Game link:http://www.konami.jp/mgr/
Steam link:http://store.steampowered.com/app/235460/
Metal Geaaaaaarrrrrrrr?!?!?!?! On PC? This particular collision of worlds – masters of espionage infiltrating the home of spyware, cyborg ninjas running amok in cyberspace – isn’t unheard of, but it’s far from the norm. Then again, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance isn’t your average Metal Gear game. It dispenses with stealth almost entirely, favoring combo and counter-heavy action over tippy-toeing and mullet-rocking. But does the extra helping of over-the-top insanity gel with Metal Gear’s, er, also insane (but in a different way) universe? And how does the long-awaited PC port hold up? Here’s what I think.
When Metal Gear Rising first released on consoles, I decided to skip it. One of the big reasons was the fact that I really haven’t enjoyed many titles from Platinum Games before. I know, that makes me a bad gamer, but I can’t help it. After spending some time with Raiden and company on the PC though, I can see I have missed out on a very fun, albeit insane experience.
Once you know what you're doing, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance goes from power fantasy to full-on power arrogance. Maniacal is the best way to play this cutting game, dashing into gunfire and shoving your sword through any obstacle, no matter its size or perceived deadliness. The supporting characters occasionally plead for planning, stealth, restraint – hesitation – but their calls come across as denial against the true nature of Revengeance. They're right in the middle of some seriously sexed up Fruit Ninja fan-fiction.
After whittling down an enemy’s health, Raiden can then finish them off with a special Zandatsu attack where the camera comes in close behind his shoulder and players can aim and pinpoint vertical and horizontal slashes that cut the enemy into pieces. It is brutal, gruesome, and very satisfying. Players can also manually aim their slashes as well, so they’re never stuck using one or two standard cuts. These come into play later on in “quick time events” where Raiden must successfully cut something a certain way. This can’t be spammed at will, though. Raiden has a limited amount of energy that will begin to drain while in the blade mode.
All that said, this game’s basic building blocks are, in fact, brilliant – a lightning-laced tornado of bone-shearing violence and perfectly timed subtlety. Blocking and parrying (both of which are triggered simply by timing-based pushes of the same button/analog-stick combo) are extremely physical, with successful counters turning my brain into a screaming adrenaline geyser. I’d wait until the last possible millisecond before an attack connected and – BOOM – blockslashdecapitation in the blink of an eye. I got so into doing it just right that my thumb still aches from how hard I continually shoved the analog stick. It’s a good pain, though, and the purple blister blossoming beneath my skin a trophy.
One of the biggest things where the game gets seriously ridiculous is in the boss fights. These can be epically large in scale or a one on one fight with another cyborg. Either way, they are intense and fun as hell. Here is where both blocking and parrying become top priority. While the core experience is not very difficult, the boss fights spike rather high and will not hesitate to kill the player if they are not careful. Each fight brings more variety to the experience and really made me cheer after seeing a major set piece. These really are a spectacle to see and play.
Some of you maybe doesn't agree with me but I prefer DmC: Devil May Cry‘s approach to multi-weapon combat, with a grip of either trigger producing its corresponding weapon until you let go. Actually, I think it used the concept better in general, making each fight into a sort of puzzle only well-timed weapon switching could solve. Revengeance, at least on normal difficulty, doesn’t give every weapon the spotlight quite so effectively. They’re still useful, but not quite as crucial. But hey, it never hurts to have options.
It may be a somewhat short experience, but there’s no denying the fact that the entire time was full of high adrenaline action. The combat is simple and satisfying, and the presentation is top notch. It says something when I usually skip a developer’s games and end up really loving one of them after playing it through. With a full package including the game and all the DLC priced at $30, this is a steal. Even if you’re not a Metal Gear fan, if you enjoy lots of action and some fast-paced combat, you should really pick up Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. You’ll have a really fun time and this game deserve a 8.5 out of 10
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