Guilty gear XX #Reload
| Set Difficulty | 10 |
| Approximate time to master | between 60 ~ 200 hours |
| Minimum numbers of playthroughs needed | 100+ |
| Number of missable achievements | 0 |
| Does difficulty affect achievements? | Yes |
| Hardest achievement of the set | Mission Complete (25) |
Note
English isn't my native language, so I used AI to polish sections that felt awkward or to correct spelling and grammar mistakes.
First, it's important to remember that this is a fighting game. You can't grind levels, farm better equipment, or whatever to carry you. Success depends entirely on learning character movesets, understanding game mechanics, developing match knowledge, and taking advantage of opportunities when they appear.
And for that, this is a very difficult completion, but not because of any achievement specific gimmicks. The achievements themselves are straightforward, the challenge comes from mastering the game. For players with little or no fighting game experience, the learning curve can be overwhelming.
As for the time required, experienced fighting game players or veterans of the Guilty Gear series could potentially master the game in under 60 hours...Players with some fighting game background should expect somewhere between 100 and 200 hours, while newcomers will likely need 200 hours or more.
The game features 23 playable characters, and you'll need to complete Arcade Mode with all of them. On top of that, each character has three Story Mode routes, and if that's not enough you have Survival Mode and M.O.M. Mode. Altogether, this results in well over 100 playthroughs.
Fortunately, there are no missable achievements. Most of the game can be completed on the default difficulty, but some challenges require facing the AI on its highest difficulty setting.(Maniac)
The hardest achievement, in my opinion, is the Mission Mode completion. While modes like Survival and M.O.M. allow you to rely on your strongest character, mission mode requires proficiency with multiple characters and a good understanding of the game's mechanics, making it a very demanding challenge in the set.
When you first launch the game, you'll be asked to choose between 50 Hz and 60 Hz.
| 60 Hz | Runs at the intended speed and provides the smoothest gameplay experience. |
| 50 Hz | Slows the game down, making reactions and execution easier. This can be useful if you're struggling with the game. |
Tip: My first playthrough was done at 50 Hz because the slower game speed made the execution significant easier for me.
Before starting, take a moment to configure your controls in the Options menu.
I recommend assigning shortcuts for:
- PKS
- PKSH
These macros will make your life easier.
| Keyboard | PlayStation | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Space | — | Up |
| A | — | Left |
| S | — | Down |
| D | — | Right |
| U | Square | Punch (P) |
| J | X | Kick (K) |
| I | Triangle | Slash (S) |
| K | Circle | Heavy Slash (H) |
| O | L1 | Dust (D) |
| P | L2 | Respect |
| L | R1 | PKS Macro |
| Ç | R2 | PKSH Macro |
This is only my personal setup since I play fighting games on a keyboard. Feel free to use whatever layout is most comfortable for you.
Throughout this guide, I'll use some standard fighting game notation.
ub u uf
b n f
db d df
| Notation | Input |
|---|---|
| QCF (d,df,f) | ↓ ↘ → |
| QCB (d,db,b) | ↓ ↙ ← |
| HCF (b,db,d,df,f) | ← ↙ ↓ ↘ → |
| HCB (f,df,d,db,b) | → ↘ ↓ ↙ ← |
| DP (f,d,df) | → ↓ ↘ |
| RDP (b,d,db) | ← ↓ ↙ |
Whenever I use a fighting game term without explaining it, you can look it up in the Fighting Game Glossary:
https://glossary.infil.net/?g=GG
If I forgot to explain something in this guide, there's a good chance you'll find it there.
Let us start with story mode. This is a good opportunity to familiarize yourself with the roster while getting the progression cheevos.
Important
For every character in the roster (with the exception of Kliff and Robo-Ky), you'll need to complete a series of fights and meet specific requirements to unlock each of their 3 story paths. Also, some characters paths are locked behind other characters, for example, to unlock Zappa's third path, you'll first need to complete specific paths for Sol and Ky.
With that in mind, I strongly recommend checking out the following guide:
It contains everything you need, including detailed flowcharts for every character and the requirements for each path.
Now to what I can do for you. Here's an optimized character order that minimizes backtracking and character switching. Complete the three paths for a character before moving on to the next one in the sequence below:
Anji → May → Potemkin → Bridget → Dizzy → Sol → Ky → Chipp → Johnny → I-No → Eddie → Testament → Millia → Venom → Faust → Zappa → Baiken → Axl → Jam → Slayer
If you follow this order all prerequisite paths are unlocked when needed, allowing you to complete story mode with little to no confusion and no unnecessary revisits.
