That’s the original Starla
[This article contains story spoilers for Guilty Gear Strive.]
It was a fine surprise for Guilty Gear Strive fans at this weekend’s Evo 2022 tournament when Arc System Works not only revealed that returning superstar Bridget would be the first DLC character of the flashy fighter’s second season, but also announced that they would be available in less than 24 hours! The developer has released a new entry to its “Starter Guide” series, which hopes to get you walking the dog in no time at all.
Bridget’s appearance in Guilty Gear Strive is a particularly notable one, as it sees the complicated and androgynous character finally “hatch,” accepting themselves and their identity for the first time in series history. Offered a (somewhat bizarre) pairing with government agent and all-around conspiracy nut Goldlewis Dickinson, Bridget initially finds herself at a crossroads in her life, before ultimately declaring with great happiness that they are a girl at the climax of their arcade mode. Good for her.
Bridget might be sporting a rad new look, but her barely-controlled yo-yo skills remain the backbone of her fighting ability. Rocking the spinner harder than Treat Williams in The Substitute 2, (there’s a reference for nobody), Bridget is such a threat from any distance, able to flick out her weapon at range, or use her diminutive stature to quickly close down the distance on her opponent in the blink of an eye.
If that wasn’t enough, Bridget can set up her yo-yo as an on-screen trap, offering well-practiced players the opportunity to extend their combos and add juggles to their strings. The yo-yo setup can be recalled at any point, which offers an additional point of concern for the opponent, and can be used to both distract and interrupt their game plan — for newcomers, think Menat’s orb in Street Fighter V.
A combination of forward planning and spatial awareness, Bridget looks to be something of a challenging character to learn, albeit one that will offer a ton of reward once her core mechanics are understood. By combining her send & return yo-yo abilities with her speedy nature, a good Bridget will leave her opponents in a state of distraction, and unable to get their “flow” started. Goddamn. I can’t even do “around the world” without smashing in my own orbital socket.
Bridget is available to purchase now in Guilty Gear Strive as part of the Season 2 pass. As a quick refresher, here are the links to the previous Guilty Gear Strive starter guides for May & Axl Low, Sol Badguy and Ky Kiske, Chip Zanuff & Potemkin, Faust, Millia Rage, Zato-1, Ramlethal, Leo Whitefang, Nagoriyuki, Giovanna, Anji Mito, I-no, Goldlewis Dickinson, Jack-O Valentine, Happy Chaos, and Testament.
