Metal Gear Rising Demo Impressions (And Tips)

PlatinumGames released a demo for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance today and while the game is clearly brilliant the demo was a huge misstep that I suspect is going to cost PlatinumGames a lot of sales. Right off the bat I am going to tell you something that the demo itself does not (much to its own detriment): You can dodge back with X+A (360) or X+S (PS3) and if you add in a direction you do a dodge slash.

How can you release a demo with a tutorial that does NOT tell you how to dodge?

Brutal!

How about not telling the player that the game contains very useful combos utilizing directional inputs?

Horrible!

How about the fact that you can heal (B (360) or Circle (PS3) when prompted during Blade Mode)? The demo never mentions that?

WTF!!

It might not have been so bad if perhaps the demo wasn't REALLY hard on Normal difficulty (compared to most games released these days). They throw you into a few REALLY intense fights in the demo and you get very little in the way of practise or instruction beforehand. This is a mistake that is going to cost PG and it's a shame because having spent some time with the demo (yes, I beat it, and yes, I died several times) I can say that the combat in this game is freaking brilliant. It's incredibly different than many other hack n slash games, with a myriad of complexities that are unfortunately not immediately apparent. It manages to be  both very challenging and yet totally fair.....when you figure out how to properly play the damn thing. The demo really does not do a very good job letting you know much.

So, to any prospective players, remember these few things:

-You can heal (B (360) or Circle (PS3) when prompted during Blade Mode).
-Experiment with button input timing.
-It's hard. You will die. You learn by dying, so don't give up so easily; the game is worth it, trust me.
-You can dodge back with X+A (360) or X+S (PS3) and if you add in a direction you do a dodge slash.
-You can cancel the flying kick (Jump then strong attack when in Ninja Run mode) into a stealth attack.
-Towards, towards weak attack is a launcher
-There are also away, towards weak/strong moves as well as a towards, towards weak one (all powerful)
-Use the lock on during every fight. Forget trying to adjust the camera during fights.
-The game WANTS you to use Blade Mode, so USE it. Especially on large enemies.

There's more I am forgetting and there's also more I am sure I do not yet know. This is a game that requires effort, thought, practise and patience, just like all of the best hack n slash games. And, like those, I can guarantee that there is going to be a small community of extremely dedicated and adept players who will be putting out some incredible gameplay/combo videos over the coming years. And, just as true as that is, there will also be a large group of people who played the demo, got their ass kicked and shut the game off, forever writing it off as a bad game. I find that to be unfortunate. However, what I find to be even more unfortunate is that PlatinumGames is going to cause a lot of that themselves with a very underwhelming and insufficiently explanatory demo.

I really hope this incredibly talented development studio can iron out their issues and earn the sales I think they deserve.

Screens: Obsidian's South Park RPG Screenshots. Looks JUST Like the TV Show

Here are 3 screens from the new South Park Role Playing Game being developed by RPG masters Obsidian. Tell me these screenshots don't look exactly like the TV show. Ya, that's right- you can't, because they DO.

Achievements: Earned or Entitled?

Often you'll come across the following type of comments in a discussion about a particular game's achievements/trophies (I'm primarily a 360 gamer, so forgive me if/when I fail to mention trophies when I mention achievements):

Gamer A: “WHAT?!? Beat the game on the hardest difficulty without dying (or any other difficult feat)? What kind of stupid achievement is THAT? How do they expect me to earn that? That's fucking STUPID! Most people won't get that! Why would they make an achievement that's so hard to unlock?"

Gamer B: “Well, shouldn't the people who do that get rewarded for it? I mean, if someone develops the skills/takes the time to do it, why shouldn't they be rewarded? They did something awesome! They actually achieved something.”

New Ninja Gaiden 3 Scans (OXM)

Here are three new Ninja Gaiden 3 magazine scans. These ones are from OXM this time. (This is an update to this post, which contained the original 3 scans (from OPM) and a bit of info).

Scans:

Ninja Gaiden 3 Scans, and a Little Bit of Info....Including Multiplayer

Ninja Gaiden 3 Scans and Information Revealed in OXM and OPM. 


Here's a bit of info:


60 frames per second. 
Blood is back. 
Difficulty level won't be toned down for casual gamers. 
There will be both competitive and cooperative modes. One or both will support up to 8 players. 
The store is gone. Weapons will upgrade over time. 
Greater emphasis on Ryu's story. No other playable characters planned yet. 
May feature Move support."

