What has happened?
PROS:
>The game runs very nicely at 60 FPS, with rare slowdowns.
> The concept of Zan-Datsu (Cut and take) is nicely implemented and never gets old using it on enemies.
>The story line is interesting enough and keeps you engaged for the most part, and takes note of MGS4's story.
>Blade Mode is very fun; especially if you cut someone in a perfect slice.
>Good amount of the environment can be cut in any way with your blade.
CONS:
>The animation is awful. I am not sure if its a game play choice, but some enemies; mainly bosses seem to love to juggle, and spam moves without giving you chance at times to even try anything. Majority of fights consist of just mashing until you notice a pattern and you finally attempt something. Even when I'm fighting. I've noticed that you can't move until your attack animation is over, and it really has gotten me hit on multiple times because Raiden has to do a fancy turn, or roll.
> The bosses are very uninspiring. They are alive in their voice, and design. However when you fight them it's so boring, and to top it off they just go insane on you without letting catch your breath, until you start seeing the repetitive pattern.
>The game is downright short. I beat it on 5 hours. I honestly could have beat it the night I got it. To add on, no replay ability. I want more story, not beating the game on a harder difficulty and get nothing out of it except an ulcer.
>The VR Missions aren't very intuitive for you to keep on playing, and some are stealth missions? Really? Hell even if you liked playing them; they only have 20 of them.
>Next to the game length, my biggest issue is the game play itself. I feel it's missing something. I feel limited at times. Sometimes I wish I can ROLL out the way, JUMP sideways and avoid a hit. Some might say DmC: Devil May Cry is crap compared to Rising; but at least it has a have a dedicated dodge button, I can even use it in mid-air in DmC for God's sake. DMC3 takes the cake for best movement in a Hack and Slash personally.
>The music... my oh my... It's just off.. It sounds like music you would hear when people did Halo 3 videos with Linkin Park in the background. It's just unfitting guitar rifts, and out of place vocals. The game needs a synthesizer like, electric beat. Not techno or dub step, something upbeat. Deus Ex did it perfect with the music and look to the game.
>Lastly, the environment... It looks terrible. All I see in the game is buildings, metallic looks, or one boring color. It looks like a mix of Earth Defense Force: 2017, and mulitplayer maps from Lost Planet 1. The game has no look to it. For example, Deus Ex had this yellow, dark, futuristic look. While this feels like a randomly generated map for testing.
All else aside. The game failed as a action game. Also, I think what really gets me is that I spent $65 on a game I beat in 5 hours, with nothing to go back for. There's no reason to play all over again. If your a Metal Gear fan you might find some cool things here and there, but it's just not enough. If you not a fan, just go play another game in the genre. Maybe if the game was 8 or more hours it might not feel so disgusting, but from a developer that made Bayonetta, and Vanquish.. I am disappoint.. Until Ground Zeroes.