Asura's Wrath

**YellerDog** · 24 Jan 2012, 03:30 PM

I know nothing about this game.

But my buddy Richmond wrote an article about it!
http://art-eater.com/2012/01/a-buddh...-asuras-wrath/

**James** · 24 Jan 2012, 04:19 PM

That article made me wish that phenomenal art design could overcome crap gameplay.

James

**YellerDog** · 24 Jan 2012, 04:24 PM

I mean, that's how RPGs work right?

**George** · 24 Jan 2012, 07:43 PM

I gave it another shot.

It's not like I don't understand what they're trying to do. The sections are called "Episodes" and when you're playing them they have these arbitrary scene cut-offs and mid-episode eyecatches. They want this to be like "HERE, PLAY AN ANIME SERIES EPISODE BY EPISODE." The only way it would be more obvious is if they had overlong intros, endings, and recap sections between each part of the game to drive the point home (God only knows maybe they do.)

My point is that you can make a neat looking CG version of Dragonball Z with Hindu flavorings and hyper kinetic action sequences, just don't call it a game and charge me sixty dollars to play "Kick the soccer ball, Ryo!" over and over again.

To me, one of the only things Japanese developers still get right these days is a good boss battle. A good Japanese boss romp is a game where everything facilitates getting to the boss, and the boss fight is the part where all the creativity is put in (Music, art, etc) and requires the most effort from the player. It's a fun paradigm because often, western developers like to focus on the overall package, the delivery of a core system that is laid out in what they attempt to call a set pace. Boss fights often don't enter in to the equation, and if they do, they lack effort or creativity. The games can still be excellent, but in a rush to make their games more like hollywood movies, they lack that "Oh shit, that fight was fucking RETARDED" payoff that I'd get from a good Dante Must Die boss run. This game wants to be a new Devil May Cry, with crazy boss battles and set pieces that dwarf Bayonetta (which really looks like penis envy to be honest, and she doesn't even have a penis.) They just forgot the part where it also has to be a game with a satisfying core.

**FirstBlood** · 24 Jan 2012, 09:28 PM

I liked how the (completely awkward, momentum breaking) load screens were anime commercial-break splash screens.

Just kidding, that shit was fucking stupid.