Real quick before I talk about the game; I just have to mention the experience leading up to it, mostly because I thought it funny. Going into the MGR booth, a group of us were corralled into a room where we watched a video; a laughably horrible actor playing a soldier named “Mercy” was there to pep talk us as we prepare to “join” the elite force of Maverick Security. I had the suspicion that the video was just there to stall for time while the group before us finished their play session, ‘cause it was hilariously obvious that not much time was spent on it.
Konami, you should’ve just skipped the horrible video and let us play for a little bit longer; because dammit, I had a blast with Revengeance in my short time with it.
To unfairly categorize the game for folks who need a TL;DR review – this game really does play like Bayonetta (think fast-paced with frenetic battle) set in the Metal Gear universe.
You play as Raiden, cybernetic assassin for Maverick Security. A busted village sets the scene for the demo, and after a couple short tutorial segments on movement and blade mode, you’re off to bust some heads… or rather, slice heads in half. Battle is definitely quick, but with Raiden’s slick ninja skills, you can be ambushed by multiple enemies and still make quick work of the entire group. Linking attacks into combos seems fluid, right into finishing moves you can pull of by holding a button or combination of buttons.
Blade mode is one of the coolest (and most gruesome) things about the game to me. Holding down a button (I think it was L2) immediately puts you into blade mode. You can set the angle you slice with either the right stick or by using Sixaxis controls; a quick flick of the stick makes the slice. And then you do it again, and again until your enemy crumbles into what seems like a billion little pieces. It’s bloody satisfying, to be sure.
I had made it just past the first battle with a Gecko before my time was over, which was unfortunately just before the “ninja run” tutorial, which was the other unique feature I wanted to play with.
If you were expecting another stealth Metal Gear game, this may not be something you’ll buy right away. You can definitely be stealthy in parts, but the game doesn’t seem to focus on stealth the way the other franchise titles do. Instead, Metal Gear Solid: Revengeance is much faster-paced and a welcome change to the series.
Enjoy the gallery of screenshots, and the official trailer below!
