In a world where you can only pick one DLC character for the Switch edition of Guilty Gear -Strive-, I’d say that you should start with Unika. If you’re a fan of the cyberpunk aesthetic, you should consider Lucy, but note that she might be most impacted by the upcoming 2.0 update that is supposedly going to shake up the -STRIVE- meta. If you’re a longtime fan of -STRIVE- and love zoning (even though it’s not the most effective in the current meta), then Venom should be top of your list. If you’re wanting to get the full -STRIVE- experience that other platforms have enjoyed all this time, these three DLC characters are a must have.
It’s a shame that the Nintendo Switch version of Guilty Gear -STRIVE- has delayed much of its content. From its original release to its DLC character releases, -STRIVE- on the Switch has felt like a game in perpetual delay, keeping players out of the loop as to the current meta along with its support from 2021 until now. Thankfully, -STRIVE- on the Switch is now up to par thanks to the December 2025 updates. After testing out these characters and updates on my Switch 2, I’m happy to share that -STRIVE- is now in its best position yet! I know I said that -STRIVE- on the Switch is fantastic in my original review, but it’s hard for me to ignore that the current version of -STRIVE- is on par with the other iterations of the game that players have enjoyed for several months.
Let’s hope that this is the last time that -STRIVE- content is delayed. The new characters are plain awesome.
Before I go on, I want to note that the Switch version of –STRIVE- is different from the other platforms in several ways. Beyond the fact that the 14 (of 17) additional DLC characters come with the game, there are no Season Passes or other larger form seasonal content. Instead, characters 15-17 are to be purchased separately for the Switch for $6.99 apiece. I understand that buying the characters separately is something that is available for all of the platforms, but it’s strange that the Switch version lacks a full package equivalent to the Blazing Edition/Season Pass 4 that would have allowed players to make a single purchase all at once.
Onto the characters…
Venom
When Venom was announced in early 2025, I was excited to see my favorite character from the Guilty Gear series joining what I feel is the best GG game so far. Venom is a handsome assassin who utilizes pool cues and cue balls in combat. In -STRIVE-, he’s a retired from his life as an assassin and set up a bakery along with Robo-Ky as his sidekick and hype man. Interestingly, there’s little association with his bakery/Robo-Ky incorporated into his moveset. He’s instead been created to be a high-difficulty and highly complex zoner who rewards those who can take advantage of his cue ball projectiles.
Venom plays far differently than any of -STRIVE-‘s other characters. When I first selected him in training mode, his move list felt far different than his previous iterations. His default attack range was shortened, he was slightly slower, but his attacks summoned cue balls that could be utilized to extend combos and apply pressure in ways that other characters lacked. This made learning him in training mode relatively difficult, as players use characters far differently than an AI opponent. Once I got past my muscle memory woes, though, Venom felt very satisfying and took down ABA and Slayer (characters I’ve seen in online play) with little issue. My only issue is that his cue balls don’t last long enough onscreen than I would prefer; I wish they would last maybe another second or two just so I can follow up and use them in a pinch.
For longtime Venom mains like myself, this iteration will feel different in the wrong ways at first. But, after understanding how his projectiles should function, he’ll feel like a perfected version that feels the most rewarding out of the entire roster. He’s one of the most difficult characters to learn, though, so don’t expect him to just work right out of character select to push you up the ladder.
Unika
Moving onto Unika. I did not expect her to make her way into -STRIVE- as a DLC character given her positioning in Dual Rulers as the child of Ky Kiske and Dizzy. It makes sense that she was added, though, as it helps ensure Dual Rulers as a canonical GG show and giving some additional lore to -STRIVE-, albeit lore that occurs after the events of the game.
During her initial launch in May of 2025, many players considered her overpowered given that she was perhaps the most approachable character in -STRIVE-‘s roster. Her combos are ever so easy to pull off. She can poke opponents down from long distances. Her most glaring downside is her lack of mobility, making her a prominent threat. Fast forward to my tests on the Switch, Unika was incredibly easy to pick up. She felt satisfying to use against most lower-ranked players who hadn’t memorized her very telegraphed attacks. Playing against her as someone equally as slow (like Potemkin) felt rough until I memorized her tells.
That said, once you know her windup animations, she’s very predictable and easy to defeat. It’s just a matter of memorization, which I guess is important for moving up the ladder. I don’t expect the average Switch owner to have memorized the DLC characters yet, but it’s only a matter of time before that changes.
Unika is very fun to play and a pleasant addition to the DLC roster. Her approachability makes her an easy choice for a newer -STRIVE- player who wants to succeed in some matches. Her far-from-steep learning curve ensures that she’s rewarding for first-time and long-time players, too.
Lucy
I remain surprised that Arc System Works collaborated with CD PROJEKT to release Lucy, from Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, as a crossover character. I would have expected content from CD PROJEKT to be incorporated into another CD PROJEKT game, but I love collaborations. Mortal Kombat has them with quite a bit of WB’s roster of horror characters. Tekken recently added Clive Rosfield from Final Fantasy XVI!
Lucy is stylish and an excellent addition to the -STRIVE- roster. She utilizes her monowires for longer-range attacks that can occasionally pull in opponents to close range. She’s an excellent rushdown character who can produce basic attacks in quick succession into longer form combos. Her quickhacks can add debuffs to opponents, like damage over time (contagion), life steal (energy siphon), automatic counterhits (algorithm malfunction), and more. When she is applying these debuffs her appearance changes to glitch out (as part of her hacker-esque mystique); this gives her animations that are very predictable and easy to dodge/counter.
Like Unika, Lucy is surprisingly beginner-friendly. -STRIVE- classifies her as a 4/5 (where a 5/5 is most easy to pick up), perhaps because of her debuff system. In a meta where long range and high damage define the -STRIVE- meta, Lucy is a solid choice for climbing the ladder and fun to play given her range. Her novel debuffs are icing on the cake and a reward in and of themselves thanks to their slight difficulty to memorize. She might have lower health than others, but it’s compensated by her high health.
On that note, let’s wrap this up…
In a world where you can only pick one DLC character for the Switch edition of Guilty Gear -Strive-, I’d say that you should start with Unika. If you’re a fan of the cyberpunk aesthetic, you should consider Lucy, but note that she might be most impacted by the upcoming 2.0 update that is supposedly going to shake up the -STRIVE- meta. If you’re a longtime fan of -STRIVE- and love zoning (even though it’s not the most effective in the current meta), then Venom should be top of your list. If you’re wanting to get the full -STRIVE- experience that other platforms have enjoyed all this time, these three DLC characters are a must have.
A copy of Guilty Gear -STRIVE- and its DLC were provided by the publisher for the purposes of this DigitalChumps review.
