When I saw the leaked Metal Gear Rising trailer, I was blown away multiple times.
My goodness, I'll have to download this trailer and watch it 100x on my PS3.

However this isn't what I wanted to talk about, I wanted to talk about the game design/mechanic gameplay step back in MGR and from MGSR.

As you known when a new game is coming out, it needs a unique gameplay feature that allows the game to standout from the rest of the competition and give an identity why the game is unique.
Metal Gear Solid: Rising had that with its Zandatsu feature "Cut & Take". MGSR was meant to be a straight up Tactical Hack n Slash, no Stealth involve. Although Developers were trying to calm the annoying elitist fanboys that the game will feature Stealth.
Sorry but you can't add a stupid stealth with fast pace action game, it just doesn't flow together.

Zandatsu is a unique feature that allows the player to go in a slow motion mode and have a freedom to cut an enemy's body anywhere the player wants. However Zandatsu also plays a big part in the story context and gameplay. You need to cut certain robotic bodyparts so that you can savoir a special device that keeps Raiden alive. With the CutnTake gives you an opportunity to control where and how you want to cut an enemy.

In fact this feature already takes a step forward in the Hack n Slash genre.
Ninja Gaiden 3 has already taken the step further with its interactive Steel on Bone mechanic.
Hayashi was right about God of War 3, Bayonetta etc all having old gameplay mechanic.

Ninja Gaiden 3 and MGSR takes the mechanic to another step further.



And finally we have the main course of this article which is about Metal Gear Rising.
The gameplay has now been bastardized to the old hack n slash mechanic system. The Zandastu has been dropped and the combat feels like a regular hack n slash with fast pace setting.
However they didn't drop the Cut n Take feature entirely, in fact they reimagined it to an old version. When you go into Zandastu 0.1v mode, you do not have control of how and where to cut an enemy instead Raiden cuts the enemy randomly.
Think of this Zandastu 0.1v as Ultimate Technique. Yes this Zandastu can be upgraded and when you reach the max, you can kill any enemies with it by performing 100 slashes.

At low level, the Zandatsu can kill a lesser enemy with few slashes and cut. When you level up, you'll perform more slashes in numbers and can take out powerful enemies.

Or then again the Zandatsu slashes only works when Raiden takes damages as the producer were saying something on a podcast about playing a game that feels so good dying.

As for the mechanic itself has been downgraded to old skool hack n slash. You'll have to press buttons to keep slashing enemies until they die. Compare this to MGSR, which was about one cut kills an enemy, with this it forces you to think how you want to play the game either action-y or tactical.



Personally MGR looks stunning but its basically another fast paced over the top, generic hack n slash from Platinum Games. It basically plays like Ninja Gaiden dismemberment, Bayonetta combat and God of War QTE (Vanquish QTE).

It would still be an enjoyable experience that I will love. But seriously, a 2010 MGSR game design basterized by 2012 MGR. Seriously who approved this???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...ture=player_embedded


second opinion thoughts of what I think of the game design change from MGSR to MGR.


If MGSR had become a game where slashing needs to be precise in its combat, it would have changed something.
I could see that the Cut Anything is still sort of there in MGR. It happens after dealing a damage to an enemy and when you trigger the Cut feature, time sort of slows down and you use the Left Analog stick to swipe the direction of the blade Raiden will wield. It's actually cool and still works like the Cut and Take from MGSR.

Again as I was saying earlier, the combat fro MGR still feel like old skool Hack n Slash. With MGSR, one slash to an enemy will cut off the enemies body part.


In fact I wouldn't really say MGR takes a step back in terms of Game Design, but it did take a step back from MGSR game combat design to MGR. The game looks good and plays fun.
It has the classic old skool gameplay along with a new feature which is the Cut Anything.

In fact this cut anything sort of changes the way we experience Hack n Slash gameplay combat. You decide how you want to slash an enemy's body part off. Think of Ninja Gaiden 2 but the game giving you the choice to cut off the enemy's body part however you like.
That is how MGR Cut features feels and plays like.

any one on PS3 should download the VGA trailer at UK PSN now!
My god, the game is in 60fps and runs so damn lovely buttery smooth!