Achievements: Earned or Entitled?

Often you'll come across the following type of comments in a discussion about a particular game's achievements/trophies (I'm primarily a 360 gamer, so forgive me if/when I fail to mention trophies when I mention achievements):

Gamer A: “WHAT?!? Beat the game on the hardest difficulty without dying (or any other difficult feat)? What kind of stupid achievement is THAT? How do they expect me to earn that? That's fucking STUPID! Most people won't get that! Why would they make an achievement that's so hard to unlock?"

Gamer B: “Well, shouldn't the people who do that get rewarded for it? I mean, if someone develops the skills/takes the time to do it, why shouldn't they be rewarded? They did something awesome! They actually achieved something.”

RESIDENT EVIL 4 and CODE VERONICA REMASTERED FOR 360/PS3!!!!

Resident Evil Revival Selection Announced

http://www.siliconera.com/2011/03/22/resident-evil-revival-selection-brings-re4-code-veronica-to-ps3-xbox-360/

HOLY FUCK HOLY FUCK HOLY FUCK!!!!!!


Capcom, I hate you for being so insidious with your monetary practises, but this is fucking RE4 we're talking about, remastered....in HD....achievements....Alright, you win, Capcom, you win.

Take my money.

Oh, ya, plus Code Veronica remastered....in HD...achievements....but whatever, fucking RESIDENT EVIL 4!!!!

The excitement I feel is ridiculous. I feel like a kid at christmas.

WOW.

I had a One Night Stand.

This blog is regarding my night last night. I am quite tired atm, in pain, and not feeling all that concerned with form, so I'm just sort of blahing on the page, so forgive any grammatical or other sorts of mistakes, and forgive the lackadaisical (is that even a word?) writing style......


Okay, on to my night!!

Allow me to set the scene:

A nice, long, romantic walk?

Check.

Romanitc dinner, featuring:

Candles?

Check.

Wine?

Check.

Great food?

Check.

Okay, so far so good. So, we head to the living room, start a fire, get comfortable, and then he tells me, dude.....I'm going to let you play with it tonight.

''For real and for true?'' I ask, my lower lip quivering ever so slightly, signaling the physcial manifestation of the desire burning deep inside me.

''Yes, for real and for true.''

And so, having said that, I leaned over, looked him deep in the eyes, and said ''Okay, turn it on for me.'' I then grabbed the sleek, beautiful controller on the little table next to him, faced the tv, and watched that PS3 logo hit the screen.

It was game time.

It was PS3 time.

It had been far too long (a month or so).

The following is the tale of this Wii60 gamer's one night stand with a Sony Playstation 3. All names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Okay, so I'm settled in, I have my hands wrapped around that sleep PS3 controller (seriously, wtf is with those triggers though......yikes. They always bug me) and the only question left is, what to play?

Heavy Rain demo, duh.

*boots up heavy rain demo*

Awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome, awes-

What the fuck? R2 to walk?

Huh?

Um.....k......what?

....

Okay, let's just keep playing.......

Okay, walking along, nice fucking visuals btw, walking along......okay, wtf? I have to hold down 3 buttons to shimmy behind a dumpster? Is this somehow more immersive? I don't get it......Oi, alright, fine....let's keep playing....

Walking, entering building, paying off office....person......talking to weird looking hooker...don't like how thoughts are floating around my head, kinda dumb, but I guess I understand why....okay, anyways......more talking.....starting to feel for her......commecting to characters.....intrigued, feel sad for woman, leaving, asthma, bad looking dude, definitely trouble, back to room, FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!!!!!!......leaving, getting in car, oh cool, another scene, talking, walking, whoa, cool technology, few clues, talking, talking, huh, intrigued, okay, ah fuck, it's over :(

Okay, couple of design choices that leave me perplexed, but all in all, quite the unique experience. I'm intruiged. Wish I had the full game to play. Can't wait to borrow PS3 down the road, this will be the first game I play through.

Okay, next game.

Hmm, let's check the demo store, my friend suggests.

OH MY FUCKING SCIENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


GOD OF WAR 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friend is very excited, downloads demo. I must now hand over controller....*sigh*

Friend plays demo twice, laughing like a schoolgirl all the way through. I must admit that it was pretty fucking impressive, even though, yet again, the combat is lacking, but I don't say this, let him have his moment.

