Game review: Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

KICKING slow stealth gameplay to the kerb, this crazy hack ’n’ slash title favours fast action instead. Set years after Metal Gear Solid 4, the plot follows cyborg mercenary for hire Raiden as he becomes tangled up in a plot to kickstart the war economy during global peacetime.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

£44.99, PS3/Xbox 360

The game’s killer hook is Raiden’s ability to cut almost anything in the world. Once you have enough battery charge, players can trigger Blade mode, slowing down time and letting players slash targets with precision. It’s possible to reduce enemy cyborgs, cars, trees and other objects to ribbons in a matter of seconds.

Blade mode aside, Raiden can unleash a variety of sword attacks and use a range of heavy weapons obtained from defeated bosses. You can easily string together katana swipes with long range polearm flourishes, or control crowds with a pair of hulking dual blades. The variety of combat may not be on par with Bayonetta or Devil May Cry, but the feeling of empowerment more than makes up for it.

There is even room for classic Metal Gear stealth play. Raiden can scurry around under boxes and barrels to get the drop on unsuspecting guards, earning extra Battle Points. Earned points can be spent on new weapons, attacks and character skins, bolstered further by hidden collectibles in the game world.

Anyone who still wants to perform Raiden’s mad stunts from Metal Gear Solid 4 can do so in this game. A satisfying power-trip that’s well worth experiencing.