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With the release of the first game in the Metal Gear series to host only Raiden since MGS2, Rising has quite the pedigree to follow. Does this game stand up to the hype and heritage from which it comes or has Platinum Games ruined a well-love Konami franchise? We shall see.
First and foremost, Metal Gear Rising is not a Metal Gear Solid game, so put that thought of of your mind right now. It is an action, hack and slash game with some stealth thrown in. It is within the same universe, but it does not play like the Metal Gear Solid games since it has a different type of game focus.
Raiden received a lot of negative reception as the front-man of Metal Gear Solid 2, though I had nothing against him being the main character of that game and not Solid Snake. To the ire, or wonder of some, he returned in Metal Gear Solid 4 as a cyborg-ized killing machine, taking out several Gekko’s in a cutscene that is still etched in my mind to this day. Since then, Raiden has been unheard of in terms of Metal Gear Solid, but now that he has his own series with Metal Gear Rising, he can let loose and enjoy the story through his own style.
Story: Several years after the events in Metal Gear Solid 4, Raiden finds himself working as a personal guard, in a PMC-for-hire company “Maverick”, for an African diplomat who has helped to stabilize the region. While in the process of helping ferry him to a conference, Raiden is stopped by a team of cyborg rouges who want to keep war going for their own profits, because they enjoy war and want them to continue in order to keep making money. Raiden, unfortunately, loses an eye and an arm in the process of protecting the diplomat, who ends up dying anyway. A few months later Raiden has been rebuilt and is ready for action once more, this time to find the cyborgs and stop them from destabilizing the region.
The story to Rising really does hinge on Raiden’s back story, which if you don’t know, he was a child soldier forced to kill. Mostly, however, you’ll be getting glimpses of this through the missions as he goes to glean information about the people responsible for the attack at the beginning of the game. Obviously “vengeance” comes into play based on the title of the game, and it all ties into Raiden’s past, but I’ll leave it there as to not spoil anything.
Overall, the story is solid, and not nearly as convoluted as the Metal Gear Solid series, which I am very happy for. Raiden always struck me as a more to-the-point kind of character, so this kind of storytelling works perfectly for that.
Gameplay: Here is where the real meat of the game comes in, as with many others. As with most hack-and-slash games, Rising features some great combat. It’s fast, frantic, and punctuated by thunderclaps at times. The game features the standard two attack buttons for Weak and Strong attacks, and you can chain them together for combos and the like to great efficacy. While the fast attacks and great combos are nice, you also have “Blade Mode” where time slows down and you can unleash a flurry of sword strikes chopping everything and everyone to bits. Might I add that you can pretty much cut EVERYTHING in the game with your sword. Cars, trees, boxes, platforms, rocks. You can also use sub-weapons such as rocket launchers, grenades, and even have special weapons which you get from bosses to add even more variety to the combat.
Because of Raiden’s cyborgitization, he has to replenish his energy reserves, and this is where Blade Mode comes into play mostly.as you attack enemies, they get closer to being hit while Raiden engages his “Zandatsu” which enables you to use Blade Mode to its full effect. After entering Blade Mode (which you do with a shoulder button, I made mine L1), a red box shows up on your enemy and once you slice through that part you have the ability to reach in, grab his self-replenishing Nanomachine spine, and crush it in your hand to give you full energy and life. Raiden is essentially a cyborg vampire with this ability, but it not only makes the combat fun (to figure out how to get them to be hit with Zandatsu), it’s also a visual marvel to behold as Raiden shows off his acrobatic skills and deadly prowess. One thing of note, though, while Raiden does have a “dodge-like” skill that you can learn, you will find yourself using the Parry attack far more. So learn to Parry early on or else you will be in a world of hurt. I suppose I understand the choice to have mostly a Parry mechanic, but a good dodge would have been helpful as well. There’s also a lock-on ability that comes in quite handy for the boss battles.
On the subject of boss battles, Rising has some quite enjoyable, yet somewhat challenging boss battles. Also, if you know nothing about Platinum Games, then know that they are a company for going over-the-top with battles and action sequences. they are the creators of such gems as Bayonetta, Vanquish, God Hand, Okami, and Viewtiful Joe, to name a few. This game is no exception to their wild battle history. The first boss in the game is a gigantic Metal Gear Ray (you may be familiar with it), and it has you not only climbing up the thing, and picking it up and throwing it, but has you jumping on missiles to get to it at one part and you running down the side of a building while dodging another volley of missiles as well before slicing the thing all the way in half. If that’s not an indication of how the rest of the game can be with boss battles, I have no idea what else to tell you. You are in for an over-the-top battle experience that is highly enjoyable and featuring one of the most distinct final battles I have seen in a while. You really won’t see that one coming.
