Happy Anniversary Rising, and Happy 1 Year to these reviews! Thank you all for being here with me for it all. This video was going to be all the cool things in Rising, but then that would have just been all my footage playing at 1x speed. Accept this _brief_ video instead.
Honestly, I don't see a lot of people calling out Armstrong's bullshit when they do these videoessays and honestly I love it when I do see them call him out for what he is. People like Sam and Raiden and, hell, even all the other Winds of Destruction members all have more tragic backstories, Armstrong doesn't, but he's such a narcissist that he's created a whole fictional narrative about how he's the most oppressed of everyone. The worst thing that happened to him was he didn't go pro and joined the Navy, contrasted to literally every other character in the game.
1:01:11 adding another layer to this, what makes this scene more powerful is that these are the _basic grunts_ in the game that you had absolutely no trouble killing while more advanced enemies that posed a bigger threat like gekkos, mastiffs, raptors, GRADs, etc were lifeless husks being controlled by AI, the actual humans were simple enemies you had no regard for and zandatsu immediately - on a meta level, you consider them nothing more than healing items
Dude, I didn’t know parrying only happened if you block at the last possible second. Thank you bro. Legitimately. Cause this is going to hell with revengance difficulty a ton
The albino ninja saying “you’ve gotta be fucking kidding me!!” When he saw the US senator power up like a Dragon Ball character completely changed my life.
@@justinianmwh3684 that’s what kills me; after everything that happened before, it’s a completely sincere moment!! We got giant robot fights and assaulting a major US City, and we’re reached the moment our impossible character throws his arms up and wants to walk out of the theater. On top of that, the debate going forward is a frighteningly real one, but presented through this bombastic, ludicrous lens that gives me whiplash. It’s my favorite metal gear thing.
@@localcancersurvivor Rooftop Run literally has a section where you are running up/down a clocktower? How can Sonic Awful 2's, "City Escape" stage be more similar???
The Monsoon scene is so funny because he tries to pull a "We're not so different, you and I!" and Raiden goes "Yeah, you're right come to think of it" and Monsoon goes "...wait, what? Wait that's not how this goes you're supposed to go- oh I'm in danger, aren't I?"
@@literallyglados especialy if you beat him without any extra gadjets, then he breaks ethos, and cries for help when you kill him, rather than the "do as you please" line
For what you said about Rosemary, Raiden actually mentions her in a codec with BW during the city mission. Wolf tells Jack to stay focused on the objective, which brings Jack to sarcastically joke about “picking up a souvenir for Rose”. BW calls him out on it, prompting Jack to respond about teaching the AI about sarcasm. Which then leads to BW respond with (probably one of my favorite lines in the game) “I see your attempts at humor, I simply do not find them entertaining.”
The game absolutely knows what it's doing with its tone. When Armstrong does his sumo stomp and Raiden says "oh you've gotta be kidding me", he is just as baffled as us, the players. All this game he's been through a lot of unexpected stuff, but given his past adventures, this is the only moment where he genuinely goes "...WHAT?" Then the good senator does his thing.
I'd like to add, that during the pain inhibitor scene before fighting Monsoon, if you're on controller and have rumble on, you can feel Raiden's heartbeat through the controller rumble
I literally hid in a box at work the other day, and they literally said the same kind of lines that the guards doing the metal gear solid games. It really works.
Minor detail, but I'm pretty sure Armstrong's mech is actually based on a worker ant, it has the front jaws of one. It fits with the theme of his song! This video essay was excellent, thought.
To this day I don't think anything can top MGR: Revengeance for me when it comes to pure adrenaline, hype and overall feel in action games. I still go back once in a while, boot up a new save file and complete everything the game has to offer - and have a absolute blast doing it every, single, time.
@@smitefulaxe1344 I have played Asura's Wrath and it is a good game with very exciting set pieces and would gladly recommend it to anyone. It just doesn't invoke the same feeling for me personally.
I also love during the monsoon bit that raiden admits to moonson that he is a strong person who prays on the weak, but the weak in his mind is are people like desperado and world marshal. And he fucking loves killing those kinds of assholes.
Raiden is a broken kid and a high functioning psychopath, but he does care. He cared ever since he learned from Snake that his past didn't define his whole life. It's especially sweet to see him risk so much for Sunny and George.
Also it's a small detail but its one of my favorites. 1:10:43 has a different voice line that plays when you beat him without emp grenades. While Monsoon plays dirty, you can play dirty with him via EMP grenades. During the final beat down he basically accepts his loss with the line you showed. Though, if you choose to stick to your sword, he still plays dirty. Making his demise not only all the more satisfying for you, but all the more terrifying for Monsoon, who begs you to stop as you're dishing out the flurry of finishing strikes up on the side of that skyscraper. One of my favorite bossfights in any single player game.
He also sometimes laughs maniacally when dropping down after the first junk wheel bit, rather than saying "I've won this!", which fits so wonderfully with the lyrics bursting in at the same time!
@@adjustedbrass7551 if I remember correctly, it's based on how aggressively you play it's a checklist of sorts and while there's nothing to confirm it, I suspect it requires: - no damage - long combo - disabling his magnetism using counter-parries instead of relying on EMPs - just overall continuously mashing him without leaving any space to breathe take it with a grain of salt though, as these are just the things I noticed help get that dialogue through my many replays of the fight
the fact that this 2 hour deep-dive into a masterpiece of action interactive media has so few views is a crime. Found this channel today due to the doom wad video, but this is the video that earned my thumbs up/sub.
One moment I do like, its ever so small and maybe not even matter to those who've never played MGS2. Its right after hearing Bladewolfs codec call after you beat him, Raiden stateing 'What would an AI know about freedom?'. Some might laugh this off as a one-liner. But Raidens early life was pretty much lead by an AI who boasted about freedom....The Patriots. That little remark he made was his scoffing at the idea as he had to deal with that in MGS2 and finally seeing their end in MGS4.
