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blackcat 4:02 AM


We told you about some of the stuff Geralt will get up to in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt yesterday, and today we can show you what he'll look like doing it. CD Projekt Red has released 12 new screenshots of the game running on PlayStation 4, which we invite you to peruse above.

These shots show the icy islands of Skellige. They also give us an early peek at Red Engine 3, which CD Projekt Red says is still in its early stages. Hopefully that explains the Ignii spell effect, which (at least in frozen motion) looks more like a contraband sparkler than a mighty gout of flame.

The Witcher 3 is coming in 2014 for PC, PlayStation 4, and other "high-end platforms."

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blackcat 9:27 PM
 


This is an action-adventure game based on characters from the Deadpool comic book franchise. Players assume the role of Deadpool, a mercenary on a mission to hunt down and capture an evil millionaire. As players traverse enemy strongholds, they use an assortment of melee weapons (swords, sais, giant hammers) and firearms (pistols, machine guns, shotguns) to kill human soldiers and mutant enemies. Battles are frenetic and accompanied by screams of pain, gunfire, and large blood-splatter effects. Some attacks result in dismemberment or decapitations; body parts and bloodstains can be seen on the ground. Players can also employ stealth attacks, in which close-up camera angles depict more severe damage against enemies. Throughout the game, the protagonist provides irreverent commentary and jokes amidst the exaggerated acts of violence (e.g., “No guts no glory” when hanging from his entrails; “Oh that's gonna leave a mark” when dismembering an enemy; “That's because you have more comics than me” when repeatedly beating a character on the ground). The dialogue also contains mature humor, sexual material and innuendo (e.g., “Two less herpes cases to worry about,” “The pipe I was offered gives way more pleasure,” “So if I flip a coin, what are my chances of getting head?”). Other instances of mature humor include an extended toilet scene and the pumping up of an inflatable doll. During the course of the game, the protagonist is briefly shown reaching for and groping a woman's breasts; in another, he is depicted grabbing an inflatable doll's breast while in a hot tub. The words “f**k,” “sh*t,” and “a*shole” are heard in dialogue.

Even when you take out all the jokes about sex and violence, Deadpool still makes for an awesome action-game hero. Let's hope the character delivers all all fronts, both action and humor (which is tough to pull of in games) when it arrives later this year for Xbox 360 and PS3.

 

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blackcat 1:54 PM

 Aside from Capcom's own JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, I can't think of a fighting game series with a more cracked-out cast than Darkstalkers. Sadly, besides having a few characters present in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, this funky bunch has been warming the bench for around a decade now. Much to the elation of hardcore fighting fans everywhere, Capcom's decided to put them back into play with Darkstalkers Resurrection, an HD re-release handled by Iron Galaxy Studios, the same folks who did such a fine job with Street Fighter III: Third Strike Online and Marvel vs. Capcom Origins.

Similar to the latter, Darkstalkers Resurrection delivers not one, but two
games in one package: Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge and Darkstalkers 3. Having already done a bang-up job on three other Capcom classics, Iron Galaxy has this down to a science at this point. The menus, options, and presentation are all in line with their past works, which is a very good thing.


In a lot of ways, these remakes are more fully featured and functional than Capcom's current flagship fighters. Sure, the games are old and the visuals are dated, but everything else is aces. GGPO netcode is always a plus, as is the sequential button configuration screen. You get full replay functionality, with the ability to save and watch replays with friends online (including chat support so you can talk it over), and the ability to upload matches directly to your personal Youtube account. Training mode is also completely decked out, with dummy recording and even save states so you can efficiently prepare for any situation you might face. Then there are 8-player lobbies, spectator mode, online tournament support... when's Capcom gonna start incorporating all this into their main games again?

That's a lot of good news for the nuts who live and die by fighting games, but Iron Galaxy wants to teach newbies the ropes while they're at it. I mean real
teaching, not just combo trials. Every character gets a five-part detailed tutorial explaining effective move applications, overall strategies, and practical combos. The only other game I've seen do this is Skullgirls, and in my opinion, this needs to become a standard practice if fighting games are going to continue to grow. Mashing buttons and getting crushed only stays fun for so long after all.