After you complete all story paths, Justice will become available and all you have to do is complete her story path and rejoice, because you just got the Lore Explorer (25)
Warning
If you care about beating the game in a time below the median, you should skip ahead the next section.
After a long walk in the park with Story Mode, it's time for some specific battles. I probably wasted around 80 hours here, mostly because I tried to figure everything out on my own and because I didn't know that the first 50 missions from Guilty Gear XX are the same as the last 50 missions in Guilty Gear XX #Reload.
Anyway...
I've put a brief description of what you should expect or do in each set of missions and also for each achievement I made a video so that you can always have some visual help.
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Complete 25 of the missions in Mission Mode. 🎥 Video Guide: Missions 1–25 |
- Spam f+H or any combo that you like.
- Spam qcf+H.
- Spam hcb, f+H.
- Spam your best combo.
- Spam hcb, f+H.
- Use her IK (Instant Kill).
- Spam your best combo.
- Spam your best combo.
- Check Mission 76 for an easy combo.
- Spam your best combo.
- Spam your best combo.
- qcb, hcf+S into dp+H will do the trick.
- Spam your best combo.
- Use any combo, fill your Tension Gauge, and finish with hcb, f+H.
- Level up Mist Finer to Level 3 by hitting two coins with qcf+H, then finish with a low Mist Finer (qcf+S).
- Two qcf, hcb+H supers will kill him.
- Get close and do d+H into qcf, qcf+S.
- Use the worst IK in the game.
- This is a good opportunity to learn an important combo that we'll use later: qcb+P > dash > H > land > f+H.
- Use this basic combo: close S > S > d+H > qcf+H. After knocking the opponent down, use qcb+H to cover your approach while you rush in and repeat the combo.
- Use her IK.
- This is a Time Up mission. Keep Robo-Ky away by using your fireballs, super jumping, and dashing away. You can also play aggressively if you want, just remember to save your tension for Faultless Defense (block with 2 attack buttons pressed).
- Use any combo you like; this mission is just a regular fight.
- Practice this combo with May: run > K > S > d+H > [d], u+H. The down charge is already charged during d+H, so simply press u+H immediately afterward. Be quick or the final hit won't connect.
- The most reliable Justice combo: f+P > S > S > H > hcf+H.
 |
Complete 50 of the missions in Mission mode. Video Guide: Missions 26–50 |
- Just rush him and use any combo you like, but I recommend this one: run > f+P > S (1 hit) > S > d+S > d+D.
- Rush in and use any combo you like, suggestion: S > S > H > qcb+S.
- Once again, rush in and use any combo you like.
- I suggest spamming (qcb+S or SSSSS) to build both your tension gauge and Potemkin guard gauge. Then, use your overdrive either to keep him away (qcf, qcf+S) or to deal damage (qcb, hcf+H).
- Another annoying Time Up mission. Fortunately, you have infinite tension, so keep spamming either of your overdrives to keep I-No away. Don't forget to use Faultless Defense.
- Just rush Zappa and combo him until he goes down.
- Chipp's f+H is the best tool to spam. You can also use f+P > S > f+P > S.
- Rush in and use any Jam combo.
- Throw a few coins to level up Mist Finer to Level 3 and you'll be fine.
- Remember that you recover health, so don't be afraid to take some damage. Just keep comboing him until he dies.
- Despite the poison being annoying, Faust can only damage you with specials and overdrives. Fill your tension and spam a few overdrives to finish him off.
- Keep comboing her with S > S > H > qcf+K or qcf, qcf+S if you have tension.
- Do this combo twice: f+H > qcb+P, P.
- Use his IK.
- Treat this like a normal fight: land a few combos and use your overdrives.
- Use his IK.
- First, knockdown. Then use qcb+H to cover yourself, rush in and do S > S > d+H > qcf+H.
- This is basically a normal fight. I recommend using f+H and qcf+K.
- Spam hcb, f+H until she dies.
- Treat this like a normal fight and use your best combos.
- Be prepared to block low. You constantly recover health and do the Missiray lol (spam f+H).
(Reference: https://youtu.be/kZZBs0m5wok?t=160) - Practice this combo: run > close S > S > H > qcf+S > H > repeat.
- I-No heals over time, so you need to keep the pressure. Rush her down, perform a combo and use your qcf, qcf+S.
- This is just a normal fight with Jam.
