I also couldn’t write an article about Metal Gear Rising without talking about Blade Mode. Whether they’re larger than life or human-sized, Raiden mows down countless enemies throughout the game. Rival battles, in which the enemy is matched in ability by the boss, are a classic gaming trope, and Jetstream Sam is an excellent execution of it. Sam is one of the only enemies in the entire game who is able to attack as fast as the Raiden, putting you and the boss on an even playing field. Particularly, the dramatic sword duel against Jetstream Sam is a masterclass in striking this balance. Nothing reflects this synergy more clearly than the boss fights. There’s a synergy between attack and defense that other games have yet to replicate. Constant, unrelenting attacks are thrown your way, only for you to throw your own barrage right back in their direction. Every part of it, even the parrying, is highlighted by aggression. There Will Be BloodshedĬombat is perhaps the central pillar of Metal Gear Rising, as essential to its enduring success as any other element. It’s an absolute theme park ride of a game, with all the sights, sounds, and spectacle that accompany that. In that way, the story is a lot like the combat, almost never showing signs of stopping. Story beats are punctuated by dazzling setpiece after dazzling setpiece, the same thing never goes on for long enough to get boring. That plot itself contributes to the overall memorability of the game. Sam is one of the most iconic characters in the game, having spawned countless memes just by himself. Of course, Raiden is there too, acting as the dead-serious vehicle for all of the absurdity that goes on over the course of the plot. Those and many more are practically household names in some circles.Īll of them are characters so rock-solid and defined that they practically carry the game on their shoulders. Who could forget the countless other figures in the game’s story? Jetstream Sam, the pompous rival, the bizarre scientist, Doktor, and of course the arrogant wannabe dictator, Senator Armstrong. The aforementioned Monsoon is only one of many icons of Metal Gear Rising. Not only is it a joke on the internet, it’s an idea that’s been passed down over the years, well past the usual window of popularity. Even the game itself is a meme, in both senses of the word. Monsoon, one of the major villains of the game, bases his entire ideology around them. It sounds like a joke, but the game is all about memes. Memes, ones that that stood the test of time, were responsible for its meteoric rise from what could’ve been irrelevance. This bending of the fourth wall could be part of the key to why Rising is as compelling as it is.
By matching the motivations of the player and the main character, the game is able to have its cake and eat it, too. In a way, the player is on the same page. Jack the Ripper’s character arc is about admitting that, beneath his moral crusade, he really is in it for the violence. In case this game came off as too serious, here’s a cyborg samurai, robot dog, and a cyborg ninja on a motorbike.
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