Arc System Works have released a story trailer for upcoming fighting game Guilty Gear -Strive-, with the Story Mode seemingly having no fighting.

As detailed in the news post on the game’s official website, they note the story mode can be enjoyed “like you would a movie, No input from your controller is required.” While players can access a glossary by pausing, it is unknown if Arc System Works truly means the story mode has no fighting.

We previously reported how the game’s Arcade Mode was revealed to take characters through a character’s story, but offer different paths depending on how well the player fights. Should they struggle, other characters can also jump in to help you. It may be that the story still plays out within Arcade Mode, while “Story Mode” is purely to watch the cutscenes.

The story has taken a dramatic turn; with the trailer revealing the identity of That Man; the creator of Gears (artificial magical creatures that became weapons of war). A disciple of the man who went into the magical dimension of the Backyard and came back alive.

After “The Original” went back to prevent the end of the world, That Man began working for the Ecosystem Evolution Project for the United States, but discovered the magic-infused Gear cells. As one of the scientists in the project became incurably ill, she was placed in cryogenic sleep. That Man turned her lover, Fredrick Bulsara, into the Prototype Gear against his will, hoping to give him more time. This turned him into the man that would become Sol Badguy.

“Fredrick” then sabotaged the project, absconded with Aria, and caused the project to shut down. It was later revived as the Gear Project, and eventually twisted into becoming a way to produce combat-ready gears for war.

In retaliation That Man (who had regained Aria) converted her into the Gear Justice; to command the other Gears. She was then controlled by Universal Will from Backward; attempting to turn all of Japan’s citizens into anti-matter Gears. The day was eventually saved, as That Man controlled Justice’ body to prevent Universal Will from coming to the real world.

While her mind and body was split, the “Justice” half felt all Gears were slaves, and commanded the Gears to revolt. This lead to the Crusades, and That Man being branded a war criminal for the Gear rebellion.

You can find the story trailer below (and in Japanese here), along with the rundown from the official website.

After defeating the threat known as the Universal Will, Sol Badguy enjoyed a brief moment of peace…
Until he heard the shocking news.
Asuka R. Kreutz, known as “That Man” who left his mark as the worst criminal in all of history by creating Gears and initiating the Crusades, surrendered to the U.S. government.
The man who turned him into a Gear… despite Sol currently seeking revenge on him, he was once a close friend.
Trying to guess Asuka’s true intentions, Sol stood up with his weapon in hand.
…The time had come at last to settle his fate with Asuka R. Kreutz!

In other news, the survey for the last open beta is now available. You can find it here.

You can find the abridged rundown (via the official website) below.

“Guilty Gear -Strive-“ is the latest entry in the critically acclaimed Guilty Gear fighting game franchise. Created by Daisuke Ishiwatari and developed by Arc System Works, “Guilty Gear -Strive-“ upholds the series’ reputation for a high octane soundtrack, groundbreaking hybrid 2D/3D cell-shaded graphics and intense, rewarding gameplay.

The fate of the universe will be determined…
Head into the final confrontation with That Man, the person responsible for all the destruction and damage to the world and its inhabitants. Join Sol Badguy, his rival Ky Kiske, and a total starting roster of 15 unique characters as they face the astonishing conclusion to a story 20 YEARS IN THE MAKING!

A Sensory BLAST for Your Eyes and Ears
Rock out to the thrashing tracks laid down by series creator and music composer, Daisuke Ishiwatari! Bang your head and beat your opponent to the killer soundtrack while being blown away by the most stunning and dynamic 3D cell-shaded visuals produced to date!

New Revolution in Fighting Games!
Guilty Gear -Strive- brings a number of new and innovative gameplay mechanics designed to allow players new to the series to quickly learn the fundamentals while maintaining the deep, creative gameplay Guilty Gear is praised for. New additions to the series such as a wall-breaking mechanic will allow for new and exciting approaches to battle.

Innovative Rollback Netcode
Guilty Gear -Strive- will incorporate all-new rollback network code to ensure that online players from across the globe can seamlessly and fluidly battle each other.

Guilty Gear -Strive- launches June 11th, 2021 on Windows PC (via Steam), PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. The Deluxe and Ultimate edition launches June 8th.