As for the games themselves, they're both straight ports of the arcade versions. When Darkstalkers hit the scene, it established many new mechanics that would go onto become mainstays of Capcom's fighters. Zany as it looks, it's still quite tame compared to the non-stop bug-out that is Marvel vs. Capcom, but it's still distinct enough from Street Fighter to stand on its own. With any luck, this package will make a new set of fans fall in love with Demitri, Talbain, Jedah, and company, hopefully paving the way for a true Darkstalkers sequel in the process. Hey, a man can dream, can't he?

Darkstalkers Resurrection will be available March 12th on PSN for $14.99, and the day after on XBLA.

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blackcat 7:18 AM
An unnecessary blast from the past.
So this is how I think it went. After bringing their Amiga classic to PlayStation Mobile last year in honor of the 21st anniversary of the title (yes, it is that old), the guys over at Team17 Digital thought, what the heck, let's make a quick buck by polishing it up and porting it to PS3 and Vita as well.
Make no mistake, Alien Breed is every bit the 1991 title you may or may not have played over twenty years ago—for better or (predominantly) worse. If you've got some extra PSN credit burning a hole in your digital wallet, I suggest you look elsewhere, unless you have some sort of unnatural attachment to this now ancient piece of digital entertainment.


For those that aren't familiar with the series (and for whatever reason still find themselves reading this review), Alien Breed is a traditional top-down shooter that has you fending off aliens as you navigate through a series of what are essentially glorified mazes. As you might expect, there isn't a whole lot to the game. Simply walk and shoot. Needless to say, it gets rather repetitive, even after playing for a short amount of time. There are items scattered throughout the levels (cash, first-aid kits, keys, etc.) that give you something to hunt for in addition to each mission's endpoint, but a smattering of items doesn't really help keep things fresh for very long.
This is an old game.
Fortunately, Team17 did make a few adjustments that prevent it from being a complete rip-off of a port. The first and most notable change is the added ability to switch between "classic" and "enhanced" mode. This allows players to play the game with either its original graphics or an improved look, which to be completely honest, is rather underwhelming. Considering the power of the PS3 and Vita, there's plenty of wasted potential in this arena.

That said, I must applaud the studio for at least adding in the ability to fire independently from movement thanks to the benefits that come with a second analog stick. You can also pull up an in-game store anytime during play and purchase additional keys, ammo, weapons, etc. should you wish to spend some of that green you've been collecting.
If you've got a PlayStation 3 and a Vita, you'll be able to take advantage of cross-platform play, so if you want to move your save from one device to the other, you're more than welcome to do so. There's also local and online co-op play, so if you want to drag a friend along with you, you have the option. Unfortunately, you can't wander too far from each other, as both players must work together within the same confined window at all times.
Did I already mention that this is a really old game?
When I first booted up Alien Breed and heard its awesome retro title music, I was filled with optimism, but as soon as I jumped into the actual game, the endearing tunes faded away. I was forced to listen to little more than a handful of alien sounds and the banging of my gun, which cut into the otherwise audibly sterile experience. Like I said before, unless you have some sort of undying affinity for this series, I recommend you steer clear. Seriously, there are plenty of other titles on the PlayStation Store worth your hard-earned cash.

Copy provided by publisher. Review based on PS3 copy.
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blackcat 12:43 AM

Whether you want to admit it or not, everyone kind of loves a good troll. A good troll, mind you, doesn't just set out to ruin everyone's day. He or she sets out to really paint a target on themself. A good troll does such an amazing job grinding productivity and fun to a halt that people stop, take notice, and remember next time. At least that's what happened when Stealth2K stopped back last week during all of our PS4 coverage.

Comments for the week hit an all-time high on GameRevolution, as did active commeters, meaning our happy little family got just a little bit bigger, but not before we determined who'll never be invited back. Seriously, just look at the list of negative comments the rats spinning the wheels at the GR compound spit out.



Can this ever be topped? Is Stealth2k planning his next strike? Will more new people come to GameRevolution despite the smell? Let's get to the list!

#1 - GRTroll
Sony Will Compete With Valve, Not Microsoft Next-Generation
16 Thumbs Up - 1 Thumbs Down



Welp, looks like my job here has already been done. Back to my cave I go!