One thing I do love about Sam's characterization between the first & last fights alongside the prequel DLC, is that you get a very clear picture of what he means when paired with another major code of the samurai: The weapon is an extension of the wielder. He's saying that RAIDEN is holding back, and that RAIDEN needs to get serious if he stands any chance against him or his employers. And at the same time... he's trying to bury the part of himself that died when he joined Desperado. He doesn't want to accept that someone can still maintain their idealism in the face of certain death and defeat because if he couldn't, that means he threw his own code away for nothing. And while he is ultimately willing to accept that by the end, you can tell he's not ready to accept it without knowing for sure that someone is strong enough to carry on his original mission in his stead. And in the end, that turned out to be Raiden, who knew firsthand what the worst of the worst could do and still chose to be someone better in spite of everything he's been turned into. Another fun thing is that he is the only boss aside from Armstrong in the JP version that doesn't have the MGS4 "white blood", so it's a very stark contrast to the other winds. In fact, every single turning point for Raiden up to that point is from someone, usually him, spilling red, all-natural human blood, seemingly as a metaphor for his own desensitization and attempt to justify what he's been doing.
I love this game so much simply for the music, it's so goddamn good. The game is also really fun and the characters are extremely memorable even though they get like 20 minutes of screen time before you slice em up 💀
the characters work so well because 1: their writing gets them across really efficiently by giving them exaggerated personalities 2: their themes pretty much explain their entire philosophy and character while also being bangers so the association sticks
If I am remembering correctly the “sir yes, yes sir” at #45:36 Is a reference to how dogs in the U.S military are usually a rank higher than their handlers
@@ImortalZeus13 for me it's the mix of *completely unhinged energy* while still making a very well researched/thought out video in other words, a video essay injected with psychosis
I love the running joke of Raiden getting hit in the chin, and then in the Armstrong fight he manages to dodge a hit to the chin and chuckles to himself, just to get blindsided and his chin scraped across the floor.
I've seen a ton of MGR reviews, this is the best one. You're the only one who actually draws parallels from the past games, with stuff I didn't even know about or remember. I actually love this game MORE now. The teams behind this were awesome
I love how Senator Armstrong's speech is so iconic that the Roguelike game Enter the Gungeon has an item called "Nanomachines" and the subtext for that item is just a singular word. "Son."
I was about to leave my office when this video dropped. Now it is 9:30PM at night now that I've finished. Lovely retrospective, made me love the game even more.
@@visassess8607 my old office was not that great. I was staying because I was too tired to leave mentally. Office has changed thankfully. I still need to work on my mental health.
As someone who has never played any of the Metal Gear catalog I clicked on this video out of sheer curiosity and could not put it down until it was over. This is a great love letter to what was obviously a fun and amazing game!
1:20:32 Snake *technically* appears. In the Japanese version of Metal Gear Rising, within the VR Missions DLC, was the Hebidamashii, which cost 10,000 BP from the upgrade shop. It functions virtually the exact same as the Wooden Sword, but has a virtual replica of Solid Snake’s soul imbued into it. Snake will comment on your gameplay, and specifically will comment on the Men In Boxes. Probably the closest we’ll ever get to an official Solid Snake: Let’s Play! series.
I think, whether consciously or otherwise, I compare every single final boss in any video game ever, whether an action game, an RPG, or a freaking platformer, to Senator Armstrong. Armstrong isn't just my favorite final boss, but in my opinion, the PERFECT final boss. A perfect sendoff for an amazing game that's extremely memorable and tests you on everything you learned. Sadly, most final bosses don't compare to Armstrong (you could almost say Armstrong ruined most bosses for me), but the ones that do shine all the brighter for even coming close
Monsoons words about memes/memetics being a meme in itself does honestly prove its own philosophy. As social creatures, we live off patterns of recognition. Memetic imagery, sounds, phrases, etc. all connect to create the people and communities will build. They can be used for good, or evil. In the wrong hands they can influence millions to be horrible, but touched on right and it can make new causes.
When this game came out I bought the $150 deluxe thing and it came with a metal case with game and soundtrack, also a lightning lamp with a sword in the middle The lamp stopped lightning-ing last week It lasted 10 years I’d say money well spent
I want to add that when raiden called him put saying he doesnt know what it was like to be poor and weak to fight and kill just to survive, armstrong DID NOT DENY IT he infact doubbled down pretty much saying "Yeah i dont but you DID survive proving my point, through your own rules you are now facing someone like me"
After watching Max0r's 1st part, I went in blind and played Hard mode with 0 health/blademode upgrades, still dont have any on Very Hard for tradition sake. *Armstrong pushed my shit in on Hard.* I'm dead serious when I say Armstrong has been the second most difficult fight I've had in a game. If I decide to Zandatsu, I _genuinely_ have a full 3/4ths of a second to find the weak spot on VH Mode, which will come to bite SO hard when I see Armstrong again. _First place going to a special blue soul with snakes for arms in another game..._
What you may have expected was the final boss being hard. What you didn't expect was being assaulted by a gorilla in the sewers after suplexing a building sized bionicle figurine
After watching this full video I realise that this game is still amazing, red sun is my favourite song and armstrong is probably the most memorable character of all time
Two notes. Sam is actually the owner of the bike Raiden stole. And in a japan only dlc....the spirit of Old Snake is within a wooden blade you can unlock.
Something you didn't notice is that after the first fight of metal gear ray it show ur stats for the fight and it says no kills but after the second it's one kill so that's cool how they acknowledge it's not actually dead but still alive
Ah, Metal Gear Rising, the best and most intense musical there is. Seriously though, it's a very dope game and I'm very glad that people appreciate it to this day. I'd love to see a sequel, but honestly MGR feels like a lightning in a bottle and it would be very difficult to recapture it even under ideal circumstances, and we don't have those. But, just as you concluded, I'm freaking glad it exists and I'm happy I've experienced it.
41:55 look at the longest combo number Also love to see that people are still riding on the high that is metal gear rising REvengeance. Keep it going lads and never stop!
Thank you for acknowledging the issue of unsuccessfully passing the Tutorial. On my first playthrough, I struggled completing the game on normal difficulty, because I did not understand how to block, let alone parry. I didn’t even use the sidestep action, because I didn’t know where the moves list was. After literally having to look up the answer online, I went on to beat many successful playthroughs on higher difficulties, even doing no damage challenges for every boss. This game is now my absolute comfort game and I revisit the story at least two times a year. In fact, a rewatch of Maxors incomplete summaries and your video have also become part of this tradition. Thank you for your great work.
