Review - Metal Gear Rising Revengeance
Paul Fiander
MGRR was my first true dive into the world that Kojima has created and I will be investigating the other titles as part of our Pile of Shame Conundrum. So this review will not be looking at the differences between this game and the rest of the franchise instead it will be looking at just this game itself. 

Cyborgs, Swords and Metal Gears are the three key ingredients that Platinum games have put together to take Kojima’s beloved series down a slightly different path. Stealth has been largely replaced with the desire to hack and slash enemies to oblivion. You do still get the chance to crawl around under boxes and sneak up on enemies but it is not essential for game completion. Its a brave developer to take a tried and tested formula and turn it on its head but if there is one thing Platinum do well its over the top action. As has been shown in recent years with Vanquish and Bayonetta.

Thankfully with limited experience of the Metal Gear canon the story does a good job of keeping itself contained for those new to the franchise but also appears to reference past events.  These all appear to be in keeping with the story and I did not feel lost as a newbie.
The basic premise is that you play as Raiden a Cybernetically enhanced Ninja and member of a protection agency that has been sent to Africa to protect (and train the troops of) a politician on his way to gaining political office. After a series of misfortunate events you find yourself globe trotting trying to unravel a conspiracy that seeks to cause mayhem in the world on large. With a small back up team (called Maverick Security Consulting) your job is to seek and ultimately destroy all those involved. The story is over the top and does not take itself too seriously. The frequent jokes can be a welcome respite to all the carnage and I challenge anyone of a certain age not to at least crack a smile and the Vanilla Ice/TMNT secret of the Ooze reference. 
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However the main reason you play this game and complete the almost mandatory replay is the action. This is where Platinum have really taken the bull by the horns and put their stamp on the game. The action revolves around any Ninja’s most sacred weapon the Katana, but Raidens sword is enhanced (becoming a High frequency blade) so it can cut through bone like butter not to mention steel and other metals. It also has the ability to replenish Raidens health by drawing life from the foes it slices and dices into three (or more) different sizes. The wonder of the sword is best explained by using the games blade mode here you slow time to deal as much carnage as possible. It's almost a QTE but this one I can live with. As you progress through the story you are able to level up your sword as well as gaining new and more vicious combos. You also gain extra weaponry from many of the boss battles you encounter. 
These battles are great to play and will test both your physical and mental dexterity as you try to notice patterns or tells for the next attack. The battles are far from easy but are very much in keeping with your chosen level of difficulty. I feel this is an important point as some games focus on throwing untold minions at you as opposed to creating these epic set pieces. These are the moments when you sit back and think I am glad I own a HD TV and when all is said and done you're thankful you partook in an moment to remember. My main complaint is I wish their were more of these battles but I think that's more greedy then something that would actually enhance the game. 
A real complaint is the length of the story. For a game with no multiplayer option I did feel it could have been a longer experience (but I do not need a multiplayer for this game). I have previously stated that a second playground is almost mandatory but that's just for completeness and making use of your mastered skills. There are VR missions to give you more depth and rankings so you can try to beat previous scores on levels. However I hope that the Kojima/Platinum partnership makes another foray into the world of Raiden. 

Wrap Up

The Good - Great visuals, depth in fighting mechanics, Blade Mode, Amazing Boss battles 

The Bad - Short story, difficult to master controls, 
     Score 4/5
Images Courtesy of Voltage PR
Game Purchased by Reviewer