#2 - reiandcoke
Tell GR: PlayStation Or Nintendo 64?
10 Thumbs Up - 4 Thumbs Down



I hate to be the bearer of bad news but the PlayStation didn't have Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Perfect Dark, Banjo-Kazooie, Mario Kart 64, Star Fox 64, Conker's Bad Fur Day, Pokemon Snap, Mario 64, Paper Mario, Diddy Kong Racing, GoldenEye, Banjo-Tooie, Smash Bros., Mario Golf & Tennis, Excitebike 64, Blast Corps, 1080, PilotWings 64 and Sin & Punishment. You'll survive.


#3 - LawnGnome
What Are You Playing? February 23rd, 2013
9 Thumbs Up - 0 Thumbs Down



The Witcher. I know I'm supposed to be on some sort of epic quest, but I'm overly obsessed with collecting all of the naked lady romance cards.


In reply - tinymhg


7 Thumbs Up - 0 Thumbs Down



That is an "epic quest".


#4 - thedarkstar
Eidos Exec Talks Next-Gen, Xbox 720 Will Supposedly Have Watermarked Discs
8 Thumbs Up - 0 Thumbs Down



Or, they will gloss over it completely and reveal that at a later date. That is what scares me.


#5 - cyberjim2000
DayZ Developers Get To Pretend They're Zombies
7 Thumbs Up - 0 Thumbs Down



Me and a friend were exploring an airport on the northern part of the map. He went ahead to the air control tower while I was checking out the hangers. I messed up and got chased around by the zombies. So I ran into the hanger to take care of them. I turned around and saw another person in a corner looking at me with an AK in his hand. I knew it wasn't my friend because the player was using the default model and my friend uses a black man's model. I looked back and for awhile we just stared at each other with weapons in hand.


Well, I guess I pulled the trigger first and unloaded bullets into his face. I told my friend and we looted the guy's corpse. I felt really bad because he wasn't exactly hostile and to this day I felt guilty about it. I wished I could pull a George Lucas and say that the other guy shot first and I was just defending myself... But I know I shot first and it was either me or him. My friend later said, "Don't worry. It gets easier every time..." Well, it doesn't.


 

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blackcat 6:24 PM

Koch Media has announced a new Metro: Last Light release date of May 14, 2013 in Northern and Latin America and May 17 across Europe.


Former publisher THQ had planned to release the shooter sequel in March, but the launch window has changed since Koch Media bought the rights to the franchise earlier this year for $5.8 million.


Koch Media CEO Dr. Klemens Kundratitz said: “The new release date is the ideal way to strike the balance between bringing the best out of Metro: Last Light and not keep the fans waiting longer than necessary. We won’t leave that time unexploited and will work closely together with 4A Games to make the game even better. It will receive all the attention it deserves.”


 

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blackcat 5:33 PM
 
The video above from vBlank Entertainment, developers of Retro City Rampage, explores what it would take to complete the original vision of the game as a true 8-bit experience. Thanks to modern technology, Retro City Rampage is free to shake free of the retro chains that adorn its every pixel.

But that means it's not really an 8-bit game. Developer Brian Provinciano walks us through the transformation process by diving deep into the inner-workings of the game. Even if you haven't played Retro City Rampage (you should) it's worth a look if you're curious as to how the sausage is made without actually getting your hands dirty and making a sausage yourself.


 

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blackcat 2:48 PM




The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is coming in 2014, but up until now we've known little about it other than its place in the tale. Now, thanks to our friends at OXM, we have a few snippets about what Geralt will get up to... Besides Witching, we mean.

Geralt will use several new tricks to progress through the 50 hour main storyline--like jumping(!), climbing, and a called-shot combat mechanic, much like Fallout 3's VATS. He'll travel from the free city of Novigrad, to the Skellige Islands, and through "war-ravaged wasteland," with active townspeople carrying out their own routines and reporting any observed infractions to the authorities.

As the title suggests, hunting will be an important activity. Geralt can track animals across the wilderness, and skin them for crafting materials or just to trade. Towns will have reactive economies, so vendors won't keep paying out huge sums for pelts if their stockrooms are already full of them.