- Another Time Up mission, but this time you have infinite tension as Kliff. Pick an overdrive and spam it. You can literally keep Robo-Ky bouncing off the wall with qcf, qcf+S.
 |
Complete 75 of the missions in Mission mode. Video Guide: Missions 51–75 |
- Just like a normal fight, use your best Sol combo.
- I like using hcb, f+H in this fight because I can't do a single Jam combo properly... so build Tension and spam her overdrive.
- Spam d+H until he dies.
- No Eddie(minion) for you, only Zato. Try to use some simple combos and spam f+H. Keep the pressure on because Venom heals.
- Your only problem here is time, but you have infinite tension, so keep spamming your overdrives.
- Focus on not getting hit. You only need two Dead Angles to win (while blocking, press f + any two attack buttons).
- In the video I got lucky and juggled I-No into oblivion, but all you really need to do is spam overdrives while Roman Canceling (RC) into another overdrive.
- Use her IK.
- Use his IK.
- She heals, so keep the pressure on and use combos that lead to a knockdown.
- Once again, Chipp's f+H is a very strong tool.
- You should probably use your command grab to make this easier, but I prefer to just rush him down and kill him.
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Time Up mission... and a very obnoxious one. My main strategy is:
- Start by knocking her down.
- Use qcf, qcf+P.
- You're looking for the mini Faust item, since it can keep Dizzy "locked".
- Keep spamming your overdrive, and pay attention to the items Faust throws, because you can get food to recover health.
- Whenever you feel threatened, use Faultless Defense, knock her down again, and create some distance.
- My best combo here is S > d+D.
- Another obnoxious Time Up mission...
- I like using the triplets here, because you can use qcf+S to protect yourself from projectiles when you're far away.
- Zappa can also run underneath the projectiles and his f+P has invincibility in the first frames.
- My strategy is to rush Venom, knock him down, attach a ghost, then run for my life while using qcf+S to protect myself.
- Also, the ghost will randomly throw stuff while attached to the CPU.
- Without Tension: spam qcf+K. With Tension: use qcf, qcf+S.
- Spam hcb, f+H.
- Four qcb, hcf+H overdrives will win the fight.
- You only need to damage Testament during the final second. A simple combo like S > S > H > qcf+H is enough. Just try not to get poisoned...
- Whenever you're far away, the AI will usually jump toward you, abuse this behavior. Four qcf, qcf+S overdrives will kill him.
- Millia is annoying...remember to block low and just pummel her with any combo that leads to a knockdown. If you can poison her, it'll help a lot.
- Run > K > S > S > d+H until Baiken dies.
- Lead him into the corner, knock him down, use qcf+H to start the combo, follow up with two qcf, qcf+P overdrives, and finish with anything.
- This can be difficult, but it's just another Sol rushdown fight... good luck.
- The idea here is to chain her specials together. You can try qcf+S, K > qcf+K > dp+K.
 |
Complete all 100 of the missions in Mission mode. Video Guide: Missions 76–100 |
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There's a neat trick with Baiken. You can perform a normal qcf, qcf+S, then immediately input qcf, qcf+PKS (bind any button to PKS). If you do it right after the second hit of the overdrive, you'll chain one overdrive directly into another.
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The only button you need with Axl is d+H.
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Use his IK.
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Use hcb, f+H and finish with any air combo you can perform. Repeat this four times.
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This is an annoying mission because you need to keep Kliff poisoned for the entire fight. You can poison him with hcb, f+H and qcb+K. Try using qcb+S and qcb+H traps to keep him away.
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Slayer spends most of the match blocking, and whenever he hits you, he recovers health based on the damage dealt. Rush him down and don't let him do anything except block. Somehow qcf+S works a lot on him either as a combo finisher or in neutral.
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Your main priority is building t ension. First, knock him down with df+K, then start using May's combo: K > S > d+HS > [d], u+H. Whenever you have enough Tension, use K > S > hcb, f+H.
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Just repeat her basic combo over and over: S > S > H > (d+H or d+D).
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This is the hardest mission, at least for me. The main idea is that Anji's guard gauge must stay high during your combos, otherwise you won't deal enough damage.
Main Combo: run > S > f+P (1 hit) > S+H > qcf+S > qcf+S > RC > repeat
You can keep looping this combo as long as you time your RC correctly and have enough tension.
I don't like to spend all of my tension on the first opportunity, nor do I wait for the Guard Gauge to reach its maximum. I prefer saving resources so I can combo Anji while he's stunned. That lets me safely use a Gold Burst after finishing a combo.
