty Gear franchise who’s returning in Strive with an updated look and a penchant for devouring his opponents.
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Since appearing in the very first Guilty Gear as Dr. Baldhead before undergoing a name change in subsequent iterations, the enigmatic Faust has become a mainstay of the series cast, bringing a bit of creepy, slapstick humor to a franchise known mostly for its heavy metal aesthetic. In the 22 years since his debut, Faust’s arsenal has included a comically oversized scalpel, mini versions of himself, cartoon-y bombs, phase-shifting doorways, and even powerful butt pokes, but in Strive, the developers have leaned slightly into the more macabre aspects of his design.
If there’s one thing you can expect from the fighting game community, it’s jokes, and fans were quick to latch onto Faust’s new look with some great social media musings.
Faust’s gaunt form and medical scrubs may enhance the creep factor, but folks were quick to point out that he also sports a brand new pair of kicks that actually resemble real word footwear.
The most attention, however, was paid to Faust’s new ability: swallowing opponents whole. This invited comparisons to a fetish known as “vore,” and fighting game fans were tickled by what they saw as a representation of this niche sexual predilection.
I have to imagine that designing a fighting game character is hard, especially if they’re returning as part of a long-running franchise. Iteration is key to making new installments feel fresh, but you also can’t make someone like Ryu too different without alienating folks who have been playing him for decades. Faust’s revamp in Guilty Gear Strive walks that tightrope perfectly, giving a classic character some fun renovations while maintaining the aspects of his design that have endeared him to the fighting game community thus far.
Just, maybe keep safe search on while hunting down Faust fan art for a little while.