One really cool feature/details about MG Rising Rev.'s soundtracks is that each bosses not only have their own soundtracks dynamism, the singer/voices used in those are often related to the boss itself such as the gender or even style of voice of the singer. The way the soundtracks were recorded and used is actually really brilliant! Each transition during which the soundtrack changes have micro-moments which can be waited/skipped so that the soundtrack switch at key moments and so that the change feels natural and dynamic as the boss battle evolve to its final stage.
I heard the original premise for this game was supposed to be about how Raiden found Sunny. I'm sure fans of the story would have loved to see that since at the end of MGS2, Snake told Raiden he would be the one to find them, only for MGS4 to say otherwise with barely any context. From the looks of it, the devs were too obsessed with implementing the "cut everything" ability and couldn't find a way to integrate it with the story. It's a shame. It could have been about Raiden slowly turning himself into a cyborg as he ditched stealth tactics to be more confrontational, culminating with him unlocking the cut everything feature.
@@nia7558I think the bigger issue was designing levels to compliment the system. Were they making the chop mechanic to make the game a hack-and-slasher or did they still want it to be a stealth game like the rest of the series?
if i remember right what it really came down to was that it was initially meant as a side project for the dev team to work on as practice while the mainline games were in the works, but the scope ballooned out of proportion for that and they realized it wasnt gonna work out. grain of salt for this though
If I remember correctly, the first health bar for Armstrong isn't his. It's his shirt's. And even after we struggle to even scratch it, he rips it off no problem.
Thanks, dude! I watched the whole thing through. This was my equivalent of rewatching a beloved movie after 10 years. Seeing other people gushing over something you love is a powerful drug!
1:45:59 For those who don't know, both Armstrong and Donald Trump were taking after Ronald Reagan in the 1980 presidential campaign with that slogan, neither created that slogan at all. for people like me who didn't know that fact until recently, there's the origin for that slogan
really loved the video mate ! One thing about Mistral (that I love to tell) is that she is a BIG reference to Camus : her weapon is named "l'étranger" (the stranger) which is a book by Camus, and the stong "A Strange I remain", the singer uses a line from the book "I sharpen the knife" etc. I really want to play this game again, damn you !
Monsoon, an actual nihilist, a fromer gang member who was infamous for his unnecessary cruelty, a person who witnessed, survived, one of the most horrific genocides in our history, BACKS AWAY when Raiden shows Jack the Ripper. Jack is so terrifying and intimidating that, maybe for the first time in quite some time, Monsoon feels fear.
As a huge fan myself, Its so nice to see a newer video so well done on this game! Great job! I still play my launch copy occasionaly on my 360. Absolutely a gem! I still love coming up with crazy new ways to play it. The combat system is still one of my all time favorites!
Even after 10 years, I still look at Metal Gear Rising with the same amount of wonder and joy as I did when I first played it. The fact, that you made this love letter of a video confirms that this gem of a game holds a special place in many people's hearts - I couldn't wipe off the smile from my face while I was watching the video. Bloody good job mate :D
Just finished rewatching for the fourth time, this is by far my favourite video on one of my favourite games. I love big long videos that go through everything the game has to offer.
As one of those people who didn't get on the parry train properly in the tutorial, I've never seen those head and tail blade mode segments on Ray until now, and I played the game in 2013 I ended up getting stuck on Monsoon (also because I didn't know you could upgrade your stuff) and just ground the first mission over and over again until I got the insta-cut Gray Fox sword and brute forced him with it
If you want further frustration, you can parry any parry-able attack by flicking the left joystick up and pushing attack. Following the incoming attack is possible, but you instantly parry the closest one if you just flick up
i actually did the same thing with the parry ability, i brute forced my way through the game till monsoon, and then i figured out the parry system, at which point i felt like i leveled up and became invincible XD
This. Was. AWESOME!! It's a sublime example of following the "Rule of Cool," and that cringe and hype are often two sides of the same coin. Oh, and if you're ever in Kansas City, I'll introduce you to some of the smokiest, tenderest (I'm not sure that's a word), objectively best barbeque the world has ever known. I'm being serious. Just hit me up. Seems like the least I can do for enjoying your content so much!
Unrelated to my prev. comment, my brothers visit every so often, me being the eldest in a line of siblings of nerds and memers, they find quite a few new games through me. I'm extremely happy when they caught on to how parries work with some guidance and watching them enjoy themselves being beaten down and cutting through is a new memory I'll cherish. They didn't put down the game and it was partially from me. :D
One of my favourite parts of the game is when you die during the sequence where you’re running down the tower avoiding projectiles from Metal Gear RAY. Raiden just falls to the side and screams and it’s such untapped meme material. I love it.
I feel like its often missed that the "take a DOOMP" section is a No More Heroes gag. Long hall, get a phone call, slow walk down the hall, and take a....DOOMP.
You know... I now understand (after about a decade of replaying the game once every 1-2 years) the reason behind Raiden's mental breakdown in the lab and Denver. He couldn't comprehend the greatness of his game's album.
I picked up this game a few weeks ago and I instantly loved it. I’ve never played a game more unique. I will be honest though, I didn’t know there was a lock on in this game until my third playthrough on hard with no damage
There’s just something so funny about George having two subtitles one for what he’s saying and another for what he means to say. It’s probably my favorite joke in the game
Raiden didn't just say that he takes pleasure in the pain he causes for the greater good. He said the greater good is an excuse he uses to let him cause that pain
It probably counts as character progression if he tried to forcibly change by actively repressing that part of him. Now he accepts that as part of him, which may not be a good thing, but he understands himself better and still does the right thing. He's a hero and all that jazz, and still believes people should NOT be like him so he works to stop that.
MG Excelsius is a Metal Gear in name only for advertising purposes. It's a semi-autonomous intimidation unit meant to be used in active war zones and city assaults to primarily intimidate enemy soldiers. There's a codex call with Borys where he goes through it.
Plus, the in-universe point of Metal Gears in the first place is that they're supposed to be bipedal in design; a mixture of armory and infantry with the comparison of apes evolving into humans.
