Asura's Wrath Ps3 Vs 360

Capcom's interactive anime is finally out this week, equally GameCentral plays the Xbox 360 version – to run across if the game stands upwards to repeated viewing.

Asura's Wrath (360) - clash of the titans — Asura's Wrath (360) – clash of the titans

We don't normally have the fourth dimension or inclination to play multiple versions of the aforementioned game, but the review embargo for Asura'south Wrath broke unusually early and we just wanted to remind everyone it was really out this calendar week. That and take a look at the Xbox 360 version and see if information technology suffered the same modest frame charge per unit problems of the PlayStation 3. Mostly though it's because we're still in love with the game, despite it being such a huge disappointment for us.

We had such high hopes for Asura's Wrath. We remember the first time we saw it at E3 last twelvemonth and it completely took us by surprise with its outrageous activity and baroque boss battles. That and the subsequent preview we had at the Tokyo Game Bear witness were amidst the most fun we've ever had demoing a game, and nosotros couldn't wait to observe out what other insanities the full game had to offer. Little did we realise nosotros'd already seen the all-time bits.

It's a familiar enough story, repeated with just about every flick trailer going nowadays. But although nosotros did still enjoy the overall experience of Asura's Wrath the sad truth is it never lives upwardly to the hope set by its own previews, demos and trailers.

If y'all're not familiar with the game perhaps the all-time way to describe it is equally a cross between Bayonetta and Heavy Rain. An unholy mixture (we detest Heavy Rain but love Bayonetta) simply the only other way to describe the game, and the one developer CyberConnect2 seem to prefer, is as an interactive anime. (To the betoken where the game is split into individually credited episodes, each with their ain midpoint ad break bumpers.)

Each of these episodes takes around xx minutes or so to run through and is usually separate adequately evenly betwixt cut scenes and gameplay. Normally we'd be foursquare against such a thing but the cut scenes are directed with such insane enthusiasm we enjoyed every one of them. We're non not bad fans of anime but the cinematography and pacing are as good annihilation we've ever seen in a video game.

The art design too is wonderfully distinctive, with a peculiar mix of Buddhist influences and sci-fi – amplified by an unusual graphical mode that looks office photorealistic, part mitt-drawn. The game'due south plot centres around a grouping of 'demigods' harvesting the souls of mortals to power a beam weapon in their giant Buddha-shaped space station (really). They're portrayed something similar the Asgardians in Thor, with what seemed to us to exist at least some small influence from the '80s Flash Gordon movie.

We won't become into the plot in detail because it's ultimately not important, despite all the cutting scenes. All you lot really need to know is that a power struggle amongst the Eight Guardian Generals sees the titular Asura becoming a scapegoat, with his wife murdered and his daughter – who is able to amplify the power of the souls – kidnapped and enslaved.

The rest of the game is a sort of anime version of Kill Bill, as Asura returns from the dead to wreak his revenge. That the story doesn't affair is of no business but what's less forgivable is that the characters have all the depth of a hobbit's paddling pool. Motivations are simplistic or not-existent and Asura himself is virtually a blank slate.

Then what of the other half of the equation? The gameplay. It'south actually a little hard to pin down as much of the time information technology too is treated as an interactive cut scene, and so becomes whatever is needed at the time. At that place is a core combat system that revolves effectually some elementary button-bashing, a rapidly overheating heavy assault and a slowly charging rage way. It all works perfectly well and beating up on cannon fodder enemies is a lot of fun.

Apart from counters in that location are mostly no quick time events during normal combat, although you quickly brainstorm to realise that whatever'south going on all you're actually doing is charging upwardly a second, more powerful rage meter chosen 'Flare-up'. One time you can set this off y'all invariably trigger a new cut scene and the scene changes – or the boss you're fighting is knocked downward a peg.

In that location are besides occasional on-the-rails shooting sections, complete with a simple lock-on targeting system, but the real highlight of the game is the bosses – either the Seven Deities (as they after rename themselves) or the Gohma (demonic animals which are the nominal enemies of all).

The problem is, as we've already hinted at, the two best boss battles are ones we've already seen (and you also if you've played the demo). Taking on the rotund Wyzen every bit he of a sudden expands to the size of a pocket-sized planet and tries to stub you out under a single finger is and then hilariously over-the-elevation information technology had us begging for more the beginning fourth dimension nosotros saw it.

The fight with Augus on the moon is fifty-fifty better, and at present one of our best favourite dominate battles. Getting speared with a mile long sword equally y'all hurtle to Earth is exactly the sort of outrageous antics gaming has been missing lately, but the sad thing is the game offers up very little else anywhere most as entertaining.

If you're worried about the prevalence of quick time events that's not the trouble at all – yous don't need to echo annihilation if you neglect 1. The effect is more the repetition inherent in the gameplay and the fact that it'south all so brusque and like shooting fish in a barrel. On completing the game the start time we'd unlocked well-nigh all the extras (artwork generally, and some extra gauges that improve Ausra'southward stats or abilities in some way) and the only reason to ever play it again is to uncover the 'real' concluding episode.

Given the costs involved this makes it even more difficult to recommend the game, even though nosotros're certain nigh people volition thoroughly enjoy it the beginning time through. Every bit we suspected the Xbox 360 version does run a little smoother than the PlayStation 3 (unusually for a Japanese-fabricated game Asura'south Wrath uses Unreal Engine 3), with far less of the screen tearing problems that distracted from the otherwise excellent visuals.

Not that information technology really matters either mode because the just really outcome with Asura's Wrath is that at that place's not nearly plenty of it. In our heed information technology's the all-time, most joyously unconventional game we've played in years, simply the reality is that that'due south only true for a disappointingly short period of the game'south running time. Its bizarre imagination is just too inconsistent to justify such a brusque and often uninteractive experience.

In Short:A wonderfully imaginative and beautifully presented interactive anime, just one that cannot maintain a regular enough supply of surprises to justify even its curt running time.
Pros:Incredible presentation and some of the best cut scenes and boss battles in all gaming. Superb art design and the combat has a corking sense of violent contact.

Cons:The two all-time episodes have already been extensively previewed and demoed. Very short, with nigh no replayability. Shallow gameplay and plot.
Score:7/10

Formats: Xbox 360 (reviewed) and PlayStation three Price: £49.99 Publisher: Capcom Programmer: CyberConnect2 Release Appointment: 9th March 2012 Historic period Rating: 16

Video:Bank check out the Asura's Wrath trailer