It’s no secret I appreciate Japanese games, especially wonky Japanese games. That’s why I’m so excited about “Asura’s Wrath.” I’m obviously going to love game where you play an angry demi-god bent on destroying his former comrades who killed his wife, kidnapped his daughter for nefarious purposes and left him for dead. Not only that, “Asura’s Wrath” features epic boss battles set to classical music with ridiculous, over-the-top action. Destroying planet-sized enemies? Yes please. That’s why I named “Asura’s Wrath” this year’s guilty pleasure.

Yet I’m wondering just how repetitive “Asura’s Wrath” is, based on the demo Capcom released this week. The demo, which features two of the first boss battles, pits Asura against wicked enemies with serious issues. Each battle is packed with (or suffered from) a lot of Quick-Time Events. Don’t get me wrong, boss battles in “Asura’s Wrath” are cinematic and beautiful. Yet the action left me confused as to what I’m supposed to do. Am I supposed to shoot lasers at this giant boss? Should I roll or attack the crazy boss with a sword? What is going on and why am I getting hit by everything?

The action doesn’t seem as frenetic as other Capcom action games like “Devil May Cry.” For all its polish, intrigue and cinema, I’m worried “Asura’s Wrath” will turn incredibly repetitive. I’ve already watched gameplay footage showing Asura whooping various monsters, baddies and bosses, but after a while the footage all looks the same. This latest demo doesn’t change my opinion, really.

I’m hoping I’m wrong about “Asura’s Wrath.” I really, really want to like this game and I know a demo doesn’t decide how good a game will be. I can say playing this demo left me impatient for the game to come out Feb. 21. But I hope it keeps my attention when I finally get to play.

 

Release date: Feb. 21

action/adventure

Capcom

T for Teen