Finally, save games will transfer from The Witcher 2, though we'll see if this is relevant for console players. The game has only been announced for PC and "high-end platforms" so far, and we're unsure of how, if at all, Xbox 360 and PS3 players could move their progress up to next-gen systems.

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blackcat 11:13 AM


The sky is the limit for Project Awakened, but its Kickstarter campaign is still a bit too earthbound. The open-world build-your-own-hero game is at $212,000 out of its $500,000 goal, with just four days to go.


Phosphor Games, best known for iOS action-adventure Horn, has been working on the game off-and-on for years. The effort shows in the fairly polished prototype videos which pepper its Kickstarter page, but to begin full-time development the studio needs a significant cash infusion.


Whether the campaign is successful or not, we'll be interested to see what Phosphor does with the ambitious concept down the line.

 
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blackcat 10:29 AM
At least NIS America isn't making us wait that long.
When I first saw Time and Eternity in action, I admit that I first thought, "These devs played Dragon's Lair and finally figured out how to bring good animation to a full environment."  The idea of using traditional styles of animation in games has been around for years now, but up until now those games have only ended up cel-shaded experiences… until now.

Not much information was given for the story, but here's what we know so far. The marriage of a knight and his would-be princess is interrupted by some kind of assassin squad, where the knight is mortally wounded. His princess, Toki, soon thereafter finds herself with two distinct personalities: her normal red-headed self and a blonde alter-ego, Towa.  Each of them has a unique set of skills at her disposal, with Toki preferring a long-range battle strategy with a rifle and Towa becoming the classic hand-to-hand berzerker-type. Together—'cuz hey, they're sharing a body already—they set out to do… something. Maybe save the hubby. I dunno, it wasn't clear.



TaE is a fully-animated RPG, and when I say "fully animated" I genuinely mean that every cel of character animation is done by hand. The landscapes are in 3D, but everyone from Toki/Towa to the baddies littered throughout are everything expected from a medieval-looking animé. It's a unique choice of presentation I admit, with characters looking like cutouts taped to the screen instead of involved in the game itself. It's a striking visual style, unlike anything I've seen (since Don Bluth's masterpieces in the 1980s).

Battles are almost traditional JRPG fare. Gone are the standard menu systems, since these are active battles instead of passive fare. The left stick can charge an enemy, jump back to avoid close-range attacks, or jump to either side to avoid incoming fire. SP/Magic Points are charged up throughout a battle so special attacks can be unleashed, which gives every fight a mix of strategic RPG and traditional fighting game vibe. It's a mix with one additional twist: Every time your princess levels up, she turns into the other personality. Without one item called the "Pepper" (bringing to mind Launch, the alternating sweetheart/gun-toting lunatic from the Dragonball
universe), a character can't swap between Toki and Towa, but beyond the name we don't know how that works yet.


The last bit of info we do know is when to expect Time and Eternity to see store shelves, and that's this summer in both a physical and digital release. Then we just might find out if a fiery redhead's gun is best, or if blondes do indeed have more fun (with knives, of course).

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blackcat 7:03 AM

  That's point No. 1 in the developer documentary video above, which shows how Naughty Dog set about making The Last of Us' infected into uniquely terrifying foes. We're totally going to call them zombies--c'mon, they're still contagious, vicious, mindless ex-people--but their idiosyncratic behavior and appearance do a lot to set them apart.


You can try not to breathe in any spores, or let your friends get killed by bandits, when The Last of Us releases for PlayStation 3 on June 14.

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8 comments View as: Newest first Oldest first

metalgatesolid - 8 hours, 11 minutes ago

Wow... This game will be terrifying... Reply Report

winner2 - 16 hours, 31 minutes ago

Those are some diabolical mushrooms Reply Report

ObliqueZombie - February 28, 2013 7:46 p.m.

The more I see of this, the more impressed I am. The sound design could rival that of Halo 4--even surpass it. Reply Report

Ryan_Taljonick - February 28, 2013 7:06 p.m.

Welp, they make that awful noise that the creepy chick from The Grudge makes. Which means I will scream like a child the entire time. Reply Report

GamesRadarCollanderCooper - February 28, 2013 4:39 p.m.

