Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising

If Mortal Kombat 1 doesn't land for you stylistically, Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising is the other serious fighting game option in the PS Plus catalog worth knowing about. The anime aesthetic is more specific in its appeal, but the netcode is strong and the roster has enough variety that most players find someone who suits their style. I'd rate it roughly even with MK1 for two-player quality, which is why both appear on this page. The active online community keeps matchmaking alive if you want to test yourself beyond your couch partner, which is a genuine advantage over a game whose online servers have gone quiet.

Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising is the better-onboarding fighter on this list, and I say that as someone who bounced off the genre for years before finding games that explained themselves properly. The rollback netcode makes online play feel more consistent than most fighters at this price point, and the roster has enough variety without being overwhelming. It is here rather than in the top 10 partly because of lower name recognition, and partly because Chivalry and MK1 cover the competitive angle with more broad appeal. If you know you want a fighter and you want one that will not throw you into the deep end immediately, this is worth a download.

Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising deserves its place in the top half because it teaches the right things. Skill cooldowns sit in place of full motion-input execution, which means your first twenty hours go toward learning spacing, anti-airs, and turn-taking rather than wrestling with quarter-circles. That is a smarter trade than it sounds. I ran a few sessions with friends who do not normally play fighters, and this was the one where they understood what was happening and why they lost. The competitive ceiling is genuine. It is not a simplified experience that runs out of depth; it just removes the execution tax on the way in. Rare combination.