1:47:00 THANK YOU for that point. There's way too many people who say Armstrong's got a point when he's really just what Raiden said at the start: An upper-crust blowhard who doesn't know how good he has it, imposing his social darwinism that feels a bit too close to home sometimes onto everyone else.
One of my favorite details is after armstrong grapples Raiden before he throws him, you can see him wrap Raidens arm, it doesn't mean anything it's just a cool detail that shows armstrong knows what he's doing
I somehow ( 9:26 on first play through) managed to beat mgrr on normal with never blocking, I could never figure it out until a friend told me, even then I loved the game.
Monsoon has to be my favorite Boss fight with Armstrong beeing a close second. The whole fight is so much fun, with all the blocking. I remember when i found out for the first time that you can block his big junk wheel thingys and then cut them into Pieces. Absolutely amazing. Amazing Video about one of my favorite games ❤
I think for most people it’s less that it needs one and more that more of the same would be cool as fuck. Same thing happened with Super Mario Galaxy, sequel was entirely unnecessary and was yet beloved by the community
@@jacobhafar538 Agree, but I absolutely do not want a sequel anytime soon. The industry is a trashfire right now, and I don't want any of the filthy gremlins masquerading as devs nowadays defiling this masterpiece's legacy. Give it five or ten years for everyone to die and be replaced with talented people, and then we can talk of sequels.
It never occurred to me to split Sundowner's explosive shield with blade mode. He'll lower the shield if you jump behind him when it's active, so I never got that second phase and he wound up being one of the easiest bosses in the game for me lol
I beleive that jack is ultimately what armstrong wants out of the world, people who are not afraid to fight for their beleifs, who have truth to their words, who can pick themselves up and win through their own merit instead of something dumb. if you are too weak to rule and someone stronger comes along he will just kill you, which is exactly what happens to him. he wants to make a world where people can live exclusively off of merit but he does not realize that it is simply not a possible goal.
Happy Anniversary Rising, and Happy 1 Year to these reviews! Thank you all for being here with me for it all.
This video was going to be all the cool things in Rising, but then that would have just been all my footage playing at 1x speed. Accept this _brief_ video instead.
Honestly, I don't see a lot of people calling out Armstrong's bullshit when they do these videoessays and honestly I love it when I do see them call him out for what he is. People like Sam and Raiden and, hell, even all the other Winds of Destruction members all have more tragic backstories, Armstrong doesn't, but he's such a narcissist that he's created a whole fictional narrative about how he's the most oppressed of everyone. The worst thing that happened to him was he didn't go pro and joined the Navy, contrasted to literally every other character in the game.
1:01:11 adding another layer to this, what makes this scene more powerful is that these are the _basic grunts_ in the game that you had absolutely no trouble killing
while more advanced enemies that posed a bigger threat like gekkos, mastiffs, raptors, GRADs, etc were lifeless husks being controlled by AI, the actual humans were simple enemies you had no regard for and zandatsu immediately - on a meta level, you consider them nothing more than healing items
Dude, I didn’t know parrying only happened if you block at the last possible second. Thank you bro. Legitimately. Cause this is going to hell with revengance difficulty a ton
Also you didn’t talk about the endurance and the energy cell uprgrades
PLAY "BLASPHEMOUS" AND MAKE A VIDEO ON IT!
The albino ninja saying “you’ve gotta be fucking kidding me!!” When he saw the US senator power up like a Dragon Ball character completely changed my life.
I would’ve signed his petition.
After ten years this is the most unhinged game I’ve ever played
@@justinianmwh3684 that’s what kills me; after everything that happened before, it’s a completely sincere moment!!
We got giant robot fights and assaulting a major US City, and we’re reached the moment our impossible character throws his arms up and wants to walk out of the theater.
On top of that, the debate going forward is a frighteningly real one, but presented through this bombastic, ludicrous lens that gives me whiplash. It’s my favorite metal gear thing.
Albino CYBORG ninja
It’s a funny line but it perfectly sums up Raiden’s frustration in that moment. Just “You gotta be fucking kidding me!”
the album was so good they even added a free game to it
And that's why Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is my favorite Sonic the hedgehog game
@@TheRabbitPoet Unironically, the part where Raiden runs down the clock-tower reminded me of Sonic Unleashed.
@@jinxyjangle reminded me more of SA2's city escape scene
@@localcancersurvivor Rooftop Run literally has a section where you are running up/down a clocktower? How can Sonic Awful 2's, "City Escape" stage be more similar???
@@jinxyjangle Because it's slanted?
Idk I'm just a dumbass
The Monsoon scene is so funny because he tries to pull a "We're not so different, you and I!" and Raiden goes "Yeah, you're right come to think of it" and Monsoon goes "...wait, what? Wait that's not how this goes you're supposed to go- oh I'm in danger, aren't I?"
"wait, I'm right? Oh No I'm Right." -monsoon, probably
@@literallyglados especialy if you beat him without any extra gadjets, then he breaks ethos, and cries for help when you kill him, rather than the "do as you please" line
@@gampie13not quite. You have to beat him in a certain amount of time for him to say that line, on top of not using gadgets
@@unoriginal2552 Nah you just need S rank
Just... "Oh.... oh no.... I'm in danger"
For what you said about Rosemary, Raiden actually mentions her in a codec with BW during the city mission. Wolf tells Jack to stay focused on the objective, which brings Jack to sarcastically joke about “picking up a souvenir for Rose”. BW calls him out on it, prompting Jack to respond about teaching the AI about sarcasm. Which then leads to BW respond with (probably one of my favorite lines in the game) “I see your attempts at humor, I simply do not find them entertaining.”
Bladewolf really said "You're not funny, stfu"
It is also mentioned that rose and his son are in New Zealand later in the level correct?
@@cogbait I don’t recall. But I’ll check.
Edit: Just checked. You’re right.
he's just like me fr
The game absolutely knows what it's doing with its tone. When Armstrong does his sumo stomp and Raiden says "oh you've gotta be kidding me", he is just as baffled as us, the players. All this game he's been through a lot of unexpected stuff, but given his past adventures, this is the only moment where he genuinely goes "...WHAT?" Then the good senator does his thing.