Another important tool is f+H:
- If it hits, it becomes a great combo starter.
- If it's blocked, it builds a lot of guard gauge.
Check the video, do your best, and good luck.
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Millia is incredibly fast, but I think you can beat this mission by using any combo that ends with dp+H.
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Your best option here is qcb+S (SSSSS). It builds a lot of Tension while dealing solid damage. Whenever you feel threatened, use an overdrive.
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Same strategy as Mission 82, except your special moves won't deal damage.
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You can only damage her with special moves. I only use Ky's combo for fun.
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Use his IK.
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Gold Sol is a beast. Stay calm and knock him down whenever possible with qcf+S. Interrupt his rush with any combo whenever he runs toward you. If you see him using dp+S or dp+H, just block and wait, he'll perform it three times in a row. Keep your distance, use Faultless Defense, and play patiently.
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Spam hcf+S, but always start with hcf+H first.
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You only need two overdrives to win. Focus on building Tension first with a few combos, or just spam qcb+P and qcb+K like crazy.
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Axl + d+H = victory :D
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Zappa can't complete this mission without the ghosts, so the first thing you need to do is get hit until you summon either the Sword or the Triplets. After that, land a Dust attack, jump, and mash P > P > P > P > P > P > P > P > P > Jump Cancel > P > P > P > P.
You can't do this with the Dog. :(
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I love this mission, but it's also the second hardest in the game. Fortunately for you, I suffered enough here so you don't have to.
First, try to fill May guard gauge. If you can max it out, you can finish the mission with a single combo.
There are two combos that I like to use. One is unreliable, while the other is guaranteed but harder to set up because of its prerequisites.
1. Unreliable combo
- Get Mist Finer to Level 3.
- Wait for May to run toward you.
- Use qcf+P.
- Wait for her to fall.
- Finish with f+H > hcb, f+H.
This combo is unreliable because May can recover between qcf+P and f+H.
2. Guaranteed combo
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Get Mist Finer to Level 2.
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Build May's Guard Gauge to the maximum.
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Perform:
f+K > S > f+K > K > S > qcf+P > f+H > hcb, f+H
She can't recover because of the counter hit at the beginning, and a Level 2 Mist Finer gives the proper launch. If her Guard Gauge is full, this combo will kill her.
In the video, you'll see me using the first method. I even messed up my first combo, but I still managed to finish the mission without worrying about the guard gauge. At the end of the video, I also included a demonstration of the guaranteed combo in training Mode because by then I was completely done with this mission.
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Finally, an easy one. Rush Faust down, use a few combos, and spend your overdrives whenever you can.
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The strategy here is to dash away, then use qcb+P > dash > j+H > land > f+H > dash away > qcb+P, and repeat.
The farther away you are, the more hits qcb+P will land. After dashing back in, position yourself just slightly past Axl. This makes him crouch, allowing your attack to connect properly.
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I like using this simple combo here: rush > f+P > S > S > d+S > d+D. If he blocks it, just use an overdrive to keep yourself safe.
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Trust the combo: get a knockdown, then rush > S > H > qcf+S > H > repeat.
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Once again, trust the combo. Knock him down, place qcf+H on top of him, then perform a simple combo that ends with qcf+K. Pay attention to your spacing, you don't want to be too close or too far away, otherwise qcf+K won't connect.
And that's it folks! It's not too detailed, but i think that with the videos as a visual reference and some of the tips here you guys can manage to finish this mode.
Warning
For the Beaten Game Credit achievement, simply pick your best character, leave the game on the default settings, and complete Arcade Mode.
Arcade Mode contains a lot of achievements, but most of them follow the same pattern: complete arcade mode as character X.
To save yourself some time, go to options before starting and leave every setting in default except difficulty, which should be set to maniac.
By doing this, every arcade completion will unlock two achievements instead of just one. Like this:
| Achievement | Description |
|---|---|
| Complete Arcade mode as Kliff. [No Gold/Shadow character, Default settings] | |
| Complete Arcade mode as Kliff on Maniac difficulty. [No Gold/Shadow character, Otherwise default settings] |
Tip
It is possible to earn six cheevos in a single run.
To do this:
- Set the difficulty to maniac.
- Start SP arcade mode by holding L1 while selecting Arcade Mode.
- Complete the run without using any continues.
If you succeed, you'll unlock:
- The two character specific arcade achievements.
- Both Gold Experience achievements.
