GAME REVIEW | Devouring Gods to Save Humanity in "God Eater" Sequel
There are a few Monster Hunter clones out there, and each is vying for the coveted best-seller spot that Capcom's successful IP still retains. God Eater has been around for awhile, but it's mainly been stuck in Japan following its ill-fated PSP release in the West. Thankfully, God Eater Resurrection and the "Rage Burst" version of God Eater 2 have made their ways westward, with the extra additions to both of those titles worth the extended wait.
God Eater 2: Rage Burst is a continuation of the main story, with humanity still trying to fight back their world from the Aragami, which as god monsters that torn their world apart. However, a new type of God Eater has been created called the Blood Unit. This group of individuals use a process to make use of the Blood Pact in order to perform powerful skills called Blood Arts. The process augments the hosts with extra power, gives them new skills, or the ability to boost their allies. Other than that, the game plays much like before.
As a Monster Hunter clone, you'll have to participate in missions which can either be story-based or extra missions for additional challenges. Movement speed for a character is typically slow, so you might want to dash if you need to hurry it up. This consumes Stamina however, so be careful with how long you are running. Unlike Monster Hunter however, stamina does not consume stamina for most attacks, although successfully blocking an attack will.
There are a few additional twists in God Eater 2, as well. Your weapon of choice is picked from one melee weapon type and one ranged type. The ranged weapons consume DP, which replace the need for things like ammo, and can be restored by using melee attacks. You can also boost you power by devouring a downed enemy. This also lets you collect materials from defeated Aragami. Devouring takes time to setup though, so use it when the enemy is downed or distracted.
The story of the game is decent, and there's a nice support system that gives bonuses for the next mission, so learning to play with the other members of your team can be essential, which is a good thing. Its crafting system's also very straightforward. Straightforwardness should be what defines this game, and allows it to offer players something that Monster Hunter lacks. The story gives players a goal to keep playing besides simple loot collection.
Sadly, the voice acting in God Eater 2 is English only, and while it's mostly decent, there are some actors in it that you might not care for. The graphics look great on the PC platform, with the game also running at a solid 60 frames per second. However, the PlayStation Vita version obviously can't do that, but it plays decently at 30 frames with a few hiccups that won't disrupt one's enjoyment. Between the PS4 and PC version, the PC version is the best choice. If you are looking for a good alternative for a Monster Hunter game, God Eater 2 comes highly recommended.
VERDICT:
The Good: The gameplay and story are pretty good in this game.
The Bad: The game is English dub only, and while mostly decent, some voices fell flat.
The Ugly: The complexity of the control scheme takes some getting used to.
SUMMARY: God Eater 2 is a great Monster Hunter clone that has a decent story to spur players on with a purpose.
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration made by Fortyseven and Bandai Namco
