Controls
This game was made for the Xbox 360, and the PC port reflects this with an inability to rebind. Controls will be referred to as if they were on an Xbox controller.
Despite how wildly different this game is compared to other entries in the Guilty Gear series, Numpad Notation is still used. Unlike normal, however, you are always at your character's back, so inputs will always be the same unless some scenario has caused your character and camera to disalign. 8 means to move forward, and 2 is to move backwards. 4 and 6 are to the left and right respectively.
7 
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8 
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9 
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4 
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5 
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6 
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1 
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2 
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3 
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LT (Hold) - Known as Free-Lock, This locks the Camera in the direction you are facing with no particular target. Useful of manually aiming attacks you would otherwise need to be locked onto a target to do. Also a key part of many of Guilty Gear 2's advanced techniques.
LB - Select Item (Left)
RT (Hold) - Lock-On
RB - Select Item (Right)
Left Stick - Move
L3 - Dash (while Locked On or Strafing), Blast Drive, Modern Cancel
Right Stick - Rotate Camera, Change Target (while locked on)
R3 - Burst
Y - Special
X - Attack
A - Step, Jump, Air Dash, Tech (when stunned)
B - Interact/Use
X+A - Overdrive
D-Pad
The D-pad is not used for movement but rather to give orders to Servants located around your local area.
(D-Pad) - Order to Push
(D-Pad) - Order to Hold
(D-Pad) - Order to Retreat
(D-Pad) - Organ
Movement
Hold any direction to jog.
- While Locked-On or Strafing, you walk.
Tap A to jump, and tap A again while in the air to air-dash.
- Distance covered is set, and airdashing will kill all momentum when it starts.
While Locked-On or Strafing, holding a direction and tapping A will make you step.
- Stepping is important to combos. While Locked-On or Strafing, you can only jump by 5A.
Use L3 to activate Blast Drive, an insanely fast sprint. If you impact a wall, you'll be knocked down but can tech before hitting the ground.
- 4A or 6A to drift, 2A to brake. 5A will cause you to jump, and carry momentum from the Blast Drive.
Offense
Lock on vs. Lock off
You almost never need to use Lock Off attacks as they do less damage than lock on attacks. The few exceptions are usually juggles in combos.If you have to use a lock off attack in a combo it will be represented in notation by a Capital 'F' before the inputs. For example "Lock-Off Forward Attack" is represented as "F8X".
Free-Lock vs Lock-On
Holding LT by default will enter Free-Lock mode which centers the character and camera in the same direction and gives access to all your lock on moves. This is useful for some combo, pressure, and positioning in general.
Strings/Attacks
There are not Gatling The special category of cancels that describe how each character can cancel normals into other normals and specials.s in Guilty Gear 2, but instead, characters use Strings similar to Tekken or Devil May Cry. All characters have different attacks based on which of 4-directions or no direction was pressed while in lock on.
As well, since guarding requires the opponent to face the attack; there are many ways to get past an opponents guard by hitting them in the back. Guard Break Sequences and Unblockables are also common ways of opening people up. These methods exist in place of traditional high/low mix ups.
An example combo from Sol, in order to demonstrate combo structure.
- 5XXX > 8Y (Bandit Revolver)
Down Attacks
Various attacks will either knockdown the opponent or they won't. Knockdown duration also depend on the move used, The item 'banana' for example are a universal way to access a Knockdown which lasts for a few seconds. These attacks are called Down Attacks. This is how characters guarantee a follow-up attack (OTG The act of hitting the opponent when they are knocked down. Short for "off the ground" or "on the ground.") or isolate their opponent from surrounding enemies.
Special Moves
8Y, 4Y/6Y, 2Y, 5Y, and j.5Y are all character's Specials.
- 5Y can be done from Lock-Off
Overdrives
At max Tension, every character has access to an Overdrive by inputting X+A.
Defense
Guarding
You Guard attacks by facing the direction they're coming from while not performing any other action (walking is fine). While guarding, the color of your Guard determines how much damage it's sustaining. If your Guard becomes a deep red with lightning-like effects, it's only one or two hits away from breaking. When your guard breaks, the opponent's attack lands as intended, and the next time you guard, your guard will be refilled.
- If your guard flashes blue, an attack is doing minimal to no damage.
- If it flashes yellow, it's doing meaningful guard damage.
- If it flashes red, this attack is doing gigantic guard damage.
- Be wary that some attacks instantly guard break. Sol's F8X is one example.
Guard Cancel
After successfully blocking an attack, you can attack, step, or jump. It is not recommended to sidestep unless you know what attack your opponent is going to do next, as sidestepping will leave you vulnerable to eating a full combo every time without guaranteeing your own escape. Knowing when to properly Guard Cancel is the key to escaping a Guard Break.
Cyclone Blast
By spending ~35% of your Tension, you can use Cyclone Blast on R3, which functions similarly to Burst throughout the rest of the series. It has much more wind-up than a normal Burst would, but knocks back everybody in an area rather than one opponent. You can Counter Burst by inputting your own Burst, which can go back and forth until both players are out of Tension. As well, on hit, the Burst can be Modern Cancelled.
Misc. Mechanics
Modern Cancel
By using L3 when an attack hits or is blocked, you can cancel the action you were performing and act immediately, making this basically a Roman CancelBy spending Tension, you can cancel whatever action you were performing or recovering from, opening up the opponent for follow-ups that would not have previously worked. from the rest of the Guilty Gear Series. However, you cannot Modern Cancel on whiff. If you want to Modern Cancel for neutral rather than combos and pressure, then making sure a whiffed attack hits a Ghost which you can then Modern Cancel. Modern Cancel costs about 20% Tension, but you can gain Tension back in combos.
Taunt
As always, Taunt rescinds its role. Bound to the Back button, it serves no purpose aside from the one assigned to it.
Organ
The core mechanic of Guilty Gear 2, the Organ Menu is how you command your army and take control of the battle.
From the moment you open the Organ, you can group together, disperse, and coordinate your summoned Servants. You can open a sub-menu in the Organ to Unlock & Summon Servants as well as Buy or Sell Items & Skills.
