Asura's Wrath - U MAD BRO?

Azisien · 02-20-2012, 12:04 AM

So I've been playing this game (full version) for the past two days. Well, I played it ON those two days. I would be done four times over if I had played it straight.

I remember months back before E3 when the trailer kind of piqued everyone's interest, including my own. Until it appeared in my hands, I realized that interest had faded away with the passage of time. But here was my opportunity to see how I could use six arms to QTE a giant Buddha's finger to death.

The Skinny

I don't recommend buying this game. Rent it. It's really quite heavy on the cinematic aspect, which means a lot of watching cutscenes and the occasional QTE. It's pretty short. Unless you love the concept and really want to support it.

So many QTEs. As the game progresses you play it as a straight action game a la God of War, and I like some of the design choices. Like how enemies have health that's often tied to Asura's "rage" bar, and the encounter usually just ends once you fill that bar.

I don't really like QTEs unless they make sense, and I think Asura's Wrath might find a bit of a sweet spot here. The QTEs have a sort of consistency. If he's punching something you hit Y. Tearing something apart, analog sticks outward. The QTEs aren't randomized so I can slowly get behind them. They do annoying things still. Like make you watch a 4-6 minute cutscene and then, just as you're kicking back, hit you with a QTE you have a second or two to react to.

As far as the non-QTE gameplay goes, passable. The action fighting side is probably the most mediocre part, but it wasn't bad enough to make me stop playing. The shooting gallery segments that remind me a lot of Rez are pretty fun.

Other shit ideas. The game plays itself episodically but does some dumb things. Like it's split up into episodes but at the end of each episode, gives you a flash of cutscenes and a narrated prelude of what you're ABOUT TO GO AND PLAY. No, if you're going to do that shit, do recaps like Alan Wake did.

What do I REALLY LIKE about Asura's Wrath though? Two things:

a) The art direction and setting are pretty rad. A blend of I'm guessing Asian/Buddhist mythology and cybernetics/science fiction. The graphics are incredible and the framerates are hella smooth too. I've only noticed a tiny handful of slowdowns.

b) DRAGONBALL Z! No, really, that's why I like it. This game is so over-the-top with it's power level, it's like the Dragonball Z game for people that want a sweet Dragonball Z game but never get it because Dragonball Z games are awful and/or 2D fighting games. As several spectating friends commented too, the game looked all right to them, but it was hella fun to WATCH me play.

Anyway that's about all I can think of.

Verdict: Worth a rent.

Sequel suggestions: Needs more bars and numbers that go up.

Drownball-Champ · 02-20-2012, 12:58 AM

Yeah the demo gave me the "rental only" impression. Though I did love the craziness of the scenes and the art.

May try to rent the game after I finish Arkham Asylum.

02-20-2012, 12:04 AM	#1
Azisien wat Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,177	Asura's Wrath - U MAD BRO? So I've been playing this game (full version) for the past two days. Well, I played it ON those two days. I would be done four times over if I had played it straight. I remember months back before E3 when the trailer kind of piqued everyone's interest, including my own. Until it appeared in my hands, I realized that interest had faded away with the passage of time. But here was my opportunity to see how I could use six arms to QTE a giant Buddha's finger to death. The Skinny I don't recommend buying this game. Rent it. It's really quite heavy on the cinematic aspect, which means a lot of watching cutscenes and the occasional QTE. It's pretty short. Unless you love the concept and really want to support it. So many QTEs. As the game progresses you play it as a straight action game a la God of War, and I like some of the design choices. Like how enemies have health that's often tied to Asura's "rage" bar, and the encounter usually just ends once you fill that bar. I don't really like QTEs unless they make sense, and I think Asura's Wrath might find a bit of a sweet spot here. The QTEs have a sort of consistency. If he's punching something you hit Y. Tearing something apart, analog sticks outward. The QTEs aren't randomized so I can slowly get behind them. They do annoying things still. Like make you watch a 4-6 minute cutscene and then, just as you're kicking back, hit you with a QTE you have a second or two to react to. As far as the non-QTE gameplay goes, passable. The action fighting side is probably the most mediocre part, but it wasn't bad enough to make me stop playing. The shooting gallery segments that remind me a lot of Rez are pretty fun. Other shit ideas. The game plays itself episodically but does some dumb things. Like it's split up into episodes but at the end of each episode, gives you a flash of cutscenes and a narrated prelude of what you're ABOUT TO GO AND PLAY. No, if you're going to do that shit, do recaps like Alan Wake did. What do I REALLY LIKE about Asura's Wrath though? Two things: a) The art direction and setting are pretty rad. A blend of I'm guessing Asian/Buddhist mythology and cybernetics/science fiction. The graphics are incredible and the framerates are hella smooth too. I've only noticed a tiny handful of slowdowns. b) DRAGONBALL Z! No, really, that's why I like it. This game is so over-the-top with it's power level, it's like the Dragonball Z game for people that want a sweet Dragonball Z game but never get it because Dragonball Z games are awful and/or 2D fighting games. As several spectating friends commented too, the game looked all right to them, but it was hella fun to WATCH me play. Anyway that's about all I can think of. Verdict: Worth a rent. Sequel suggestions: Needs more bars and numbers that go up. Last edited by Azisien; 02-20-2012 at 12:06 AM.

02-20-2012, 12:58 AM	#2
Drownball-Champ Sent to the cornfield Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 220	Yeah the demo gave me the "rental only" impression. Though I did love the craziness of the scenes and the art. May try to rent the game after I finish Arkham Asylum.