• Review: Asura's Wrath (360)

    by
    mas8705
    Published on 10-19-2012 11:02 PM
    2 Comments Comments


    Asura’s Wrath

    Developer: CyberConnect2
    Publisher: Capcom
    Platform: Xbox360, Playstation 3
    Genre: Action, Beat ‘em up
    Rating: Teen
    Release Date: February 21, 2012

    For some time now, Cyberconnect has been known for working on big Anime titles such as the .Hack series and the Naruto Ultimate series. No doubt that they know how to make big cinematic experiences, so what happens when they get to work on an original game? Pure beauty.

    Presentation
    Asura’s Wrath tells the story of the demigod, Asura. His anger is so great, it puts Kratos and the Hulk to shame. (Not to quote the Cybernetic Ghost of Christmas Past here, but you see) Thousands of years ago, he was one of the Eight Guardian Generals with his daughter Mithra as the Kingdom’s Priestess. They have been at war with the Gohma, an endless horde of mutated animals that try and cleanse the world. After Asura successfully subdues continent-sized Gohma, the Kingdom celebrates their victory until the Emperor turns up dead with Asura being accused as his murderer. He later finds out that his wife has been killed, and his daughter has been used as a Mantra battery as the other seven performed a coup d’état. Asura tries to stop Deus (who is the main leader of the seven) only to fail and gets cast down to Gaea. What happens here is Asura being so angry that he reawakens 12,000 years later and goes on an anger-induced rampage to get revenge on the now self-proclaimed “Seven Deities” and raging his way to save his daughter.

    Graphics
    If you have played CyberConnect games before, you know what you are in for, if not, then you are going to be in for a treat. While I will explain more in the gameplay section, let’s just say that the look of the game is so beautiful to watch, while the animations are spectacular to look at. The game look great when in motion, but further excels when it goes into its cinematics. No doubt that if you get this game, your eyes are going to enjoy a feast.

    Sound/Music
    If you have your graphics this great, surely you need to have the music and sound match the visuals right? Well, I’m happy to say that’s the case here. The original scores compliment the visuals well whether you are fighting or watching cutscenes, while the voice acting is great. You will believe that Liam O'Brien (who is normally soft spoken) can be incredibly pissed off. Not to mention the sound effects are also impressive. Each punch that is done sounds like someone just got punched hard.

    Gameplay
    Gameplay for Asura’s Wrath in particularly unique in the sense of progression: In each place you fight in, you will find yourself having to fight off waves of enemies, as you build your burst meter (located right under your Health meter). Your goal in each part is to get your guage to max so that you can trigger the burst and move onto the next part. This does help lend itself to the game’s narrative as well as the burst almost seems like Asura is getting pissed off having to fight the same people over and over again until he finally snaps and performs the move to either clear the battlefield or to KO the boss in the area. Controls for combat can be broken down into two parts: either you are punching enemies, or you are shooting them down. During the shooting sequences, it does get awkward as the aiming cursor also controls where Asura moves, so that takes some getting use to. If you are not a fan of repetitive beatings, you might get turned off, but at least the cutscenes are always there to reward you with the story while you play.

    When you are not fighting, you have the quick time events to worry about. The thing here though is that the QTE aren’t really that difficult to do, meanwhile for a good majority of them, you don’t even have to press anything, as missing the event completely doesn’t affect what happens. That said though, when a cutscene plays, you should still do them as they help contribute to the final score at the end of each episode. You are ranked considering how long it took for you to finish the stage, how well you fought (attacks landed, how many times you were hit, etc), and your percentage level of how you did in QTEs.

    Lasting Appeal
    If there was anything bad that could be said about Asura’s Wrath, it is sadly in this department. The chapters are short, the fight sequences can be short, and really the only replayablity there is here is just to get the achievements. Now don’t get me wrong, if you are an anime lover, you will probably enjoy going back and watching the story unfold again and playing through, but really there is nothing that the game has going for it to make you want to go back. If you are watching all the cutscenes, it may fall somewhere along the lines of 10-30 minutes per episode, where as if you decide to skip them all, it can fall to 5-10 minutes.

    After you finish the game, you do have the option of getting the five DLC add-ons to expand the game even further. The first two are Episodes 11.5 and 15.5 ($2 each), which are actually anime episodes that shows what happened in between the episodes; there is no gameplay, but you still need to do the button inputs. The 3rd DLC ($7) is the 4th and final part: Nirvana that features four more episodes to play through and shows just what happened after the game’s ending and how the series really ends. Finally the last two DLCs (again at $2 each) are the “Lost Episodes” where Asura fights Ryu and Akuma in a very clever use of the street fighter 4 engine. It is about $15 to get all five DLCs, and if you don’t like anime or street fighter, then get the ones that matter to you; the DLC only helps to make the game even greater than it already is and helps add onto the time you play the game.