At a certain point in the game you will also have access to what I’ll dub “Raiden Devil Trigger Mode” that boosts all your skills and makes you even more effective as a killer.
There is also a rating system which gives you “BP” which you use to buy upgrades to Raiden’s life and energy, as well as his weapons. Some of the upgrades take quite a bit of points, but since you keep them on your next playthrough, go crazy the first time you play if you plan on trying the game again on higher difficulties or just for fun.
You’ll find yourself finishing the campaign in about 4-8 hours depending on the difficulty and how thorough you are in finding all the items and upgrades laying around (mind you, only half of the possible upgrades to Raiden’s energy and life are in the customization screen, the rest you have to find in chests). Now, that’s just actual gameplay time, as per-usual with anything with the “Metal Gear” title… there are a ton of movies and cutscenes, which is not bad, honestly. You can also have small side conversations with the other people in Maverick through your Codec much like you did in the previous Metal Gear games.
Sure, you can stealth your way through the game, but why would you want to when the combat is as enjoyable as it is?
In short, the combat is quite good, and involved. You may also enjoy the over-the-top boss battles which fit just right in this kind of game.
Graphics: Metal Gear Solid has always been a franchise pushing the graphical limits with Metal Gear Solid 4 being one of the best examples. That game still looks quite good several years after its release. Metal Gear Rising is no exception in the graphics department. The game looks outstanding, and plays at a very solid framerate throughout. I didn’t notice much, if any, real slowdown despite all the insanity on the screen. Whatever Platinum did between Bayonetta and now, it’s really smoothed out things and helped make the game look gorgeous. I can’t really say much more about that.
Music: Music has always been a pivotal part in the Metal Gear series, with such gems as Snake Eater and the various versions of the main theme. Metal Gear Rising has it’s own flavor to the music which I think works quite well for the type of game it is. With veteran composer, Jamie Christopherson, of Lost Planet 1 and 2 fame, the soundtrack has power behind its music. Interlaced with the more subtle tunes in this game, are driving themes and rock-based songs to punctuate battles. As I’ve come to describe it… the music is a mix of Electronic, Rock, and The Matrix. It’s easier to just show you instead of trying to explain it.
Just so you know, all of these vocal tracks have instrumental versions that weave in and out of the tune while playing the game. The vocals just happen to come in at particularly intense moments in fights.
Rules of Nature(Platinum Mix)
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=In0v46Z6xbQ
- Did you want to fight a Metal Gear Ray? Well here you go.
Dark Skies (Platinum Mix)
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMWTIqEl0Co
- One of those punctuating battle tunes for you. Definitely one of my favorites.
I’m My Own Master Now (Platinum Mix)
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad3xb8c2PEg
- A lot of these are used for boss battles, which I think serves the style of music well.
A Stranger I Remain (Manic Agenda Mix)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOB_ceY_BHg
- Probably one of my favorites of the boss battle themes, and also one of the first songs to be leaked out as well.
Collective Consciousness (Manic Agenda Mix)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95ar2Z8ShiM
- This final battle theme (there are several) fits the fight and enemy quite will, even in terms of lyrics.
The War Still Rages Within (Ending Credits)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF2j77aqQBE
- I find myself really liking this theme, it’s a nice ending tune for the game.
The Hot Wind Blowing (feat. Ferry Corsten) - Platinum Mix
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzgXbVj6yRM
- Definitely has energy behind it for this face-paced action game.
The Only Thing I Know for Real - Instrumental
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYH8aCf_9G8
- A theme that will stay with you thanks to the story. I figured I’d show off the instrumentals of a few songs at least so you get how they meld together.
Dark Skies - Instrumental
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRKKOSq_zKQ
- Here’s one example where the instrumental and vocal compliment each other in terms of when and where they go together.
The music is not your typical Metal Gear fair, but that’s not a bad thing since this is not your typical Metal Gear game. With fast-paced, driving, tunes to help accentuate the action on the screen, it’s hard to find a better mix of the two.
Conclusion: Metal Gear Rising: Reveneance has the ability to make you feel like a god, which is exactly what Platinum was going for, and it’s what they’re good at. Raiden is fast and deadly and you’ll enjoy slicing your enemies into tiny bits (literally) while grabbing their energy-spines and crushing them with visceral pleasure. The game plays quite well, especially if you get the Parry down and you have plenty of upgrades to get which you can fill out in a few playthroughs. I’d had so much fun with the game, I’ve played through it three times since getting it (hence this review being several days after release). Who knows, I may just play it again.
Scores:
Story: 8/10
Gameplay: 9.4/10
Graphics: 9.8/10
Music: 9/10
Overall: 9/10
“I’d say that Metal Gear Rising is a SOLID 9/10” - Tomenaki