Another example is the camera refusing to stay to the side of Raiden, instead forcing itself behind him. One example is getting stuck on a wall, making it impossible to turn to the side and see an attacking opponent. The camera doesn't always play nicely in tight spaces or near walls. This is a game that puts a premium on speed and reaction time, so when you're spending precious moments fighting the camera, it quickly becomes an exercise in frustration. While the repetitive combat is disappointing, it isn't Revengeance's worst flaw. If not, it just looks like a feeble attempt to dress up something that is lacking. If you're going to go over-the-top like Quentin Tarantino, you have to have a reason. It's not particularly stylistic and doesn't add anything to the experience. We're no strangers to gore, but the blood in Revengeance seems to be there just for shock value.
The game shows off copious amounts of blood (sometimes in slow motion) just because it can.
The spine-yanking isn't the only area in which Revengeance earns its "M" rating. You then yank out your victim's spine and suck up the juice to restore health and energy. Once your foe has been weakened, you can switch into "blade mode" and finish off a cyborg with a targeted strike. In order to encourage aggressive play, Revengeance makes your primary enemy double as a source of health. You'll see them when fighting larger foes, as well as when sneaking up on an opponent for a stealth kill or when doing a spine rip on a cyborg. Going up against bigger foes (and bosses) does add another layer to combat: the Quick Time Event (QTE). As a result, the combat in Revengeance often boils down to parry, parry, attack, parry, attack, and win. Mastering the parry makes most of the early game fairly straightforward since you can repel nearly any standard attack. Every so often, parry attempts fail (resulting in Raiden dashing toward the enemy instead of parrying), but there didn't seem to be any specific reason for that to happen. You have to direct the parry at the enemy by pushing the analog stick at him, but otherwise, it's more or less automatic. Do it at the right time (the window is fairly long), and you deflect the attack, taking no damage. When an enemy's eye flashes red, that's your sign to parry. That's not the case in Revengeance.įor better or worse, Revengeance's combat system is focused on the game's parry mechanic.
Success offers a sense of satisfaction because you've overcome an obstacle by reacting to it and outsmarting it. Combat can play out in any number of ways. When the AI is challenging, options are many, and the situation is fluid. Part of the reason why games like Bayonetta or Street Fighter III: Third Strike stand the test of time is the level of depth in the combat. For a game to be truly engaging, the underlying mechanics have to be sound. Unfortunately, the flash and shine only go so far.