I get the controller back, and alright, fuck it, might as well try GOW3, eevn though I'm not a fan.

Start playing, okay ya, doing this, doing that, blah blah blah. Meh, quit halfway through to a chorus of taunts from my GOW fanboy friend, who accuses me of being crazy.

Now we're playfully arguing about Bayonetta pwns GOW, no way nuh uh GOW pwns Bayonetta, blah blah.

Friend goes to bed.

I debate on what to play, swearing to myself that I am goign to stay away from Ninja Gaiden Sigma, because last time I had the PS3 to myself, I played Ninja Gaiden Sigma for 5 hours and didn't even get to play any of the other games I still haven't got to play, like Resistance.

And I'm playing Ninja Gaiden Sigma.......

*sigh*

But it's so awesome.....yes but you have all of the ninja gaiden's, it's still the same game, play somehting original.....ya but, no but, ya but.....ah shut up

*keeps playing, huge smile on face*

And I'm off to bed.

*goes to bed*

End of One Night Stand

Okay, so allow me to give a half assed ''review'' if you will of each demo. Keep in mind, I say review very lightly. I'm not putting on my review hat for these. Just a quick paragraph or two, and totaly informal ones at that.

Heavy Rain

So, despite some cumbersome and clunky controls (and a really fucking curious decision to have a walk button), the iffy floating/circular thoughts, and a few moments of weak dialogue and voice acting (which for the most part are both strong) Heavy Rain ended up being pretty damn awesome. I'm really looking forward to experiencing the full thing. I won't be able to for a few months, however, so I must avoid spoilers at all costs, so no Heavy Rain message board.

I rate the Heavy Rain demo a very solid 7.5/10. It was a decent length, definitely left me wanting more, and the game is solid, but the few few issues I mentioned really detracted from the experience for me.

Keep in mind, however, that in my scale, a 7.5 is pretty damn good.

God of War 3

God of War 3 is quite the experience......to watch. I actually really enjoyed watching my friend play it (despite the fact that he's a button masher, even by GOW standards). Sick ass enemy designs, nice graphics, awesome backgrounds/landscapes, visceral as hell finishers, sweet music....OH! and did I say awesome enemy designs? Seriously, when that Minotaur appeared, even this jaded motherfucker named magx let out an ''OH COOL!!!!'' (And then watched my friend get pwnd by it......*Sigh*).

Anyways, yes, GOW3 seems to excell in all of the areas the other ones do: the presentation, design, intensity, etc. But the combat, and I'm sorry GOW fans, I'm not saying it's terrible, but to me, it's lackluster. It looks good, but it's really quite lacking by my standards, and frankly, for the standards of the genre. The entire system needs to be reworked, and that actually reminds me, they didn't seem to have expanded it very much for this game, but it is a demo, so I won't make a final proclamation on that point.

I also guess in a way that it makes sense for what they are trying to convey. I suppose that Kratos zooming around the screen like Ryu or Bayonetta wouldn't make much sense, but they still could add some combo variety, give him more leeway in terms of cancelling stun properties and animations (like the roll), add a few extra luanchers and aerial moves to add some more emphasis on, and variety to, aerial combat (which my friend never once even used...wtf) and tighten up the evasive manouver (new button map, scrap the current animation in favour of a new, faster one. The AI also needs some work.

But that's just me.

I rate the GOW3 demo a 5.5/10 to play, and a 9/10 to watch. That shit was really fun to watch. I might just watch him play the full game when it releases lol.

Oh, and the ending......hehehehe. I had a feeling they'd hold back on the bosss fight, and they did. My friend got so excited when he saw Kratos come flying out of that ventilation shaft and zone in on that (awesome looking btw) bosses head....and when the demo suddenly ended his face was absolutely pricelss. I think he stared at the screen in silence for a full minute, with his mouth agape and a faraway look in his eyes......hehehehehe.

Oh, and of course, I rate my time with Ninja Gaiden Sigma an 11/10.

Oh, shit, almost forgot. In the morning (I crashed at his place) we downloaded the Yakuza 3 demo, and I got my first taste of Yakuza. Suffice it to say, I hope somebody makes a proper 3D beat em up one day.......

I rate Yakuza an underwhelming and clunky combat/10.

Is it so hard to do good combat in a 3D beat em up, people? I mean, come on, they can't just copy the formula of something like Dynamite Cop or God Hand?

If not, then shut up and make 2D ones, damn it.

Ciao....for now......