I'd like to add, that during the pain inhibitor scene before fighting Monsoon, if you're on controller and have rumble on, you can feel Raiden's heartbeat through the controller rumble
a trans bisexual knight? Could this possibly be a weapon to surpass metal gear and Raiden?!
@@Fur4all indeed
@@Fur4all what
only person I'm thinking of rn is vamp
Too much white noise, could be more simplified for better reach.
nice pfp!
This game switches between serious awesomeness and Xavier Renegade Angel constantly and its very amazing
Damn, pretty accurate actually. The sheer absurdity of what's going on just swings all the way around to being extremely based again.
You'd like to be me, wouldnt me?
i knew i could tell the vibe from somewhere and xra is exactly it
@@Inferno144
“You snoze, you loze.”
“You sleeped, you weeped.”
@@MetaFanWing i can imagine raiden and sam having this exact convo
I like how just about every single character in the game has laser eyes, the bright red lens flare that says "watch out, I'm powerful"
Usually it's reserved for the villains. But this time...
*You get a few as well*
the fun thing about it, its that you cant see armstrong's until he throws off his glasses, showing his true face
"It's... it's a box. How's that gonna help?"
*don't you fucking doubt that god damn box, it's the best hiding spot ever*
*_aggressively stabs asshole_*
The cyborg enemies killing the civilian hostage the moment they detect a change in the atmosphere: "we are 4 parallel universes ahead of you"
I literally hid in a box at work the other day, and they literally said the same kind of lines that the guards doing the metal gear solid games. It really works.
Minor detail, but I'm pretty sure Armstrong's mech is actually based on a worker ant, it has the front jaws of one. It fits with the theme of his song! This video essay was excellent, thought.
Plus it’s a deep red and black, like ants, and comes out of a tunnel - Tunnelling and digging being something ants are known for
I think it's a mantis, but it sure does look like an ant and would definitely fit the symbolism!
@@eliasjakemoran02always looked more like a spider to me
To this day I don't think anything can top MGR: Revengeance for me when it comes to pure adrenaline, hype and overall feel in action games. I still go back once in a while, boot up a new save file and complete everything the game has to offer - and have a absolute blast doing it every, single, time.
Yeah, this game and sekiro are so good to play and get my dopamine so high that it's actually hard to enjoy other action games
Try Asura's Wrath if you haven't already. In terms of hype and adrenaline it's unmatched. Although the gameplay is a bit iffy.
@@smitefulaxe1344 I have played Asura's Wrath and it is a good game with very exciting set pieces and would gladly recommend it to anyone. It just doesn't invoke the same feeling for me personally.
Severed steel came close for me 👌
If I can suggest one, it would be ULTRAKILL.
I also love during the monsoon bit that raiden admits to moonson that he is a strong person who prays on the weak, but the weak in his mind is are people like desperado and world marshal. And he fucking loves killing those kinds of assholes.
Raiden is a broken kid and a high functioning psychopath, but he does care. He cared ever since he learned from Snake that his past didn't define his whole life. It's especially sweet to see him risk so much for Sunny and George.
1:14:12 I literally busted out laughing at the "Like the good ol' days after 9/11" bit.
Also it's a small detail but its one of my favorites. 1:10:43 has a different voice line that plays when you beat him without emp grenades.
While Monsoon plays dirty, you can play dirty with him via EMP grenades. During the final beat down he basically accepts his loss with the line you showed.
Though, if you choose to stick to your sword, he still plays dirty. Making his demise not only all the more satisfying for you, but all the more terrifying for Monsoon, who begs you to stop as you're dishing out the flurry of finishing strikes up on the side of that skyscraper.
One of my favorite bossfights in any single player game.
Yeah, your reward for taking the harder route and doing well is that Monsoon is murdered not just physically, but philosophically.
He also sometimes laughs maniacally when dropping down after the first junk wheel bit, rather than saying "I've won this!", which fits so wonderfully with the lyrics bursting in at the same time!
I used emp grenades and still got the "Stop! Don't do this!" 🤷♂️
@@adjustedbrass7551 if I remember correctly, it's based on how aggressively you play
it's a checklist of sorts and while there's nothing to confirm it, I suspect it requires:
- no damage
- long combo
- disabling his magnetism using counter-parries instead of relying on EMPs
- just overall continuously mashing him without leaving any space to breathe
take it with a grain of salt though, as these are just the things I noticed help get that dialogue through my many replays of the fight
Why cheese, when you can parry.
- Sun Tzu, Art of Parry
the fact that this 2 hour deep-dive into a masterpiece of action interactive media has so few views is a crime. Found this channel today due to the doom wad video, but this is the video that earned my thumbs up/sub.
One moment I do like, its ever so small and maybe not even matter to those who've never played MGS2. Its right after hearing Bladewolfs codec call after you beat him, Raiden stateing 'What would an AI know about freedom?'. Some might laugh this off as a one-liner. But Raidens early life was pretty much lead by an AI who boasted about freedom....The Patriots. That little remark he made was his scoffing at the idea as he had to deal with that in MGS2 and finally seeing their end in MGS4.
One thing I do love about Sam's characterization between the first & last fights alongside the prequel DLC, is that you get a very clear picture of what he means when paired with another major code of the samurai: The weapon is an extension of the wielder.
He's saying that RAIDEN is holding back, and that RAIDEN needs to get serious if he stands any chance against him or his employers.
And at the same time... he's trying to bury the part of himself that died when he joined Desperado. He doesn't want to accept that someone can still maintain their idealism in the face of certain death and defeat because if he couldn't, that means he threw his own code away for nothing. And while he is ultimately willing to accept that by the end, you can tell he's not ready to accept it without knowing for sure that someone is strong enough to carry on his original mission in his stead. And in the end, that turned out to be Raiden, who knew firsthand what the worst of the worst could do and still chose to be someone better in spite of everything he's been turned into.
Another fun thing is that he is the only boss aside from Armstrong in the JP version that doesn't have the MGS4 "white blood", so it's a very stark contrast to the other winds. In fact, every single turning point for Raiden up to that point is from someone, usually him, spilling red, all-natural human blood, seemingly as a metaphor for his own desensitization and attempt to justify what he's been doing.