- Both One Shot achievements.
| Achievement | Description |
|---|---|
| Complete SP Arcade mode. [No Gold/Shadow character, Default settings] | |
| Complete SP Arcade mode on Maniac difficulty. [No Gold/Shadow character, Otherwise default settings] | |
| Complete Arcade mode without losing a match or activating the second player. [No Gold/Shadow character, Default settings] | |
| Complete Arcade mode without losing a match or activating the second player on Maniac difficulty. [No Gold/Shadow character, Otherwise default settings] |
It's kinda insane to do that, but it is possible...so go ahead and check about the gold matches in the survival section of this guide, each character is covered there.
There are also a few arcade achievements that it's covered in the miscellaneous section. Here I just want you to focus on the character specifics ones.
Ok, so first things first. The character that we will be using in this guide will be Justice. She has a nice kit and can gain levels pretty easy in the survival mode. Shoutouts to EzekialJeans I actually started to play with Justice cause of his comments on the game page lol
Despite the usage of Justice to write this guide, I feel that you can do the survival and the M.o.M mode with any character. Because the AI is quite "dumb" in this game, if you manage to get a knock down, you can just keep the pressure going and its even better if you have some special move that helps you to be safe after a blocked combo.
In my first attempts I used Ky and Kliff and went quite far...but because justice get levels quite easily I switched to her.
This game rewards aggressive play. For example, if you dash towards the CPU you gain tension.
The hardest part of the game is learning every character pattern. If you don't want to spend hours memorizing matchups, the best strategy is to never let the CPU play. Keep the pressure on with blockstrings or constantly knock the CPU down.
The base strategy is simple: rushdown.
You always want to be in the CPU face, forcing them to block or wake up into your attack.
To do that, you first need a knockdown.
The easiest ways are:
- d+D
- hcf+H
- hcb,f+H (If you're far and in neutral)
Once you've knocked the CPU, immediately rush in and perform a meaty attack as the CPU wakes up, converting it into a combo.
You can use whichever combo you prefer, as long as it ends with another knockdown.
f+P
Your best combo starter because of its invincibility during the first few frames.
close S
My preferred combo starter when going for max damage.
The timing can be a little awkward, though. If you're having trouble landing it consistently, just stick with f+P.
far S
Nice range, long active frames and multiple hits.
This is a very safe button that works well:
- at round start
- as a combo starter
- during combos
Whenever you want to play a safer game, this is usually the button to press, since you can hit it from afar.
f+H
Excellent range and can be jump canceled, making it one of Justice's strongest combo starters.
I mostly use it after:
- a knockdown, as a meaty.
- a throw, for a combo.
- a counter hit from michael blade, for a combo.
d+D
Great range and causes a knockdown. This is a good combo finisher, especially when you want to stay close to the CPU. A good example is when you play against Gold Dizzy or Venom.
hcf+H or Michael sword
Nice to use in both neutral and after a blocked combo. For example, against I-No you can interrupt her dash special(hcf+S/H), which normally goes under your attacks.
I mostly use it as a combo finisher. Also, keep in mind that it creates some distance after connecting or being blocked. Against Gold Johnny, this is actually a good thing since you usually want to stay as far away from him as possible.
RDP+S/H
This is Justice projectile, you do a reverse dp, meaning b,d,db.
I don't use it very often, but it can help to cover your rush or give you enough breathing room to reset when things get dangerous.
f, hcf+S or Imperial ray
This is your primary tool for leveling up in survival mode.
You can basically rush and do it raw and the CPU is probably going to take it. But even if it's blocked, it still deals a lot of chip damage while maxing the CPU guard gauge.
hcb, f+H or Michael blade
This is the other overdrive that will make the difference in your gameplay. Its main purpose is to punish the CPU after they block your pressure string. After a blocked combo you'll usually create some space, which create this opportunity to throw this out and continue your offense.
Wait a brief moment before using it. If the CPU super jumps immediately, you might miss completely. If they're still close enough to block it, they can punish you.
It also works as a combo extender and if it lands as a counter hit, you can convert into Justice's highest damage combo.
b, f, b, hcb+H
Costs 100% Tension.
Honestly, this overdrive doesn't have many practical uses.
The only time I ever use it is against Gold Potemkin. Instead of using Imperial Ray like usual, you can safely chip him from a distance with this overdrive.
f+P (2 hits) > S > S (4 hits) > d+D
A very simple combo with no specials.
Variations
f+P > S > S > d+D (Keep you closer to the CPU)
f+P > S > S > d+D > hcf+H
f+P > S > S > H > hcf+H (A safer finisher to keep you away from the CPU)
f+P (2 hits) > f, hcf+S
This is the easiest and most reliable way to gain levels in Survival Mode.
