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AEW Fight Foreveroffers wrestling fans an alternative to theWWE 2Kseries. The foundations for what is a promising wrestling title are certainly there, and as wrestling fans know, some of the most fundamental mechanics in a wrestling game are thecountersandreversals.
AEW Fight Foreverhas taken a similar approach to the AKI wrestling games up toWWF No Mercyon the N64. While it lacks the accuracy and feel ofNo Mercyand evenWWE 2K23, with some practice and the correct methods used here, players stand a better chance of regaining the match momentum to get a win.
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How to do a Reversal and Counter in AEW Fight Forever
Much has been said aboutAEW Fight Foreverbeinginspired by the AKI-developed wrestling gameson the N64. What made those games superior to other wrestling games was the ability to reverse a counter and counter a reversal.
Wrestling matches can go back and forth between skilled players, and it felt like a wrestling match. The transitions aren’t as smooth inAEW Fight Forever,but with timing, a good player can, for example,reverse a move to get the back position only to lose it again when their opponent counters it. Use the following tips to learn how to have a sim-like wrestling match:
The Controls
Grapple Reversals/Counter
LB on Xbox, L1 on PlayStation, L on Switch, F on the keyboard
Strike Reversals/Counter
RB on Xbox, R1 on PlayStation, R on Switch, R on the keyboard
UnlikeWWE 2K23,the reversals and counters inAEW Fight Foreverare assigned to two buttons, like inWWF No Mercy. Players must time their counters based on the type of attacks their opponents will initiate. It is challenging to predict how and when an opponent grapples or strikes, especially as the animations don’t have many tells. Moreover, predicting what moves come next is even more problematic when the opponent has the player’s wrestler in a grapple position because they can strike and grapple from the grab.
Watch the wrestler’s animations, they are fast, but the CPU and many human opponents will usually begin an attack with a strike and follow it up with a grapple hold. Try and watch their patterns, butkeep an eye on the wrestler’s handsand learn how to press the counter button just as they move. Don’t give up if the opponent has the player’s wrestler in a grapple hold, press the strike or the grapple reversal buttons to attempt a counter.
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Change The Settings
Unfortunately, guessing whether an opponent uses grapple or strike attacks is too luck dependent. Thankfully, there is a setting that players can adjust to make reversals and counters a lot less challenging. Use the following steps to add another way to reverse and counter:
Don’t be fooled by the title of Easy Countering. Players still need to time it, butgrapple and strike counters are consolidated into one grapple or strike buttonand are more responsive than the shoulder buttons for reversals. So pressing A/X/B can reverse strikes and grapples without needing to guess the opponent’s next move.
Controller Layout
In addition to adjusting the Easy Countering method, players can change their controller layout and swap the button layout so the reversal and counters are swapped out to the face buttons instead of shoulder buttons. To change the controller layout, use the following steps:
Use Training Mode
The best way to learn how to counter and reverse wrestlers inAEW Fight Foreveris to practice. The best way to do this is to utilize the game’sTraining mode under the Exhibition tabon the main screen. It’s a little lacking in features compared to asports fighting game likeUFC 4, but players can still program their opponents to attack so they can learn how to counter attacks without worrying about getting pinned and submitted. To program a wrestler in Training mode, use the following steps:
Unfortunately, players can’t adjust their opponent’s specific actions. However, to learn how to reverse strikes, select anaggressive brawlerlike Jon Moxley or counter grapples by picking a technical wrestler like Bryan Danielson.
AEW Fight Foreveris available June 29th, 2023, for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
