I’ll be honest, I didn’t get a chance to check out the original God Eater Burst on the PSP. I dunno if I was just busy at the time or it just didn’t show up on my radar when I expected it to – but it’s a party I missed out on. And that made its follow-up, God Eater Resurrection for the PlayStation 4 and PS Vita, a bit odd to encounter. That said, however, I did find a lot of fun to be had with the title, even though some instances arose that, I believe, could’ve probably happened with the PSP version as well.
The game takes place in a distant future where, surprise, humans are taking on colossal creatures using a variety of combat styles. I know, I know, you’re probably screaming, “Monster Hunter clone!” from a mile away. But fans of the original God Eater game should feel right at home with what’s done with Resurrection, as the combat style features different options.
For instance, with some of the default characters, there are some ways to attack, as well as new tricks to learn. I chose a female character that could kick ass either with a sword or, after a quick transformation animation, a far-off cannon that could hit enemies from a distance. Other characters have little things to try out as well, and that adds a great deal of variety to the game.
Still, I did find a few problems. The first is with the AI assistants. Despite the fact that you can enlist others to join you, they really don’t do that much good. You’re doing all the work while they run around you, trying to get your back with an occasional hit. It’s like a construction crew laying down cement for a sidewalk, with one guy running the mixer and the rest pretty much on lunch break.
Also, the camera can be a bit weird at times. Having manual control – a feature not in the PSP version, I believe – is nice, but the lock-on is very finicky, and there are times that the view can be obscured if you’re not locked on to an opponent the right way, forcing you to look at a wall. Or another wall. It’s not a completely broken system, but there are times that it can be really annoying.
I’m here for the battle! Ready to be taken down?
Outside of these little issues, the game has a lot to offer, including various characters, a number of fun challengers (one particular boss took quite a while to chip away at), and plenty to do around your home base, whether it’s checking in with a doctor, talking to your comrades or seeing new people pop up. I wish the base was a little more spread out (it’s so dinky for a human headquarters), but it’s serviceable.
As for the presentation, it’s not bad. Camera issues aside, the graphics look pretty good, with solid monster animations and good (albeit still small) level designs. The audio’s not bad either, with some devoted (if slightly irritating) voicework and music on hand.
What makes God Eater Resurrection such a kick, however, is the ability to play with friends – you know, what made Monster Hunter such hot stuff to begin with. Up to four players can take part in a good old-fashioned monster hack-and-slash, either with the PS4 or Vita versions. From the sessions I checked out, the latency is pretty much on the money, though connection times can occasionally be a bit long. If you can get through it, you should be pleased with the results.
If you’ve been itching for a monster striking experience – or you just loved the God Eater Burst experience – then Resurrection should be your speed. It’s got a few hiccups that keep it from flourishing as much as Capcom’s much-beloved franchise, but it’s a suitable fill-in for players seeking out fresh blood on the PS4 and Vita – and even more so if you’ve got friends willing to join you.