The first hit of f+P gives you enough time to confirm.
- If the CPU blocks, switch to another combo.
- If it connects, cancel into the overdrive for free levels.
far S > d+D > hcf+H
Good damage while keeping a safe distance from the opponent.
f+H (2 hits) > jump > P > K > S (2 hits) > jump cancel > P > S (2 hits) > jump cancel > P > S > H
The combo itself isn't difficult, the real challenge is getting the starter.
Some reliable ways to land it are:
- after a knockdown, with f+H as a meaty and close to the CPU.
- after a throw (watch out for spacing)
- after a close counter hit from hcb, f+H
You can have some variations here, for example you can hit the Michael blade from a distance, do a little dash, hit the f+H and then IAD(instant air dash) to do a combo...
f, hcf+S > f, hcf+S
You must be close for that and the second overdrive should be input immediately after the first ray finishes.
If you don't have 100% Tension, you can instead continue with any combo, as long as the CPU is in the corner.
hcb, f+H > hcb, f+H
This is the fastest way to dizzy the CPU. And you should be looking to do that if you're playing against the Gold versions.
Variations
- If the first blade was a counter hit and the CPU still have the guard gauge blinking, go for the second blade and rush to finish with the f+P. This will dizzy a lot of characters.
- If the first blade is a counter hit, but the guard gauge is not blinking after that hit, just transition into the air combo for a lot of damage.
- If you need Survival levels, use:
hcb, f+H > f, hcf+S (You must be close.)
- If the opponent is at mid-range, finish with:
far S > hcf+H
Justice has a lot more routes than the ones listed here, but I intentionally focused on practical combos that don't rely on advanced mechanics like Roman Cancel or Instant Air Dashes.
These are more than enough to comfortably clear both M.O.M. Mode and Survival Mode with Justice.
M.O.M. Mode is basically a survival mode where you fight through the entire roster, with the exception of Kliff and Justice.
After defeating the first 20 opponents, you'll face I-No.
My only advice is: don't get greedy.
Sometimes it's tempting to keep attacking because the CPU might drop food, but advancing to the next fight is usually the better option. From my experience, the CPU tends to drop food if you land the first hit of the match (although, that may be just good luck on my part).
Now, for the actual cheevos, I recommend playing SP M.O.M. Mode(hold L1 while selecting the mode).
There are two reasons for this:
- You can unlock every M.O.M. Mode achievement in a single playthrough.
- You get to practice against the Gold characters, which you'll eventually have to fight in Survival Mode.
| Achievement | Description |
|---|---|
| Reach the max medal meter level in M.O.M. Mode. [No Gold/Shadow character, Default settings] | |
| Complete M.O.M. Mode. [No Gold/Shadow character, Default settings] | |
| Complete SP M.O.M. Mode. [No Gold/Shadow character, Default settings] |
Every Gold character you'll encounter here also appears in Survival Mode, making M.o.M. the perfect place to learn how to play against them without the pressure of a super long run.
With that said, go to the next section or search this guide for "Character Gold Match" to find strategies for each matchup using Justice.
And also, check this video for reference:
Click the image above to watch it.
Now for the real fire.
The structure of Survival Mode is pretty straightforward:
- You fight every character in the roster.
- Every 20 levels, you'll face a Daredevil opponent.
- The Daredevil encounters are predefined, there is no randomness.
The opponents change as you progress:
| Levels | Regular Opponents | Daredevils |
|---|---|---|
| 1–459 | Normal characters | Shadow characters |
| 460–919 | Shadow characters | Gold characters |
| 920–998 | Gold characters | Gold characters |
| 999 | Gold Sol | Final battle |
- Don't get greedy. If you miss the opportunity to gain a level, just finish the fight. It's not worth risking the entire run over levels.
- Avoid matchups you're uncomfortable with. For example, I hate fighting I-No, so whenever I see her Shadow version, I simply kill her instead of trying to level up.
- Shadow Daredevils behave similarly to their Gold counterparts. If you're struggling, check the corresponding Gold Match section and apply the same strategy.
- Take a break and drink some water.
- Luck is a factor, favorable patterns certainly help, but you still need to know how to capitalize on them.
- Keep it simple. I feel that the best approach is often to just rushdown and repeatedly use your most reliable combo until the run is over.
Once more, use this video as a reference.
Click the image above to watch it.
