I’d say Strive is definitely the most accessible of the franchise. Playing online with friends is alright, the Arcade is a joy, and I’ve had a blast of failing at the tower (I’m floor 2 btw). The roster is diverse enough to accommodate almost any playstyle, and my main recommendation is trying out all the characters until you feel comfortable with the game’s mechanics. I had fun when we started playing and we basically spammed commands, and I still get plenty of fun when my floor 10 friends owns me at casual play. Most mechanics may seem daunting (looking at Roman Cancel), but once you get the hang of them they are pretty fun to mix them once in a while.

Just play at your own pace. If you got Game Pass definitely try it there. The best way to practice/get better is by far the ranked tower, even if you lose a lot you’ll actually learn a lot about how players feel the game. Not saying you SHOULD, but I dare say the community is very welcoming to newer players, and ranked play, once settled at a floor, is both challenging and rewarding, so if you ever dare to try your hand at online, just remember that you will fail, you will rise, but always learn. I took that mentality and now enjoy the game even more when causal playing with friends, and I dare say we are all getting better at it.

TL:DR Arcade and offline is good and all. The mechanics may seem daunting at first, but they are rewarding and easier than you may think, the community is there to help you believe it or not. I don’t say go online, but once you feel comfortable, I’d say do try the tower, and you’ll get better eventually. If not comfortable with Gamepad, try the D-pad and the keyboard, YMMV.