they saw all that netcode talk over the past few years and were like "hey wait we have that rollback thing too" and then they spruced up the menus and made it so you don't have to look in the game directory folder to see your character's moves anymore (debatable as to whether that's an improvement)

i don't need to talk about the actual game. if your friends don't have this in their steam library fix them. it goes on sale for actual peanuts prices all the time. i will become a mysterious donor who will make sure every gamer in the population has this in their library

i would become a youtube influencer for this game

In spite of this game's many flaws with balancing, (which, as a filthy fighting game casual, doesn't affect me much,) I've come to absolutely adore nearly everything about this game.

PvP shmups are very few and far between, I believe only 6 games exist (of 4 franchises,) in which this was #4 (#2,) though it's predecessor was #2 - point being, is that this is a very unique type of game, and boy oh boy does it land. It's beyond fun, with others or by yourself (for the most part, some story mode mashups are fucker motherfuckers,) and it keeps you on your toes through and through. The only thing withholding this from a higher score is due to aforementioned complaints - every pro at this game will tell you how bad some mashups are, and story mode is absolutely brutal for those with an unfavorable matchup with the final boss.

Bit of a word salad review, i'm aware (might revisit it later,) but point is, I'd recommend this to just about everyone.

edit 2022-12-15: i don't think i'll be revisiting this review--game is lovably jank and unique, as i've said, and it's a blast. maybe an 8 is a tad high but i think it's deserved, though that could be the orange_juice soft spot talking. still good in any case