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Standard: (far S) or (dD)
Use this option when a character does not pose a major threat to your lifebar. -
Interruption: (P)
Use this against fast characters that like to run like crazy at the start of the round. -
Defensive: (db)
Use this against the strongest characters or those capable of killing you immediately.
Round Start: Interruption
Main Strategy: Chipp is very fragile, but he can overwhelm you with his speed. Apply the base strategy while interrupting his runs.
Round Start: Standard
Main Strategy: The CPU usually behaves well in this matchup, but Baiken may counterattack frequently. Keep your distance to avoid her counters and stick to the safe strategy.
Round Start: Standard
Main Strategy: Against projectile characters, I like to jump and float around. Ky weak fireball deals big damage, while the heavy version stays on screen forever. Be mindful of his projectiles and stick to the base strategy.
Round Start: Interruption
Main Strategy: She isn't that fast, but she likes to run a lot. Stick to the base strategy while interrupting her approaches.
Also, be careful of her whale Overdrive and dolphins. When she uses her "dolphin fireball" a huge number of dolphins will fill the screen.
Round Start: Standard
Main Strategy: Potemkin has a TON of health, so stick to the safe combos in the base strategy. If he gets too close, try to Super Jump away. His biggest threat is his command grab.
Also, instead of rushing in and using Imperial Ray, save your Tension until it reaches 100%, jump backward to create as much distance as possible, and fire your big Proton Cannon.
One of his common patterns is:
Megafist Forward > Megafist Backward > Slide Head
Round Start: Standard
Main Strategy: Be aggressive. Slayer spends a lot of time blocking, but he'll eventually leave himself open, giving you the chance to knock him down and start your pressure game.
Follow the base strategy, but always look for a dizzy opportunity. Whenever possible, use Michael blade and immediately chain it into another one.
If he hits you and recovers all his health, don't panic. You can still win by timeout, but you must maintain the pressure.
Pay attention whenever he jumps. That's usually when he'll try to attack.
Good luck, have fun!
Round Start: Defensive
Main Strategy: Start by crouch-blocking. I'm always worried about her dragon kick since it deals massive damage and this same move can also beat your Michael Blade, so avoid using it in neutral.
Besides that, just follow the base strategy.
Round Start: Standard
Main Strategy: Very easy match, use the safe combos in the base strategy if you aren't comfortable with this matchup. The Gold version is surprisingly passive and doesn't use his counter Overdrive, unlike the Shadow version, who is a beast that constantly uses his counter.
Round Start: Standard
Main Strategy: Despite having the tools to kill you in one hit, his attacks are relatively slow. I like to open with far S, because even if he gets to cast his overdrive, you will interrupt it.
Do your best to maintain pressure. You don't want him to start his offense, so use the base strategy while interrupting him. Also...I honestly can't even see Zappa himself, I just watch the visual effects and the blood. lol
Round Start: Standard
Main Strategy: Another chill matchup, just follow the base strategy and win.
The only dangerous moment is when Zato summons Eddie. Prioritize getting rid of Eddie by either attacking Zato or hitting Eddie directly.
Round Start: Standard
Main Strategy: Not a particularly difficult fight, stick to the base strategy and don't allow him to begin his offense. However, if he catches you with qcb+P you're in trouble, because you get cursed and his minions will constantly attack you. If you check the M.o.M video, you will see how frustrated I was when he cursed me.
One of his patterns:
dH > dH > dH > qcb+P
Block all three dH attacks, then punish him afterward.
Round Start: Standard
Main Strategy: Your only objective is to stay close to him(dD as a combo finisher). If he creates space or poke you, float around a little bit before rush in with a super jump.
Round Start: Defensive
Main Strategy: Start by blocking low and then follow the base strategy.
The key point here is to avoid unnecessary risks. If you lose your pressure, simply block low and wait for another opportunity.
When Faust moves far away, he may begin throwing meteors. Although there's enough time to sneak in a few hits before they land, I recommend staying patient and defending with Faultless Defense instead.
Warning
REMEMBER: One Mist Finer is enough to kill you.
Round Start: Defensive
Main Strategy: Start by blocking low. He may go for an overhead, but his attacks are fairly telegraphed, making them reactable. If he does nothing, escape with a super jump, wait a moment, then Super Jump back in to begin your pressure.
Unlike the normal base strategy, don't continue pressure after blocked attacks. Instead:
- Super Jump away.
- Wait.
- Super Jump back in.
- Repeat.