I love this game so much simply for the music, it's so goddamn good. The game is also really fun and the characters are extremely memorable even though they get like 20 minutes of screen time before you slice em up 💀
The composer even posted unreleased tracks onto his channel just recently.
@@gespenst1329 I know what I'm listening to at work tonight...
the characters work so well because
1: their writing gets them across really efficiently by giving them exaggerated personalities
2: their themes pretty much explain their entire philosophy and character while also being bangers so the association sticks
If I am remembering correctly the “sir yes, yes sir” at #45:36
Is a reference to how dogs in the U.S military are usually a rank higher than their handlers
Well.. well.. well.. if it ain’t the more consistently scheduled fusion of shammy and hbomberguy who we all love so much.
Hopefully not that first one…
Huh, my thoughts were Ahoy and Hbomberguy, but I see where you're coming from.
Is there anything about Hbomb that is inherent to his style besides being British?
@@ImortalZeus13 for me it's the mix of *completely unhinged energy* while still making a very well researched/thought out video
in other words, a video essay injected with psychosis
Why not Shammy? From what I recall his videos were solid.
47:15 You just gotta love how You can see Raiden's absolute "Oh shit" face during the cutscene, it's the little details.
I love the running joke of Raiden getting hit in the chin, and then in the Armstrong fight he manages to dodge a hit to the chin and chuckles to himself, just to get blindsided and his chin scraped across the floor.
I've seen a ton of MGR reviews, this is the best one.
You're the only one who actually draws parallels from the past games, with stuff I didn't even know about or remember. I actually love this game MORE now. The teams behind this were awesome
I love how Senator Armstrong's speech is so iconic that the Roguelike game Enter the Gungeon has an item called "Nanomachines" and the subtext for that item is just a singular word. "Son."
I was about to leave my office when this video dropped.
Now it is 9:30PM at night now that I've finished.
Lovely retrospective, made me love the game even more.
I'm sorry but literally nothing would make me stay at my work place for any time more than my schedule demands lmao.
@@visassess8607 my old office was not that great. I was staying because I was too tired to leave mentally.
Office has changed thankfully. I still need to work on my mental health.
As someone who has never played any of the Metal Gear catalog I clicked on this video out of sheer curiosity and could not put it down until it was over. This is a great love letter to what was obviously a fun and amazing game!
1:20:32 Snake *technically* appears. In the Japanese version of Metal Gear Rising, within the VR Missions DLC, was the Hebidamashii, which cost 10,000 BP from the upgrade shop. It functions virtually the exact same as the Wooden Sword, but has a virtual replica of Solid Snake’s soul imbued into it. Snake will comment on your gameplay, and specifically will comment on the Men In Boxes.
Probably the closest we’ll ever get to an official Solid Snake: Let’s Play! series.
no matter what happens i always come back to multiple hour MGR video essays 😭😭😭
i loved this one! good work
5 points
I think, whether consciously or otherwise, I compare every single final boss in any video game ever, whether an action game, an RPG, or a freaking platformer, to Senator Armstrong.
Armstrong isn't just my favorite final boss, but in my opinion, the PERFECT final boss. A perfect sendoff for an amazing game that's extremely memorable and tests you on everything you learned.
Sadly, most final bosses don't compare to Armstrong (you could almost say Armstrong ruined most bosses for me), but the ones that do shine all the brighter for even coming close
Ever play DMC? I put Vergil from DMC3 (his final fight at least) up there with Armstrong for goated final bosses with amazing fights
Monsoons words about memes/memetics being a meme in itself does honestly prove its own philosophy. As social creatures, we live off patterns of recognition. Memetic imagery, sounds, phrases, etc. all connect to create the people and communities will build. They can be used for good, or evil. In the wrong hands they can influence millions to be horrible, but touched on right and it can make new causes.
Ive never played any metal gear games besides this one and i unironically think its one of the best games ever made
play the other ones
MGR's story is pretty much just MGS4: Shitpost Edition.
When this game came out I bought the $150 deluxe thing and it came with a metal case with game and soundtrack, also a lightning lamp with a sword in the middle
The lamp stopped lightning-ing last week
It lasted 10 years
I’d say money well spent
1:47:54 The SHEER SHOCK on his face STILL cracks me up even years after playing this game!
Its SO GOOD!
I want to add that when raiden called him put saying he doesnt know what it was like to be poor and weak to fight and kill just to survive, armstrong DID NOT DENY IT he infact doubbled down pretty much saying
"Yeah i dont but you DID survive proving my point, through your own rules you are now facing someone like me"
After watching Max0r's 1st part, I went in blind and played Hard mode with 0 health/blademode upgrades, still dont have any on Very Hard for tradition sake.
*Armstrong pushed my shit in on Hard.*
I'm dead serious when I say Armstrong has been the second most difficult fight I've had in a game. If I decide to Zandatsu, I _genuinely_ have a full 3/4ths of a second to find the weak spot on VH Mode, which will come to bite SO hard when I see Armstrong again.
_First place going to a special blue soul with snakes for arms in another game..._
What you may have expected was the final boss being hard.
What you didn't expect was being assaulted by a gorilla in the sewers after suplexing a building sized bionicle figurine
almost thought you meant minos prime from ultrakill somehow
@@furballisticfinn6881 isnt that what is being implied? or am i mistaken
@@CreepoZ i think it is, but the snakes for arms threw me off
@@furballisticfinn6881 He has serpents wrapped around his forearms, doesn't he?
After watching this full video I realise that this game is still amazing, red sun is my favourite song and armstrong is probably the most memorable character of all time
probably? do i need to recite you chapter 8 of this video?
Two notes. Sam is actually the owner of the bike Raiden stole. And in a japan only dlc....the spirit of Old Snake is within a wooden blade you can unlock.
Something you didn't notice is that after the first fight of metal gear ray it show ur stats for the fight and it says no kills but after the second it's one kill so that's cool how they acknowledge it's not actually dead but still alive
STANDING HERE
I REALIZE
TRYING TO MAKE HISTORY
BUT WHO’S TO JUDGE
@@furballisticfinn6881 THE RIGHT FROM WRONG
WHEN YOUR GUARD IS DOWN
Ah, Metal Gear Rising, the best and most intense musical there is.
