Game Review: GOD EATER 3 (Nintendo Switch)

The GOD EATER franchise has mostly been a ‘PlayStation’ branded release, with GOD EATER: RAGE BURST being on the PSP and later instalments being released onto the PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 4; but with GOD EATER 3 Bandai Namco Entertainment brings the action multi-platform, and now after its original PlayStation 4 and Windows PC (Steam) release we have the Nintendo Switch version.

What can one expect from this Nintendo Switch release of the game, and more importantly is it any fun? Let’s take a look and find out.

	Title:	GOD EATER 3
	Publisher:	Bandai Namco Entertainment
	Developer:	Marvelous Inc’s First Studio
	Platform:	Nintendo Switch
	Resolution:	1920 x 1080
	Audio:	English, Japanese
	Subtitles:	English (White)
	Local Players:	1
	Online Players:	2 – 4
	Install:	12.5GB

Our View:

Developed by Marvelous Inc’s First Studio, and not to be confused with the European publisher Marvelous Games (Marvelous Europe Limited), and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment worldwide, GOD EATER 3 is an action orientated RPG that puts players within a post-apocalyptic world with remnants of mankind fighting for survival against deadly ash clouds and demonic monsters known as Aragami.

Ironically the story, of which takes up the bulk of GOD EATER 3 through its mission-based-gameplay, is not crucially important due to how the game plays-out with its character creation, mission procedures and pacing; but it is a story that sees those fighting to survive against the Aragami band together in order to find a place they can call home within this destructive and savage world.

In this case the player created character, along with his/her friends Hugo and Zeke, are the designated AGES, which are humans that have been given the ability to wield GOD ARCS, within their local PORT (or town if you prefer) and act as their guardians; however after a destructive ASH CLOUD hits the PORT it is destroyed. Defenceless in the wasteland the player character created, Hugo and Zeke find salvation amongst the moving ship Ash Crawler Chrysanthemum which is operated by Hilda Henriquez.

This moving ship, known as a caravan, transports large groups of people between the different PORTS and in this instance the Ash Crawler Chrysanthemum acts as a beacon of hope in trying to restore balance to their world. From here the story evolves into a quest for obtaining this peace through various different means, with new allies and partnerships being forged along the way; but regardless this caravan becomes the base of operation for you and your companions and also acts as the games hub world for the player.

As previously mentioned GOD EATER 3 is played out through mission based objectives, of which can be played offline with AI characters and with others online (when other players are available) and locally, and these missions usually relate to defeating aragami (monsters) that are in the field within a specific time limit. Missions can be selected on the bridge from the hub world but annoyingly players cannot naturally progress through to the next mission until selective characters are spoken to in the hub world. This is apparently a common trait within the GOD EATER franchise; but as a first-time player of a full game I found it downright frustrating and extremely tedious.

Talking to different characters on the ship act as a way of progressive forward the narrative, which during the initial portions of the game seems vague at best, as well as acting as a way to introduce you to new characters that appear on the ship. In most cases these characters are just side-characters that act as sub-plot devices to give your character meaning in progressing forward; but other times they do act as a ‘key plot device’ to trigger the next event, mission or boss fight. It’s also worth noting that your character does not speak, even during cut-scenes, so these dialogue moments do help give your created character a bit of a personal flair.

Regardless; after each mission you will be returned to the hub world and then you will have to speak to relevant characters, of which are scattered across the hub world, in order to progress through to the next mission. The mission select screen will also be broken down into different types of missions; some will be story focused, others will be “ranked” focused while some will be challenges related to patches and content updates received since the games launch. There is a variety to choose from, especially after a few hours into the story, but be advised that some missions will prove difficult if not prepared.

Naturally this is where the games extensive customisation features come into play. Upon starting a new game players are tasked with creating their own character – with an extensive selection of hairstyles, faces, skin tones and accessories available for selection. Basically the character creation is one of the best I have seen and as such it can be difficult to decide exactly what you want your character to look like. Personally I am not a fan of “self insert characters” due to no dialogue being spoken by your character during cutscenes, which is exactly what happens here; but  it’s still a fun feature. In-depth character creation only takes part during the initial starting process but further customisation options can be changed at a later date through the hub world.

In addition to customisation options for the characters players can fully customise their equipment with different weapons, skills and items; all of which are earned (or found) on the battlefield. This is where a portion of the ‘RPG’ mechanics come into play as all weapons can be ‘upgraded’ with enhanced skills and abilities to make them stronger on the battlefield. Additionally these weapons have Sword, Gun and Shield forms depending on the button combination being pressed. Items earned through missions or found in the battlefield can also be equipped here for use during the mission, with the obvious suggestion to have recovery items on hand at all times.

In terms of weapon availability and enhancement then it is pretty much what you would expect from an RPG experience but, in my eyes at least, a large variety of upgrades and enhancements can be made to deliver that personalised GOD EATER experience. It is pretty straight forward to do as well, so as long as you have the required materials and cash you can easily upgrade weapons; but naturally to find the weapon that is best suited to your style you may need to play around before upgrading. I for one enjoyed the Twin Blades due to the increased attack speed they present, while Large Blades I found to be sluggish and slow. It is personal preference but this is just a small example of what’s on offer.

Finally, after all of that build-up to customisation and story narrative, we can discuss the combat. The combat in GOD EATER 3 remains, as far as I can tell, faithful to the original GOD EATER experience and, despite how it may look, it is incredibly accessible to new players. The games tutorial does a great job of explaining how to play, even if it is a bit long winded and covers up the screen for longer than is needed, but in short players move characters around a selective environment as they use Y and X to attack enemies that appear. By pressing the R button and attack button players can consume the aragami to obtain new items and weapons, while dodging, jumping and lock-on options are also available for players to use.

Transforming weapons between Sword, Shield and Gun also occurs relatively easily (if not too easy as I kept on doing it accidentally) by pressing the corresponding buttons and a special burst gauge, as well as a link ability with another team mate, can also be attained by attacking enemies consistently. As mentioned the controls and combat are relatively simple, so much so that at times it becomes a little bit boring, but my biggest gripe is that controls do sometimes feel a bit fiddly – especially if you are not fully accustomed to a Nintendo Switch controller layouts. I found myself for instance often transforming weapons or disengaging lock-ons; something which shouldn’t really happen but it did.

GOD EATER 3 on the Nintendo Switch delivers everything one might expect from the previous PlayStation 4 and STEAM releases of the game but at times it does lack that visual flair and polish that made the previous versions stand-out from its predecessors. Visually, from a distance, the game looks the same but up close – whether it be docked or handheld – you can occasionally see jagged lines across characters, blurred visuals and more annoyingly environmental items “popping into view” as a result of a small draw distance. In the grand scheme of things these are just minor issues on what is no doubt a solid port.

GOD EATER 3 may not be as visually impressive as some of the other games on the Nintendo Switch but it is an improvement from the original PS Vita and PSP releases of the franchise and, more importantly, it delivers the GOD EATER 3 experience without any real sacrifice. Regardless of these minor visual abnormalities and disappointments with the games progression and implementation GOD EATER 3 delivers the experience one would hope to receive; whether you play the game in handheld or docked it looks great regardless, runs smoothly and will no doubt please fans and newcomers alike.  Fans of Monster Hunter Generations on the Nintendo Switch should also take interest in GOD EATER 3, as it provides that same monster slaying fun; but from a slightly different perspective.

Score:

GOD EATER 3 is now available for the Nintendo Switch both physically and digitally worldwide. GOD EATER 3 is also available on the PlayStation 4 and Windows PC via Steam.