Anarchy Reigns - Xbox 360

An Action-Packed Online Brawler With Some Rough Edges

Tim Turi — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 22:40:00 GMT

Online gaming experiences are dominated by shooters and sports games, while action games tend to be single-player affairs. But what would happen if 16-player deathmatches were populated with chainsaw-wielding maniacs and cybernetic ninjas instead of gun-toting army dudes? Platinum Games’ Anarchy Reigns answers this question. The 3D, arena-based brawler hosts chaotic battle royales where anything goes, along with a lengthy single-player campaign.

Anarchy Reigns feels like a hybrid of a fighting game and action game. Blocking attacks and pulling off flashy throws is as satisfying as it is in Street Fighter. Unleashing a flurry of light and heavy attacks against opponents is similar to action games like Asura’s Wrath (complete with ridiculous and powerful special moves). Combining familiar genres makes the game immediately accessible, with a gradual learning curve for those eager to learn the finer nuances of combat. Mastering techniques that let you bounce back from a rough landing or break a combo feels great and pays dividends. However, babysitting the clunky camera and selecting targets with the finicky lock-on system can spoil the fun. Juggling your enemy in the corner is a cathartic treat, unless you can’t see the flaming semi-truck b-lining towards you.

The core of Anarchy Reigns lies in the competitive multiplayer mode. Match types range from tense one-on-one cage fights to a frantic 16-player battle royale with random environmental hazards, and everything in between. Taking on 15 other players is overwhelming enough, but it becomes even nuttier when the arena’s geography morphs – or when a gigantic death laser robot enters the battle. Sometimes these spectacular events amplify the fun, other times they result in frustrating deaths. Regardless, the fact that the tide of battle can turn on a whim keeps things exciting. Unfortunately, the 17 fighters (18 including Bayonetta, if you preordered) all play too similarly to make experimentation worthwhile.

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My favorite modes are those that dramatically mix up the formula. Capture the flag is a blast, especially when you smuggle the enemies’ flag down a back route and beat down a foe with it before scoring. Deathball plays like an even more violent version of rugby, with two teams passing and running a ball towards opposing goals. My team was endlessly slaughtered playing Deathball, but I still had a good time.

The single-player campaign initially feels barebones and tacked-on, but gets better the deeper you dive. You play as either Jack or Leo, returning characters from Platinum Games’ grisly Wii title, MadWorld. The supporting cast is composed of other returning MadWorld characters and some new faces, all of which are playable in multiplayer after unlocking them via the campaign. This single-player mode plops players in a series of open environments where they must earn points to unlock new objectives. The majority of missions, whether timed or not, involve slaughtering waves of mundane mutant enemies. Racking up enough points unlocks the more exciting story missions, which pit you against other fighters and usually treat you to a goofy cinematic. The campaign starts out slow, but I grew to enjoy mindlessly bashing enemies with occasional tastes of Platinum’s trademark innuendos, corny humor, and gritty action.

Anarchy Reigns’ multiplayer scratches an itch I didn’t know I had, but its camera faults and near-identical character move sets hold it back from scratching hard enough. However, online matchmaking is quick and easy, and the network fidelity held strong through every round I played. The campaign is rough at times but overall entertaining, though I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone looking for a high-caliber action experience.

Battle Your Friends To The Death In Platinum's Online Brawler

Jeff Cork — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 19:22:00 GMT

The latest release from Platinum Games is something different. The studio that brought you Bayonetta and Vanquish are trying their hand at a game with a big online multiplayer component. Rather than compete in the crowded shooter or sports genres that dominate online, they’re bringing something different to the table. Anarchy Reigns is a four-player fighting game that could make folks who fondly reminisce about Power Stone quite happy.

I got to play a bit of the multiplayer, and it was a frenzied experience. I picked a character named Durga for the match from a pool of 11 announced characters. Zero the ninja looked appealing, the warhammer-wielding robominotaur Big Bull seemed powerful, and the lithe frost warrior Sasha looked, well, she was wearing a very tight bodysuit. Still, I thought Durga, with his bouncy stance and mechanical leg, was a good pick.

As it turns out, his leg was more than just a run of the mill prosthetic. I was able to blast the other combatants with it at range, or use a point-blank attack up close. Just like Power Stone, much of the game centers on figuring out who to focus your attention on. A score display is on the side of the screen, so you can tell at a glance who poses the biggest threat.

The battle I fought on consisted of two platforms, with one suspended high above the other. On the lower one, there were a variety of crates and items that I brought to the smaller zone by catching a ride on a gusting air current. Some of the items I spied were machine guns and a bear trap.

The game doesn’t end when your character is killed, though you take a hit to your score by dying. Players can also build up a rage meter, which allows them to use particularly strong combo attacks, such as a sped-up flurry of kicks to the gut.

Platinum is known for its intricate combat systems, and from the little time I spent with Anarchy Reigns it seems as though it comes through here, too. I’m interested to see what some of the other stages contain, as well as what the unannounced characters bring to the ring.

There is also a single-player mode, which unlocks characters for multiplayer. Judging from the selection of playable characters on hand, it’ll probably be completely insane. It is Platinum, after all.

Look for the game on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in January 2012.

Video: Meet Anarchy Reigns' Durga

Bryan Vore — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 23:47:00 GMT

Anarchy Reigns is full of crazy characters. Here is a trailer on the latest to be announced.

So Durga has a robotic claw foot that also contains a huge gun, which means that he can leave some scratch marks to go with the bullet holes in your gut (see the poor victim above).

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Anarchy Reigns Resembles A Modern Power Stone

Dan Ryckert — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 23:14:00 GMT

Fans of the underrated MadWorld may not be getting a true sequel anytime soon, but they'll be seeing more of Jack thanks to Platinum Games. He's a central figure in Anarchy Reigns, an action-heavy brawler that's arriving next January.

It was playable at Sega's E3 booth, and we got the chance to play a round of multiplayer. I chose Mathilda, a woman with a leather whip that can transform into a giant purple spiked bat when the player holds R2. Our battleground was some sort of platform in the middle of the ocean, and it was outfitted with air jets that allowed for speedy travel.

Platinum referred to this as a fighting game, but gamers shouldn't expect the intricate combo systems of something like Street Fighter. It felt more like Power Stone, with four players frantically scrambling around the map, throwing items and exchanging flashy special attacks. We also learned that it will feature a full single-player campaign, so there should be more to the package than just slapping around your buddies online.

Blacker Baron Announced For Anarchy Reigns

Bryan Vore — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:22:00 GMT

Yet another character from the Madworld universe joins the fray in Platinum Games' upcoming multiplayer brawler. Screens and a debut trailer below.

The Baron is a cyborg who fights with "Super Sexy Fists of Fire" "acquired via nefarious means." I'm not sure exactly what this means, but "the phoenix relief on them is too money for the honeys."

Check out his in-game screens in the gallery and the trailer below for more info.

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