Intro
I didn't have big hopes when I first started playing MGR. I have as much respect for Platinum as any gamer does. The concern that I was having was Konami's input in the game. Keep in mind that Konami's incompetence ended with this game first being cancelled. With it's revival there were certain concerns coming into it such as which developer had control in the overall project. I should also mention that I'm not a big fan of Metal Gear Solid 4. I didn't much care for the overly long cut scenes that weren't that interesting. I was worried that this game would continue MGS4's story telling. I'm happy to report that my worries were for naught. MGR is a weird game that combines some of Kojima's and Platinum's sensibilities in regard to the story telling.
Zandatsu
Story is good and all but the best part of this game is the combat. It isn't as complex as games like Bayonetta. However, it isn't too simple for everyone. The combat system relies on a parry system instead of focusing on lengthy combos. In this game you don't have a dedicated blocking button. You have to parry to defeat enemies in this game. In order to do that you have to press the action button and point the stick to where an attack is coming. Doing this will let you be able to do Zandatsu(cut and take) which lets you slash opponents into tiny little pieces. This is also one of the few ways to get health during combat. The basic combat can also be upgraded with more health, more attack, etc. You can also use weapons from bosses that you've beaten such as a Sai. These extra weapons make combat more interesting as it changes that way that you usually fight in combat.
Oddly enough, MGR can actually be played stealthily. Like previous Metal Gear games in the franchise you can sneak across areas and actually avoid combat. You can use classics like the cardboard box to achieve your stealth run a lot easier. However, you have to fight some enemies to continue with the story as well as defeat bosses. While in stealth you can also 1 hit kill enemies by sneaking up to them and pressing the action button. The game has a weird mix of both action and stealth which makes it stand apart from other action games. The enemy encounters are also satisfying as most are strong enough to be challenging.
After The Patriots
The takes place four years after the events of Metal Gear Solid 4. After the death of the Patriots is what is most of the story revolves around. Raiden starts off the game by joining a PMC called Maverick. Your main objective at the start is to protect the Prime Minister of an African country. Things take a dark turn and most of the story is about Raiden's revenge. The story isn't your typical Metal Gear story. It isn't as bizarre as most Metal Gear stories or as huge as they regularly are. In fact, it took me around 7 hours to finish MGR which is short for a Metal Gear game. The length of games is a touchy subject so I'll let you decide on whether it's worth it.
For me personally I don't believe that the mechanics in this game can be engaging for long. It's the perfect amount of time for me as I had my fill with the combat by the end of the game. I'm mostly disappointed by how much of a side story this game is. It doesn't change the Metal Gear universe that much. It does feel like a game that was always going to be a one of thing that wouldn't have any real input in the Metal Gear universe. There are still enough cray characters to make the story worth playing. In particular the last boss is a mix between Kojima and Platinum games story telling. I won't spoil it as it's worth seeing. All I'll say is that it made the game much better in the end.
In Conclusion
I had a blast with Metal Gear Rising. I loved the combat, some of the story, the music, and a whole lot more. It's quite a pretty game that has a solid frame rate overall. The length of the game is a tough argument to have but there is enough content in there to satisfy most people. There are also extra things like VR missions, hard modes, and more if you want to keep playing more of it. There are some things that I wasn't a fan of in the game such as the voice acting. Raiden's voice actor tries to sound tough during a section in the game with his history as Jack the Ripper which sounds awful. The other characters also don't have any interesting voice acting overall which is disappointing. The camera is also a sticking point for me as it isn't as precise as I'd like it to be. There is also a lack of big set pieces through out the game. There are several boss fights but some aren't as crazy as they could be. I still recommend this game for both Metal Gear fans and Platinum fans. There is enough content to satisfy both which is surprising. It'll be interesting to see what happens from here with Metal Gear but for now it's enough.
Be sure to check out the video below which is me talking about Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.
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