Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- would be the prettiest sprite-based 2D fighter I've played, only those aren't sprites. ARC System Works' tricksy polygon work results in a game that has to be seen running 60 frames per second at 1080p.
What ARC has done with the new installment of Guilty Gear is create intricate cel-shaded polygon models for each of its 14 characters (16 with two DLC fighters), and then limited their movement in battle to simulate 2D sprites. The illusion is pretty spectacular. So much so that I ran out to my local big box electronics store to pick up an Elgato Game Capture HD60 for the sole purpose of showing our readers how pretty it looks.
Make sure you hit the YouTube cogwheel and select 1080p60. If your browser desn't support it, then that's just sad.
Ignoring the fact that my fighting skills are atrocious — I have several days to bone up before the game's official December 16 release — the action is simply gorgeous. And when it kicks into non-limited movement for the insta-kills? Forget about it.
Here's a little more.
I may never master the intricacies of Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-, but I'll never get tired of watching it in motion.
Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- comes out December 16 for the PlayStation 4 and PS3 (with cross-platform online multiplayer). Footage captured from the PS4 version.
Update: Here's one more clip, this time featuring Bedguy, a guy in a bed. I'm just trying to figure him out here. His insta-kill is very odd. Watch.