This is what happens in Obama's America Reply Report

BladedFalcon - February 28, 2013 3:51 p.m.

Those things really are disgustingly creepy, and I do like that they behave a bit more differently in regards of being blind and reacting to sound. Still, I kinda wish they did even more to distinguish themselves, but then, you'd risk having your game feel too weird or outlandish, I suppose, and they do seem to want to keep it more towards the "realistic" side of things. Reply Report

alex-roy-bristol - 15 hours, 53 minutes ago

Yeah', they sure are disgusting eh'?? But, still, I kind of agree with you on the "making them even more horrific" thing... However, if they still retained most of the "human"ness of them, than maybe it'll be more emotional and/or disturbing to gun them down, and maybe even some moral shit thrown in there, just for extra fun at/towards the end! :D Also, this isn't Silent Hill, nor The Thing, so those designs juuuusst miight not fit and work with this game world, even though we may wish so a little bit from time to time... :PStill looks freaking GREAT though!! :D Reply Report

BladedFalcon - 10 hours, 17 minutes ago

Yeah, agreed on the silent hill or the thing point. Which is why I understand why they have kept them this way, even if I would have liked them to go even further with the idea of fungus infected humans. Mainly because it's such a cool idea that hasn't really been explored before. Reply Report

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blackcat 3:04 AM

There's been some confusion around the internet concerning the recent Vita sales numbers in Japan. Some have said that sales already took a boost without the price drop, and that the system would have outsold the Wii-U without its newfound affordability. This is not so.

While the price cut officially begins on the 28th, many video game shops around Japan began selling Vita hardware at reduced prices at least a few days early, if not immediately after Sony's announcement. A lot of shops figured, hey, why wait around and slog through a(nother) week of no one buying Vita? Why not be the first to make that sweet PSV money? Nationwide chains like Yamada Denki and Tsutaya waited until today, I assume because there'd be a bunch of corporate red tape to go through with any price changing decisions. I assume, but I don't know. Me telling you that is what separates me from most game journalists. Revolution, B. You can't see it, but I'm holding up a gang sign. It means I am in a gang, but I am not in a gang. I am lying to you. Me telling you that is what separates me from most game journalists.


Back to not lying. Sony's announcement was 10 days ago, I noticed more shops knocking Vita to its new price as time went by. Making my rounds today, they of course all had it down to the new 20,000 price tag. This, plus the launches of Phantasy Star Online 2 and Senran Kagura Shinovi Versus should lead to a big jump in Vita sales on next week's charts. The releases of Tales of Hearts-R, Soul Sacrifice, Dead or Alive 5 Plus, One Piece Pirate Warriors 2, and a portable Atelier Meruru should keep the system's performance respectable all month long. All according to keikaku.


 

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blackcat 2:59 AM

Koch Media has announced a new Metro: Last Light release date of May 14, 2013 in Northern and Latin America and May 17 across Europe.


Former publisher THQ had planned to release the shooter sequel in March, but the launch window has changed since Koch Media bought the rights to the franchise earlier this year for $5.8 million.


Koch Media CEO Dr. Klemens Kundratitz said: “The new release date is the ideal way to strike the balance between bringing the best out of Metro: Last Light and not keep the fans waiting longer than necessary. We won’t leave that time unexploited and will work closely together with 4A Games to make the game even better. It will receive all the attention it deserves.”


 

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blackcat 11:49 PM



Want the best graphics for one of the best games of 2013? Well, I have two letters for you: PC.
While talking to InsideGamer, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot stated that Watch Dogs is being developed for PC before translation to other platforms. The reason given was the ease of porting games from PC architecture over to consoles, and that doing it the other way around has taken additional effort in the past.

Ubisoft is in-luck with the PlayStation 4's hardware which isn't a radical departure from PCs. Actually, it might be the easiest version to port to, which will only aid in ensuring it's optimized before release. It's also coming to the Wii U, PlayStation 3, and the Xbox 360 making Ubisoft's multi-platform endeavor as adventurous as possible. But not without reward. Watch Dogs, as fully displayed during the PlayStation 4 announcement, is a game that could very well be the best of the year. If it's as good as it looks, Ubisoft's fatiguing port jobs will precede success on sales charts.

