Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance [PS3/Xbox 360] review

[dataDave]

Weeeellll...despite having had this free on PS+ for two years I never DLed it...but Morrisons had this new n' sealed on 360 for like ?4/?5 the other week and I caved.

Gave it a good two/threeish hours earlier. Got to the middle of stage 3. I'm hating the dark, generic levels so far. But I'm liking a lot of stuff about this, and as Raiden has been SO brutalised so far I'm rooting for him quite badly.

Trouble is...the combat...I can't 'get' it. I'm messing up. I S-Ranked the first boss on my first try and I'm now in a sewer on those gorilla cyborg things and I'm twunted. I even had trouble with that cyber wolf boss earlier...can you block? Or can you parry everything? I feel like I'm missing something and I'm winning by luck. I reckon if this combat system clicks with me, I'm gonna love this. What am I doing wrong with the combat?

I keep getting hit and twunted to the ground all the time and maybe I'm not parrying enough? Like, them big cyborg things that kick you with their camp naked legs, I just don't know what I'm doing with them, I beat them constantly but it's awkward, I just wanna know what I'm doing. Mistral, I beat her first time, but oh what a stressful, unsatisfying battle. I sense the combat in this is FUN, I just feel like I don't know how to make it that way for me!!!

At leas t you know the difference between blocking and parrying, that's a massive head-start.

Pressing towards and the button puts you into a blocking stance which can deflect most attacks, however doing this at the right time will trigger a parry into an execution move which will refill your power meter.

[JazzFunk]

I think I need to learn that blocking stance. And the bigger enemies feel so badass it doesn't feel like I'm doing it right. Am I right in thinking all swordfightable enemies can be parried because sometimes I think i'm just Ninja Running back and forth from attacks and I feel *really* clumsy because I wanna attack stylish but keep getting hit.

Soz for the question overload. I know you enjoyed this game and I really wanna enjoy it too. I sense it has *something* and I don't wanna miss out on that thru blindness and frustration.

[dataDave]

Have you purchased the dodge? Some attacks can't be parried OR blocked and can only be dodged. This helps you maintain a stable offence.

Also, it's worth noting that counter attacks following a parry actuality multiply the incoming damage and shoot it back to the enemy. This means that Revengeance difficulty enemies bite the dust extremely fast once you know their systems.

I can't fire it up for a refresher because my drive has died.

[JazzFunk]

I'm just at the point where I've purchased the earliest upgrades but I'll look into that dodge. I got to a sewer bit with a boy with a terrible white man Rasta accent the last time I played so I'm not too far in yet. But it's good knowing I'm not just totally crap at this or aren't getting it like I should. I'm gonna have a proper play of this on Sunday and I'll get back if I'm having problems but I'm pretty sure I'll get the hang of it and thanks for the advice 'cos it's a loooong time I played a game like this and I wanna get the most out of it.

[dataDave]

Like everything else in the genre; just keep playing the first level over and over (not the prologue). Master/semi-master it and then move on.