Round Start: Standard
Main Strategy: I treat Axl like any other projectile character. Be close and float around while looking for opportunities to regain your pressure.
Round Start: Interruption
Main Strategy: She's extremely fast. Use the base strategy with interruptions, always block low, and maintain pressure.
Round Start: Interruption
Main Strategy: Fast, but not as fast as Millia. Play this matchup similarly to May's: use the base strategy while interrupting his runs.
Round Start: Standard
Main Strategy: Never let Dizzy create distance, her zoning is incredibly strong. Follow the base strategy, but watch out for her desperation move: If she drops to her knees, prepare to block using Faultless Defense.
If she summons a minion, kill it immediately or it'll continue to harass you. And this is very important, do not use your Michael blade when she has a minion out, the minion will tank the hit for her and leave you wide open.
Round Start: Standard
Main Strategy: Just like the boss fight, she can use her desperation move. Learn the three possible patterns if you haven't already, then treat the rest of the match like a normal fight using the base strategy.
Round Start: Defensive
Main Strategy: He can kill you with his Overdrive at the very beginning of the round, so always block.
Play patiently and safely, use the base strategy, but remember that almost any hit he lands can easily lead to your death.
Round Start: Standard
Main Strategy: Honestly... this is probably the easiest match in the entire challenge. I don't even know what advice to give here, just go for the base strategy.
Round Start: Defensive
Main Strategy: This is a strange matchup, she's fast, but don't try to interrupt her. She can use the invincibility from Michael blade to beat your attempts.
Play defensively until you find an opening, then apply the base strategy.
Do not use Michael blade in neutral, since she can respond with her own version after yours, giving her priority.
Round Start: Defensive
Main Strategy: He can kill you with a single combo, play defensively and don't hesitate to use Burst if he starts a dangerous sequence.
If he throws out a random dp, wait until the third one before punishing.
Follow the base strategy, but only interrupt his runs using Michael Blade, it's the safest option.
Aim for the stun and finish with an IK.
My only tip here is to go for levels only in easy matchups.
If you're fighting against anyone that you need to play defensively, just go for the kill instead of levels.
Also, abuse matches against high defense characters like Zato or Potemkin, you can get a lot of levels from them.
The last match is against Sol.
| Achievement | Description | Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Win a 1P VS CPU Duel in the I-No boss stage. [No Gold/Shadow character, Default settings] | Hover the cursor in the random select (right in the middle) and press R2. | |
| Complete Arcade mode without blocking any attacks. [No Gold/Shadow character, Default settings] | You do not need to complete in one go, if you die you can use a continue. Don't block | |
| Win a 1P VS CPU Duel with rounds set to 9 on Maniac difficulty [No Gold/Shadow character, Otherwise default settings] | Straightforward | |
| Complete Arcade mode with the Time Limit setting at 30, winning every round by Knock Out. [No Gold/Shadow character, Otherwise default settings] | Pick Slayer for this, you can spam f+H > qcb+p,p for big damage or you can just go for IK. If you do not kill the CPU fast enough, you should let the CPU kill you. You only lose the cheevo if you lose the round by timeout, but if you lose by K.O it's fine and that's why I suggest you to put the settings on Maniac and play against the SP Arcade mode (against the golds) |
That's it, folks!
I hope this guide helps make your journey a little less painful. If you have any questions, suggestions, find a mistake, or discover a better strategy, feel free to reach out.
While the strategies, videos, and testing were done by me, many of the resources and people below were excelent references throughout the process.
| Contributor | Contribution |
|---|---|
| Achievement set developer and badge designer. | |
| I was struggling with the Got Somewhere to Be? achievement. After talking to him, I realized how dumb I had been. I thought you couldn't lose any rounds because every time I failed, it was due to a timeout, which does invalidate the achievement. | |
| He was very active in the game comment section, recommending Justice and sharing useful tips. His advice convinced me to give her a try, and she eventually became the character I used for both Survival and M.O.M. Mode. Cheers, mate! |
| Contributor | Contribution |
|---|---|
| Created this guide and recorded all video demonstrations. |
The following resources were really helpful throughout my playthrough and during the creation of this guide.
-
GGXX Mission 84 by Chico Sombras: Video
I wasted a ridiculous amount of time on Mission 84. The strategy shown in this video, together with the information from the GameFAQs guides, was what helped me clear it.
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Guilty Gear XX Reload Survival Full Gameplay by Bacha3964: Playlist
A complete Survival Mode playthrough using EX Sol-Badguy. It was very useful for understanding CPU patterns and the mode itself.