If you'd like to learn more about Watch Dogs, check out our preview where we detail the game's intriguing espionage-based, open-world gameplay.

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blackcat 7:24 PM

One thing I've noticed with my time in the Dragon's Triangle, death comes frequently enough, but it doesn't take much to avoid it altogether. A few button presses here and a few there and Lara would skim through life unscathed by time, nature, bullets, even blades. Or... you know she might get thrown off a cliff in the end anyway.
While Tomb Raider "2013" has had many similarities drawn between it and the Uncharted series, I've died more frequently in Tomb Raider than I have as Nathan Drake. What's more, I feel like the weapons and enemies are more responsive than they are in Uncharted 2 or 3 (I haven't played the first).
Easily my favorite part of the game is setting up a combat scenario that leaves my enemies without a single possible opening. Pin one enemy's head to the wall with my bow and arrow and then sneak up behind another. Finish the last one off with my pistol and move forward.
Leave it to Lara's asshole friends to send me everywhere while they sit at camp. Most of my deaths have come from environmental traps and other platforming mistakes. Sure, some of these look pretty stupid, like that one where the building falls out from under me. But for the most part Tomb Raider holds up as a cinematic experience despite the user error.
Lara's cries of pain are so terrible that I've shut the game off and the level of interactivity and variation from moment to moment is a lot of fun. I'll have to keep pressing forward though. Expect GameRevolution's full review of Tomb Raider on Tuesday.
That happens to be the day Tomb Raider, the franchise reboot from Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix hits Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. You can read more about the game by visiting our Tomb Raider game page.

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blackcat 2:46 PM

 Throughout DmC: Devil May Cry, I felt like Vergil bossed me around a bit too much. I suppose that's why I'm not surprised that Dante is getting a little revenge on his brother in the form of lots of time in Limbo. Vergil's Downfall picks up where the main game ends, but with Vergil's own brand of swordplay, you might have to learn how to walk all over again.

At least I did. I got comfortable with the way Rebellion and Dante's dual pistols, Ebony and Ivory, felt. Vergil's ranged attack seemingly does a bit more damage than Dante's pistols, but even pounding out a standard combo encouraged a more deliberate, measured approach.

That's fitting of Vergil's character, as he's now trapped in Limbo by a very angry Dante. Unhappy that Vergil would use the humans to his own end, Dante sends Vergil to many of the locales you've seen in the main game, but with plenty of paths and combat scenarios reworked to keep things from getting boring.
Longtime fans of the series will be pleased to find that many of Vergil's combat maneuvers are pulled straight from Devil May Cry 3, including the Slash Dimension, Air Trick, Summoned Swords, and a host of other new abilities. What's more, Vergil can activate Devil Trigger to summon a shadow of himself to aid in combat.

I'm relatively new to the series thanks to the HD collection and the latest offering from Ninja Theory, but thinking back and recalling the muscle memory of my favorite combinations got me through the trials on hand. I pulled enemies to me and launched them into the air with relative ease.


As the combat quickened, I had to wrestle with Vergil's pace and weapons. Still, that satisfying rhythm that pervades through DmC came back to me in flashes and left me wanting more. If Capcom can expand on the existing combat systems while throwing curves at cocky SSS
rank players, Vergil's Downfall will be the kind of DLC we like.
What's more, players who preordered at GameStop get this expansion for free, meaning you should hold onto your disc. I was stopped short of continuing to the second mission, and what I played was short on narrative, but keeping things secret means I don't get anything spoiled prematurely either.

With every level complete with hidden collectibles and DmC's scaling difficulties, Vergil's Downfall appears set to expand on the wicked sense of speed and vicious combat established in Ninja Theory's reboot. The DLC pack will arrive on Xbox 360 and PS3 for 720MSP or $8.99 later this month.

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blackcat 10:14 AM

 It was reported that the development of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance was contentious, which isn't surprising given the way fans have gravitated to lofty expectations of a perfect blend of stealth and action. A cyborg ninja that can slice and dice, while still providing plenty of opportunity for the franchise's signature stealth?

