I never played the original games on the PlayStation platforms, so my choice is only based on Guilty Gear XX (X2, whatever) #Reload, since I didn't play Isuka as well.
I have a really hard time picking a favorite character, as all GG fighters just ooze out style and personality. I'm not overly fond of all the metal/power metal/metalcore/thrash metal references, I've always been more of a punk/alt-rock kind of guy, but, still, you can't stop admiring how far the guys developing the game went in their dedication to their music style, from subtle references in clothing and accessories characters wear, to theme songs and scenario pieces.
The characters I play more often with are Sol Badguy, Ky Kiske, I-No, Slayer, Zappa, Milla Rage, Faust and Anji Mito. I'm aware saying you actually *like* Sol and Ky is a blasphemy in "real fighting game" communities, since they are the "beginner", "training-wheel" characters, much like Street Fighter's Ryu and Ken, but I don't really care, since I don't like to play fighting games online. I have no need to show any kind of superiority to some guy over in the US or in Germany, all I need is to immerse myself in the cool world this game and its characters offer me, playing the missions at my own pace and occasionally having fun playing locally against a friend or two, laughing it off and not taking it "über elite"-seriously.
I like Sol and Ky for both their styles and easy-to-use-and-master approach; I-No for her attitude and blatant nymphomaniac obsession; Slayer for his mature, sophisticated coolness and because I find mastering his moves rewarding; Zappa because the J-Horror obvious homage speaks to me, plus the fact his name is a direct reference to a musician that is NOT a metal related one (Frank Zappa), and, on top of that, one I actually like a lot, and, as with Slayer, mastering his gameplay is difficult at first, but definitely rewarding -- oh, and there's the all mighty Raou, plus the only unblockable Insta-Death move --; Milla Rage because, hey!, gorgeous russian women rock!, and her move set is one I find to be quite well-rounded and good against higher tiered opponents, offering a good balance of speed, power and agility; Faust for his over-the-top presentation and powerful specials, overdrives and just regular moves -- that teleport door move also comes in handy --; and, finally, Anji, since he looks cool to me, moves graciously and actually packs a punch.
This is not to say I don't enjoy other characters, but since I tend to play with these more often, I "chose" them as my favorite ones. It's easier for me to name the ones I don't like that much, given the fact that the ones I dislike are quite few, basically being Testament (I'm definitely not into that goth/emo scene), Potemkin (nice design and a fearful powerhouse of a character, but way too slow for my likings, even with his gold mode dash), Baiken (I like her, but having almost all of her moves guard point based does not appeal to me as a fighting gamer) and Johnny (I'm not into all that "Zorro" thing, he's slow and only has two or three moves worth their while). The rest of the roster is more than fine, from where I'm standing.
I left Justice and Kliff out, because they're unlockable characters, and I must admit I never got to play with either one much, except for some missions, Justice's story mode, the arcade mode once in order to unlock their artwork and the occasional VS. battle.
Sorry for the TL,DR post.
Post edited July 07, 2013 by groze