    Conclusion
    Asura’s Wrath is one of those games that you want to be angry at, but you really can’t. While the game can be short, repetitive and littered with Quick time Events, it does something that most games (that aren’t RPGs) don’t do: Tell a story from start to finish. You are playing to find out and see just how far Asura’s Wrath will take him and to see what kind of giant enemy will appear and how Asura will beat him down (even with no arms). At the current cost, it would be hard to recommend you to purchase it, but just know that if you do, you are in for a great narrative. In a world where we have sequel upon sequel, Asura’s Wrath shows us that we need new IPs now more than ever.

    Score:
    7.5/10
    Comments 2 Comments
    1. Gusto's Avatar
      Gusto - 10-20-2012
      So far this is the one game that stands out for me 2012 along with Borderlands 2. I really really loved this game and felt that $59 was a great price considering that when we all go out as a family we can easily spend $50 on a one and a half to two hour movie night.

      Azura makes Kratos look like a little b*tch. You can really feel the rage in this game like no other. I do think Azura needs to be in the next Street Fighter game since he's my pick for the baddest mutha f*cker in a video game of 2012.

      I do agree that once you finish it, it's pretty much done, but still amazing game.
    1. Hugo Nunez's Avatar
      Hugo Nunez - 10-21-2012
      I remember when I did my review for another company I rated it a full point lower. I did not think that there was enough actual gameplay vs the amount of time I spend watching a cutscene, the levels were so formulaic, and with the little spoilers at the end of each chapter, it diminished a lot of the impact those revelations could have had.

      My Main peeve of the game is the whole quick time event during cutscenes. If you are going to show a cutscene leave it as is, dont try and jam in a random event.

      I honestly feel like this game could have easily been done on a touchscreen device as it feels more like an interactive anime than a full fledged game.

      Also the fact that no where in the game do they really delve into why they are fighting these infected creatures other than to kill the menace. I had to go into the info of the creatures when I unlocked their art gallery images to find out why these creatures were the way they were and why they posed such a terrible threat.

      However that is not to say Azura is indeed one of the best new characters of 2012, the graphics are gorgeous, and the many anime cliches remind me of the 80's anime I loved! I love the whole cast of the game, I love all the personality and creativity in the world, plus with two street fighter cross over DLCs, it has great fan service.

      $59 is too much to me for this title, $39 seems like a perfect fit for the content it has.

  • Review Scale

    Score 10- Flawless Victory: A score not handed out to every game. Games earning this rare score sit at the very pinnacle of excellence. These games act as the examples for which all others should be measured with. They are instant classics from the beginning. These games not only deliver what was expected of it, but also exceed the player’s expectations. The game’s features are innovative and original. No game is without its absolute flaws, but the finished product you bring home surpasses the anticipation the game has formed. A day one buy is a must. The game you hold in your hands with this score is a video game jackpot.

    Score 9 - 9.5- Outstanding: Games earning scores such as these absolutely must be played. Games that achieve this high ranking do so because they define the genres that they are in. Flaws are few and barely noticeable. Features seen in the game have been renovated to provide something new and fresh. The story, gameplay, graphics, and lasting appeal are all fantastic and is reason enough to bring the game home and to enjoy with family and friends. Every penny you spend on the game is so worth it.

    Score 8 - 8.5- Great: Any flaw the game may possess is overshadowed by its fun factor. These games would be great for gamers to play. These great games appeal to gamers more and more outside its normal player base because of what it brings to the table.

    Score 7 - 7.5- Good: Flaws do exist in these games, but the positive features of the game can counterbalance the flaws. Additionally, players who are predisposed to liking a game of a particular series or genre with this score should enjoy the game. These are in no way bad games, and much fun can be had with them. An overall good game is worth taking a look at, whether you are willing to buy the game or rent it first. That or you can also wait for the game to reach a good price.

    Score 6 - 6.5- Decent: Games falling into this category may suffer from numerous flaws (for example, graphics or gameplay), but are still worth playing. Granted, the player should be aware that a game with these scores may not guarantee them full satisfaction.

    Score 5 - 5.5- Average: An average game is one in which a game’s features are neither good nor completely terrible. Instead, the finished product is manageable. Little has been done to hold the player’s interest. If anything, rent this game before you consider buying it so that you can at least get a feel for the game’s overall experience.

    Score 4 - 4.5- Poor: Games falling into this category may only keep gamers entertained for a short while. While the game may seem enjoyable for moments at a time, it can quickly grow old and may never be revisited again. The game’s overall function is lacking in quality and may not hold the player’s attention for long. The game leaves little or nothing else to return back to.

    Score 3 - 3.5- Bad: If any positive qualities about a game in this category exist, it is not enough to redeem the game for its shortcomings. Sure you may find yourself playing it, but for how long? You will wind up not giving the game a second glance.

    Score 2 - 2.5- Horrible: Games such as these may not be totally unplayable, they nearly are. Additionally, they may lack, or greatly suffer in, the fundamental functionality of the software as a whole. The game simply does not come close to meeting industry standards at the time of its release.

    Score 1 - 1.5- Appalling: Gamers should avoid this game at all costs. The game was clearly not ready to make its way to store shelves in its status. Save your money and find something else. See it in the bargain bin? No! Stay away! Keep moving and look for something else.

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