Right I think that’s quite enough ‘R’literation (Weeeyy!) I mentioned a few weeks ago in my Devil May Cry review that I feel there are a few games that I have missed out on in my time. Step up Metal Gear Solid. I have lightly dabbled in a few of the offerings in the Metal Gear universe, but I haven’t ever given them my time. I don’t know anything about the characters or what the game is really about. When I had the chance to review Metal Gear Rising Revengeance, I was a bit apprehensive. I knew that it was in a different genre to the classic Metal Gear Solid stealth action style game, and focussed more on action. But I wasn’t quite expecting the experience I got from it.
I’ll begin by saying this - the game is fast and frantic. Metal Gear Rising Revengeange is an action game through and through, and is more akin to a Ninja Gaiden game than anything else. It focuses heavily on quick combat and stringing together combos and counter attacks. While this type of game isn’t really my type of thing, and is definitely not my forte, it is a lot of fun.
For you series regulars, this game is based four years after the events of Metal Gears Solid 4. I’ve got to be perfectly honest, I didn’t pay a huge amount of attention to what exactly was going on in the story. You begin with providing security for the Libyan Prime Minister, and soon after that it becomes a bit of a wild hack and slash speed frenzy ride. You control ninja cyborg Raiden (ally of series regular Solid Snake), fighting off enemies ranging from superhuman cyborg soldiers, to multiple mini bosses and full blown bosses, including (unsurprisingly) Metal Gears.
I did find it a bit fiddly to control at the beginning. There are simply a quick attack and a heavy attack, with the quick attack doubling up as a block. The ninja run is prominent throughout the game, holding down the right trigger lets you sprint around, avoiding projectiles, dodging charge attacks and such. But it was with the ninja run I discovered how fiddly it could be. You can also attack while ninja running, but I found it so difficult to be accurate with the attacks at first. I ended up sprinting around randomly swiping the air, I’m sure I saw the AI character whisper in his mate’s ear at one point ‘what the hell is this chump doing?’ After a while though, I did get used to it, but something about it did quite feel right. The other awkward thing I found was the use of secondary explosive weapons. Using a rocket launcher or a grenade seemed to immediately take away the speed of the game, which was a bit odd considering it so heavily bases itself around it.
The real star of the show though is Blade Mode. The game cuts to slow motion by holding the right trigger, and you go to town with the right stick controlling each swipe of the blade, slicing enemies into a huge number of parts. It is brutal watching limbs, torsos, and heads getting cut clean into pieces. Again it took a while to get used to the controls on this, but once it clicks, it is a joy to behold.
I mentioned that Metal Gear Rising takes a step back from the usual stealth gameplay of the Metal Gear Solid series. I should slightly alter that statement, because there are opportunities within the game to avoid full on sword battles with enemies. You do have choices at times to go into a full blown battle, or you could take a slightly different route to avoid the enemy’s sights and spring out of a spray of blood inducing stealth kill. While it’s nice to have the option to do this, it doesn’t have the same satisfaction rating as racking up a multiple hit combo and leaving an enemy is pieces on the ground.
It is possible to upgrade Raiden during the progress of the game. By collecting ‘BP’ from fallen enemies during the game you can spend it on upgrading Raiden’s body, weapons, fuel cells and weapons. Gamers who enjoy being able to make a character more powerful, and to make a character their own will enjoy the ability to do this.
Replayability comes in the form of VR missions. During the course of the game you will notice scoreboards pop up at the end of different levels, sections and fights. This shows you how well you have performed, and gives you the opportunity to aim for better. From the main menu you can play the VR missions which include sections of the game which you have already played, allowing you to play through them again to get to the top of the leaderboard. They are there to test your skills and reactions as a fighter.
It has to be said that Metal Gear Rising runs very smoothly, I don’t think I saw a frame rate hiccup at any point. And while the graphics aren’t top of the line, it’s quite an impressive feat for a game that sometimes has so much happening on the screen. The art style is distinctly Asian as has been the case for Metal Gear games over the years.
All being said, Metal Gear Rising: Reveangeance didn’t have enough to keep me hooked, it has been a case of pick up and have a quick 20 minute game, rather than being able to sit and play for hours on end. I am fully aware that this is a very good game for the genre that it is. If you enjoy a hack and slash, frantic fighting game, look no further. And if you have interest in the Metal Gear universe then it is a massive bonus.
