Game review: Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

Ever since Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance was announced I couldn’t wait to get my filthy hands on it, being a Metal Gear Solid fan and all, but along with its new name it brings forth a whole new experience and a brand new hero, this is Metal Gear but not as you know it.

Developers Platinum Games had a brand new idea of a direction to take the series which was daring but ambitious and got the go ahead from Metal Gear founder Hideo Kojima.

Published by Konami, the new game is titled Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance and it gives us an insight and full control of Sons of Liberty protagonist Raiden, who starts off as a more modern version of his human self but the main body of the game stars Raiden as his cyborg appearance introduced to us in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.

Was this decision a flop? Or was it a huge success?

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Set four years after the events of Guns of the Patriots, Raiden works for a private military company called Maverick Enterprises to help him make money to support his family, being nothing more than a VIP escort.

Raiden is more grown up and less naïve and reckless this time round which makes him quite a huge threat to his enemies, he soon finds out that rival PMC Desperado Express are kidnapping children and using their brains to create armies of cyborg soldiers.

After an epic battle with a Metal Gear Ray and Desperado general, Jetstream Sam, Raiden is gravely wounded causing his colleagues to turn him into a badass fighting machine who, alongside battling his own colourful past, aims to stop Desperado Express and all who works for them in their tracks.

That’s the basic outline of the story, however it goes a lot more in depth than that in the game, its farfetched but enjoyable and quite easy to follow and it gives the player purpose to continue to play the game other than the outstanding gameplay.

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Ahhh the gameplay...let me start by saying this is the most exciting and adrenaline fuelled game I’ve ever played with its over the top combat and epic battles.

Quite a bold statement yes, but it is so well deserved, Platinum Games have delivered some of the best action I’ve ever witnessed on a home console since the God of War games.

Raiden has a quick and strong attack using his trademark sword the High Frequency Blade or other weapons he collects during the story mode.

He can jump and can run at lightning speed, and he can also use grenades and rocket launchers found in boxes during each level.

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Raidens moves can be mixed to perform some of the coolest looking combos I’ve ever seen including using his feet with his sword seen in Guns of the Patriots.

Remember the fight with the Gekkos? Raiden can also enter a slow motion mode which places him in a samurai type stance with a blue line representing sword swiping direction which can be changed using the right stick in any direction, releasing the stick causes Raiden to swing his sword cutting up his enemy or in world object, this is Blade mode.

Raiden can also parry enemy attacks; a successful parry activates an on screen prompt that when pressed causes him to perform a flashy finishing move called Zandatsu which looks fantastic.

Chopping up enemies with precision enables Raiden to collect their left arms which acts as the games collectable and their energy tanks which replenishes Raidens health and Blade gauge.

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There is the infamous Metal Gear stealth mechanic, however it is very scarce as Rising is action orientated.

Players can use Raidens visor to survey the level and use boxes and barrels that are found to hide in.

It’s a weak mechanic but this is easily overlooked and head on combat will most definitely be favoured.

Later in the game, Raiden gets “unleashed” allowing players access to his “Ripper” form which is very similar to Devil May Cry’s Devil Trigger Mode, making Raiden faster and stronger while turning black with a red glow - very cool!

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Revengeance looks amazing, each character is unique and jam packed full of metal plates and enhancements that makes each character different and what better way to begin the game than seeing a humongous Metal Gear Ray which hasn’t been altered in any way shape or form, thank god.

Raiden looks superb and super tough as well as the menacing bosses although the levels aren’t full of life like they should be but who cares when the action looks fantastic and keeps the adrenaline levels super high until the final credits roll.

Summary

There’s no mistaking it, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is one of the best action titles I’ve ever played for a long time. It’s full of thrills and epic sized set pieces from start to finish which continuously made my jaw drop.

I never wanted it to end but it did fairly soon which is a disappointment but you will play the story again and again, however if you do eventually get bored, there’s plenty of VR missions to play through.

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Platinum Games have certainly outdone themselves with this beauty and I’ll be playing it for some time to come.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

Developers: Platinum Games

Publishers: Konami

Xbox 360®

Playstation 3®

Genre: Action

Release Date: 22nd February 2013

Story - 4/5

Gameplay – 5/5

Graphics – 5/5

Overall – 5/5