It sounds too good to be true, and that's because it is. Of course, Platinum Games took on the project, saving it from cancelation and giving fans at least one look at what a post-MGS4 Raiden game might be like. In the end, is Revengeance a title fans and curios alike should play?



Raiden starts in Africa, escorting a president through newly peaceful territory. Kojima Productions puts the usual spin on government intrigue, high-flying ideals, and a wide world of "comical" commentary on race. A band of mercenaries calling themselves Desperado attack, kill the president, and leave Raiden for dead. Of course, being a cyborg, Raiden returns with a few upgrades, notably to his sword-swinging arm.

Players will find that they regain health and fuel for their high-speed chopping needs, so long as the sword keeps slicing and dicing other cyborgs. Excitedly bashing away at one enemy will trigger a Zandatsu opportunity.

That's your chance to cut your foes apart all while hoping to grab their luminescent, blue cyborg spines. That's the gooey center you want. Getting to that is all that matters and you'll do what it takes because that completely refills your health and energy, all so you can turn to the next enemy and start again.

As for the story, Desperado continues to do evil stuff, and Raiden pursues like the good boy scout he is. It doesn't take long for Raiden's split-personality to appear and with it, insane difficulty walls insurmountable to laypeople like myself. Raiden's not able to dodge at the start like many other action-game heroes, but he can parry. [There's an unlockable dodge mechanic, but the game isn't worth the investment to get to that point.]
Unfortunately, to parry successfully in any difficulty above Easy, you also have to point the left analog stick in the appropriate direction. That's fine once you've memorized the attack animations in each level, but for a first playthrough, the parry system and lack of an all-purpose evasion move makes for stunted, fitful gameplay.
All of this comes to a head when players meet George, a Mexican orphan kidnapped and trafficked so that his organs could be harvested. Of course, Desperado only wants the children's brains for their own PMC uses. Remembering his past, Raiden pushes forward and chases the Desperado gang to Denver and onward around the globe.
I couldn't, though. Revengeance can border on masochistic, forcing players to question their dedication to this tightly dressed sword-swinger. After switching to Easy, the game bent to my will immediately, allowing Raiden to auto-parry whenever an unfriendly blade started its arc. So long as I mashed the attack button, Raiden would cover my ass.

It was disappointing, to say the least. I can imagine how it feels to parry successfully on normal or hard difficulty (glorious), but the rest of the game isn't entertaining enough for the commitment. New weapons unlock throughout the campaign, but there's little to no incentive to switch between them. What's more, Raiden cannot switch weapons while moving, so forget swapping the polearm for sais mid-fight. The camera can also get in the way, especially when Raiden is close to an enemy and when the camera is fighting against the sword controls with the left analog stick.

Every plot hole sprints in and awkwardly lands on its face thanks to the full acknowledgement of other characters. When Raiden starts fighting for his own ideals and not his contractor's, Raiden's boss Boris "officially condemns" him as "a pain in the ass hole."



In the end, Revengeance plainly represents the two competing ideals inherent in stealth and action games. A typical Platinum Games experience creates tension by overwhelming and throwing a ton of activity at the player. A typical Kojima game creates tension by forcing the player to fight the urge to move aggressively.

This conflict is no more apparent than in the stealth mechanics you're occasionally given the option of engaging in. Raiden moves like a nimble cyborg semi-truck. Turn on your visor and locate a red enemy. Lumber over and cautiously approach the enemy from behind or above. Press circle or B to see a fancy animation where you stab the poor bastards in your way. You have an even chance of goofily wandering in front of the cyborg before ultimately being successful or failing because the controls don't allow for precision.

As for replay, players can collect a million things and unlock VR missions, concept art, and more. Play through the game repeatedly and each time players will carry over stat increases and the like. Those increases might make the game easier on higher difficulties, but I didn't have the heart to try.

I love the gooey center of every cyborg PMC out there, but Revengeance fights the player every step of the way. What's more, reducing the difficulty ultimately boils down the combat to a button masher, leaving the experience hollow and draining all the same. Fans and masochists alike might find a lot to love, but even I can't stand the crunchy outside of a bug for the sweet gooey insides.

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