Anarchy Reigns: Tips for the practicing Anarchist

We recently managed to get our hands on a Japanese copy of Anarchy Reigns, or Max Anarchy, as it's known there. The game comes to North America and Europe in early 2013, according to publisher Sega, which is a painfully long time for fans of Platinum Games to wait. So what does the prolific studio behind Bayonetta and Vanquish have in store? Here are some gameplay clips to whet your appetite.

Punch Drunk

Anarchy Reigns' street fights are the macho fantasy of every combative barfly who has ever been slung through a pub door. The part where cybernetic mutants are sent soaring 20 feet into the air with an uppercut and then sliced in half by a protractible chainsaw, however, is probably best left to burly heroes like Jack Cayman, and not some bleary-eyed wino. Random events, such as a fiery tanker truck barrelling through the level, are out of your control and will do you serious harm if you don't dodge them.

Seeing Red

On your way through the game, you'll cross paths with a cast of colourful characters whose sole purpose is to put you down. One of the first is Big Bull, a severely antagonistic foe who deals in bad cattle-based puns. He also likes bashing you into pools of flaming lava, so watch out for that. Later, you can take on the role of Big Bull yourself, as well as several other story characters.

Taken by Force

The world of Anarchy Reigns contains a lot of useful pick-me-ups and aids. They're usually introduced in the hands of your enemy, but they can become yours with the right amount of persuasive force. A hovering vehicle with an attached flame-thrower is something you'll want to commandeer, for example. Plus, keep an eye out for box-carrying enemies running through the world--they're holding random loot such as rocket launchers and grenades.

Worldwide Anarchy

Anarchy Reigns' all-important multiplayer component means there's frenzied combat for up to 16 players. As you level up, you unlock a series of abilities for your character, granting you specific perks, such as an increase in your basic combo damage or being able to prevent other players from damaging you with certain moves. The action gets more hectic as the player count rises, often to the point where the screen is entirely filled with pummelled bodies and flying debris. Things move fast in Anarchy Reigns' adversarial arena--you'll need to be quick on the uptake to stand a fighting chance.