Reviews Elsewhere: Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

Revengeance is a dish best served Recold

It’s been a long time coming, but Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is finally in stores and available for your salty fingers. Naturally, the launch has been accompanied by all manner of juicy reviews, including our own rather glowing appraisal. 

The critics have been generally impressed by Platinum Games’ take on Kojima’s wacky world, with scores sitting comfortably across the seven and nine range. That said, not everybody was a fan, with one review going so far as to slap the game with a three. Variety is the spice of life!

We’ve gathered some of the most noteworthy reviews for your viewing pleasure. See what some people who aren’t us said about the game!

: “Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance combines reckless abandon with the beauty of precision. It’s a fast, frantic, fun game that does its own thing. But its bizarre plot manages to carve out a comfortable niche within the Metal Gear franchise despite the change of pace. Platinum Games has done something incredibly rare: honoring a beloved series while successfully broadening its reach into a whole new genre.” [9/10]

: “If Revengeance didn’t have camera issues this would be the easiest 10 I’ve ever given. As things stand it’s still brilliant, staking out new territory in the genre and adapting certain Metal Gear characteristics so well that it makes the competition look outrageously bad. This is simply the ultimate one-man show, worth its ticket price many times over, an experience that improves exponentially as it gets faster and as you get better. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is a thrilling and almost flawless fighting game – come get some.” [9/10]

: “It’s simple, fast, and clean, with enough supporting content like additional weapons and secrets to encourage a campaign replay – or more, if you find yourself obsessed with the idea of a no-kill run.” [8.5/10]

: “The story may not wow you with its political trappings, but Raiden’s transformation and the gameplay that springs from it are the most alluring reasons to give him another shot as the leading man. If you’re even vaguely interested in the Metal Gear series or intelligent hack and slash games, do not pass up a chance to play this exciting and addicting hybrid.” [8.5/10]

: “Hideo Kojima was right in cancelling Metal Gear Solid: Rising—it just didn’t work. Even he saw that. Instead, someone at Konami had the bright idea to let Platinum Games take over the development. From the ashes, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance was born, and like any problem child that grows up into an insufferable disappointment, it’ll leave a stain on the reputation of the parents: revered developers Platinum Games and Kojima Productions.” [3/10]

: “Platinum is a victim of its own success: its games will forever be compared to Bayonetta, and that’s a standard few can match, although it’s one to which the studio should always aspire. But while Rising’s combat is hugely satisfying to experiment with, and a sight to behold when played well, it’s undermined by technical issues and a singleplayer campaign that peters out just as you think it’s getting going.”  [7/10]

: “While fun, Revengeance isn’t a terribly deep action game. It’s a simple, almost hypnotic rhythm of button mash, Blade Mode, rinse, repeat. You don’t juggle enemies or toss them into each other, you don’t have to deal with different enemies by using different strategies, you just beat the crap out of everyone and everything until you can make use of Blade Mode and absorb their energy cells.” [N/A]

: “This title isn’t Bayonetta wearing a Metal Gear skin; whether you are hoping for a meaningful expansion of the Metal Gear universe or a gratifying action experience, Revengeance falls short. Brutalizing cyborgs and hacking giant mechs to pieces is fun, but the restrictive design and lack of precision keep Raiden from capturing the best of both worlds.” [7.8/10]

: “Anyone who has grinned while slam-dunking missiles onto 50-foot tall mechas in Vanquish will know what I mean within the first ten minutes of playing Revengeance. You’ll be glad to know that the campaign is that one moment, looped over and over for five hours.

If that’s wrong, I don’t know what’s right.” [N/A]