Seriously though, it's a very dope game and I'm very glad that people appreciate it to this day. I'd love to see a sequel, but honestly MGR feels like a lightning in a bottle and it would be very difficult to recapture it even under ideal circumstances, and we don't have those. But, just as you concluded, I'm freaking glad it exists and I'm happy I've experienced it.
41:55 look at the longest combo number
Also love to see that people are still riding on the high that is metal gear rising REvengeance. Keep it going lads and never stop!
Every time I do a Zandatsu I always say “REAL SHIT?!” because of how Raiden’s eyes glow when breaking the electrolyte units
Thank you for acknowledging the issue of unsuccessfully passing the Tutorial. On my first playthrough, I struggled completing the game on normal difficulty, because I did not understand how to block, let alone parry. I didn’t even use the sidestep action, because I didn’t know where the moves list was. After literally having to look up the answer online, I went on to beat many successful playthroughs on higher difficulties, even doing no damage challenges for every boss. This game is now my absolute comfort game and I revisit the story at least two times a year. In fact, a rewatch of Maxors incomplete summaries and your video have also become part of this tradition. Thank you for your great work.
One really cool feature/details about MG Rising Rev.'s soundtracks is that each bosses not only have their own soundtracks dynamism, the singer/voices used in those are often related to the boss itself such as the gender or even style of voice of the singer. The way the soundtracks were recorded and used is actually really brilliant! Each transition during which the soundtrack changes have micro-moments which can be waited/skipped so that the soundtrack switch at key moments and so that the change feels natural and dynamic as the boss battle evolve to its final stage.
I heard the original premise for this game was supposed to be about how Raiden found Sunny. I'm sure fans of the story would have loved to see that since at the end of MGS2, Snake told Raiden he would be the one to find them, only for MGS4 to say otherwise with barely any context. From the looks of it, the devs were too obsessed with implementing the "cut everything" ability and couldn't find a way to integrate it with the story. It's a shame. It could have been about Raiden slowly turning himself into a cyborg as he ditched stealth tactics to be more confrontational, culminating with him unlocking the cut everything feature.
Believe it or not, the person who writes the story isn’t the person coding the fancy model chopping engine.
@@nia7558I think the bigger issue was designing levels to compliment the system. Were they making the chop mechanic to make the game a hack-and-slasher or did they still want it to be a stealth game like the rest of the series?
if i remember right what it really came down to was that it was initially meant as a side project for the dev team to work on as practice while the mainline games were in the works, but the scope ballooned out of proportion for that and they realized it wasnt gonna work out. grain of salt for this though
1:07:25 Ah, yes. It took almost another decade for a hero to admit this again. And it was the Warrior of Light in FFXIV.
If I remember correctly, the first health bar for Armstrong isn't his. It's his shirt's. And even after we struggle to even scratch it, he rips it off no problem.
I don't play games anymore due to injury so I love seeing excellent walkthroughs and story analyses like these
Thanks, dude! I watched the whole thing through. This was my equivalent of rewatching a beloved movie after 10 years. Seeing other people gushing over something you love is a powerful drug!
1:45:59 For those who don't know, both Armstrong and Donald Trump were taking after Ronald Reagan in the 1980 presidential campaign with that slogan, neither created that slogan at all. for people like me who didn't know that fact until recently, there's the origin for that slogan
really loved the video mate !
One thing about Mistral (that I love to tell) is that she is a BIG reference to Camus : her weapon is named "l'étranger" (the stranger) which is a book by Camus, and the stong "A Strange I remain", the singer uses a line from the book "I sharpen the knife" etc.
I really want to play this game again, damn you !
Monsoon, an actual nihilist, a fromer gang member who was infamous for his unnecessary cruelty, a person who witnessed, survived, one of the most horrific genocides in our history, BACKS AWAY when Raiden shows Jack the Ripper.
Jack is so terrifying and intimidating that, maybe for the first time in quite some time, Monsoon feels fear.
The fact that Raiden says "Let's dance" is his way to emphasize that is Sam's sword and not his sword.
As a huge fan myself, Its so nice to see a newer video so well done on this game! Great job!
I still play my launch copy occasionaly on my 360. Absolutely a gem! I still love coming up with crazy new ways to play it. The combat system is still one of my all time favorites!
Even after 10 years, I still look at Metal Gear Rising with the same amount of wonder and joy as I did when I first played it. The fact, that you made this love letter of a video confirms that this gem of a game holds a special place in many people's hearts - I couldn't wipe off the smile from my face while I was watching the video. Bloody good job mate :D
played this game for the first time about a year ago.. loved every bit of it.
Just finished rewatching for the fourth time, this is by far my favourite video on one of my favourite games. I love big long videos that go through everything the game has to offer.
As one of those people who didn't get on the parry train properly in the tutorial, I've never seen those head and tail blade mode segments on Ray until now, and I played the game in 2013
I ended up getting stuck on Monsoon (also because I didn't know you could upgrade your stuff) and just ground the first mission over and over again until I got the insta-cut Gray Fox sword and brute forced him with it
If you want further frustration, you can parry any parry-able attack by flicking the left joystick up and pushing attack.
Following the incoming attack is possible, but you instantly parry the closest one if you just flick up
Spectacular video! And the ending, oh my! So glad you didn't miss that opportunity!
i actually did the same thing with the parry ability, i brute forced my way through the game till monsoon, and then i figured out the parry system, at which point i felt like i leveled up and became invincible XD
edit: wait u got t shirts for ur demo win, i only got a holographic poster, tbf its an amazing poster, but a tee would of been nice too XD
my question is how did you get past bladewolf?
@@vyrus5587 sheer brute force, and i got lucky physically dodging attacks
This. Was. AWESOME!! It's a sublime example of following the "Rule of Cool," and that cringe and hype are often two sides of the same coin. Oh, and if you're ever in Kansas City, I'll introduce you to some of the smokiest, tenderest (I'm not sure that's a word), objectively best barbeque the world has ever known. I'm being serious. Just hit me up. Seems like the least I can do for enjoying your content so much!
