What to Expect in Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

Konami’s Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is only 2 weeks away from release, but if you’re contemplating about whether or not to actually by it, here is an article to explain what to expect, that will hopefully push towards getting this amazing instalment.

Raiden, the hero from Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, returns to take the stage once more, however our damsel looking hero has taken some major alterations in terms of his appearance and fighting style.

If you’ve played Metal Gear Solid 4 you’ll remember the random appearance Raiden made as a cyborg ninja leaving questions of what happened to Raiden? How did he become the ninja manbot? Well this is exactly what the title is here for, to clarify the back story behind Raiden’s transformation and the rising of becoming the ultimate weapon.

The demo doesn’t offer much of a clear path of what the story is about, but focuses more on the new approach of game play  Rather than your typical Metal Gear Solid which has everything based on stealth survival, this is a more a fast paced hack and slash game play experience. Although there are elements of stealth, the main aim throughout the demo is to slash your enemies into tiny little pieces and rip out their insides, sounds fun doesn’t it?

Throughout the first stages of the demo you enter a training exercise that explores a unique ability added to the game known as Blade Mode. Blade mode is an ability that allows you to angle your blade to make precision cuts.

Dicing a few watermelons and cardboard figurines of enemies holding hostages proves fun but it’s a much faster and fulfilling experience when you’re approached by attacking enemies.

As you progress further into the demo, you put what you’ve learnt into practice using Blade Mode on soldiers and gecko’s, as well as a boss at the end of level that requires you to use Blade Mode.

Although your lethal fast paced ninja attacks are optional to use, they provide enough damage to take down enemies, however your melee attacks can be used to build up an amazing cinematically Blade Mode finisher by inputting the correct commands once you have fulfilled a successful row of combo strikes.

Another unique thing about Blade Mode is that while you’re carving up your enemies, a quick command advising you to press the circle button pops up, this allows you pull out of your opponent a blue object known as Zandatsu, which automatically replenishes your health and blade mode meter.

Unfortunately blade mode isn’t infinite and does require you to recharge the meter by defeating enemies. Although Blade Mode can be used to any extent , however if the meter fails to stay blue and remains on orange the quality of Blade Mode will not be as lethal.

Another ability known as Ninja Run allows you to run at high speeds enabling you to attack at fast paced speeds and also allows you to stealthy kill enemies quicker, as well as dodge enemy fire reducing or receiving no damage at all.

Quick commands have also been included in the game, which requires you to quickly press required buttons, otherwise you face the delightful reward of dying or having to repeat the sequence all over again. This also goes for ending boss battles which you encounter at the end of the demo.

Although Metal Gear Rising plays exceptionally well the only problem with the title was the annoying camera. I found that trying to bend the camera to my will was a no go as the camera likes to adjust on its own. Whether this will be included in its final form, it will surely frustrate gamer’s.

Completing missions brings up a grading system, grading you on Time, Kills, Zandatsus’s Collected and Parts Collected, giving you an overall rank from S – D, which earn you additional DP points.

DP points aren’t really explored more in the demo but it suggest that they will play a role in further enhancing Raiden.

Metal Gear Rising Revengance is a unique title as it gives you a more fast paced experience in terms of its game play and stealthy manoeuvring, giving you a more freeing game play experience compared to the other Metal Gear Solid titles.

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Metal Gear Rising Revengeance is available to purchase on the 21st of February on Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 through Amazon. If you can’t wait, there is a free downloadable demo on the PSN and Xbox Live Marketplace.