Unrelated to my prev. comment, my brothers visit every so often, me being the eldest in a line of siblings of nerds and memers, they find quite a few new games through me. I'm extremely happy when they caught on to how parries work with some guidance and watching them enjoy themselves being beaten down and cutting through is a new memory I'll cherish. They didn't put down the game and it was partially from me. :D
One of my favourite parts of the game is when you die during the sequence where you’re running down the tower avoiding projectiles from Metal Gear RAY. Raiden just falls to the side and screams and it’s such untapped meme material. I love it.
It's honestly not fair. You make everything seem so cool and fun
just in case you haven't, play it. It really is that good. The whole way through.
I feel like its often missed that the "take a DOOMP" section is a No More Heroes gag. Long hall, get a phone call, slow walk down the hall, and take a....DOOMP.
18:31 I love this moment so much just the panicked sound in your voice is so hilarious to me 😂
I love seeing brand spanking new hours long vids in my reccomended. Best part of youtube. Subbed.
I have never seen a video that made me WANT to play a Metal Gear game. This is one I will pick up if I ever get the chance.
I love that you can feel the sheer hate and rage behind the button inputs when you cut up sundowner
You know... I now understand (after about a decade of replaying the game once every 1-2 years) the reason behind Raiden's mental breakdown in the lab and Denver. He couldn't comprehend the greatness of his game's album.
What a fantastic piece of art your video is. thanks for uploading and all the work that went in there.
I picked up this game a few weeks ago and I instantly loved it. I’ve never played a game more unique. I will be honest though, I didn’t know there was a lock on in this game until my third playthrough on hard with no damage
There’s just something so funny about George having two subtitles one for what he’s saying and another for what he means to say. It’s probably my favorite joke in the game
Raiden didn't just say that he takes pleasure in the pain he causes for the greater good.
He said the greater good is an excuse he uses to let him cause that pain
This is the most insane opening act in any game! It's an absolute power trip and sells to you the FEELING of being a cyborg ninja!
I-It's...THE SHIT!
Platinum at their peak.
Edit: 20:13 I heard that Gmod collision noise.
Nah that's wonderful 101
It probably counts as character progression if he tried to forcibly change by actively repressing that part of him. Now he accepts that as part of him, which may not be a good thing, but he understands himself better and still does the right thing. He's a hero and all that jazz, and still believes people should NOT be like him so he works to stop that.
You are the best PowerPak!
Battery forever!
MG Excelsius is a Metal Gear in name only for advertising purposes. It's a semi-autonomous intimidation unit meant to be used in active war zones and city assaults to primarily intimidate enemy soldiers. There's a codex call with Borys where he goes through it.
Plus, the in-universe point of Metal Gears in the first place is that they're supposed to be bipedal in design; a mixture of armory and infantry with the comparison of apes evolving into humans.
I just bought this game yesterday and it's soooooo good!!! I will watch this video after i finish it, thank you for making it!
1:47:00 THANK YOU for that point. There's way too many people who say Armstrong's got a point when he's really just what Raiden said at the start: An upper-crust blowhard who doesn't know how good he has it, imposing his social darwinism that feels a bit too close to home sometimes onto everyone else.
One of my favorite details is after armstrong grapples Raiden before he throws him, you can see him wrap Raidens arm, it doesn't mean anything it's just a cool detail that shows armstrong knows what he's doing
I somehow ( 9:26 on first play through) managed to beat mgrr on normal with never blocking, I could never figure it out until a friend told me, even then I loved the game.
Monsoon has to be my favorite Boss fight with Armstrong beeing a close second.
The whole fight is so much fun, with all the blocking. I remember when i found out for the first time that you can block his big junk wheel thingys and then cut them into Pieces.
Absolutely amazing.
Amazing Video about one of my favorite games ❤
Hotline Miami also suggests towards player enjoying violence for fun's sake towards the end.
Very post-modern.
i just finished rising and IMMEDIATLY went to your channel to see your review ive been waiting to watch, txx for everything pak man
2 hours dam good video though must took a lot of time to make the video always keep up the work mate.
>puts a usb-a the wrong way
>how have we not fixed this yet?
We did. It's called usb type-c
I've said it before and I'll say it again, MGR is complete and doesn't need a sequel.
I think for most people it’s less that it needs one and more that more of the same would be cool as fuck. Same thing happened with Super Mario Galaxy, sequel was entirely unnecessary and was yet beloved by the community
@@jacobhafar538 Agree, but I absolutely do not want a sequel anytime soon. The industry is a trashfire right now, and I don't want any of the filthy gremlins masquerading as devs nowadays defiling this masterpiece's legacy. Give it five or ten years for everyone to die and be replaced with talented people, and then we can talk of sequels.
@@notsae66 You're putting the cart before the horse, bud. You want good game development, you need a decent game companies.
Commenting for an algorithm bump! This game, and this video, are both absolutely hype. This deserves more views!
I've watched this video probably 5 times. I love it that you appreciate this game with exactly the same energy as I do!
Slight correction; 3:10 that was Kojima's suggestion/insistance.
Honestly one of the best mgrr videos I've seen
It never occurred to me to split Sundowner's explosive shield with blade mode. He'll lower the shield if you jump behind him when it's active, so I never got that second phase and he wound up being one of the easiest bosses in the game for me lol
Thank you for your work, this game is magical in so many ways and thank you for expressing it.
The only thing I know for real... There will be BLOOD-**SHED** !
The man in the mirror NODS his head!
THE ONLY ONE, LEFT , WILL RIDE UPON THE DRAGONS BACK.
Thank you man. This video was the kick I needed to go back and finish mgs4 just so I can play this game
I beleive that jack is ultimately what armstrong wants out of the world, people who are not afraid to fight for their beleifs, who have truth to their words, who can pick themselves up and win through their own merit instead of something dumb. if you are too weak to rule and someone stronger comes along he will just kill you, which is exactly what happens to him. he wants to make a world where people can live exclusively off of merit but he does not realize that it is simply not a possible goal.
Ironic that what Jack wants is for no one to end up like he did.
This review is insanely detailed, even though I had already played the game watching this still unveils new stuff I missed