NOTE: The images used in this article are promotional pieces from the developer.
Set in the fictional country, New Asian Union (NAU) during the year 2071, the world has mostly been destroyed by ravenous monsters known as Aragami. The Fenrir organization was founded to combat the Aragami threat using specialized weapons called "God Arcs" to literally consume the Aragami. Players take control of a young New-Type God Eater at Fenrir's Far East Branch. New-Type God Eaters can switch between gun and blade form weapons, whereas old-type God Eaters could only use one weapon type. The protagonist is quickly promoted as the new leader of the first unit by the director when the previous one goes MIA. The new leader is then immediately sent out on several secret missions. During one of these missions, the first unit finds a friendly, human-like Aragami and uncovers a conspiracy surrounding the director - something called the "Ark Project".
Gameplay is split between the "The Den" and missions. The Den acts as the main hub area and is where the player can check their mail, change their appearance, resupply and craft or upgrade weapons. One of God Eater's more unique features is the bullet crafting system that lets players customize ammo with specific elements or damage types. Bullets can also be altered to spread out, home in on a target, or explode on impact.
The front desk contains a list of missions that will be either "Story" based (mandatory) or "Free" (optional). Mission objectives are to defeat all, or very specific Aragami within an arena within the allotted amount of time. Depending on how efficiently the mission is completed, additional rewards can be gained. During battle God Eaters use a unique weapon called a "God Arc" that instantly switches between four weapon types: blade, gun, shield and predator. The player must utilize all four while being mindful of their gauges. The gun form consumes Oracle Points (OP) which are regained from attacking in blade form. The blade form consumes stamina; as does sprinting, jumping and dodging. By devouring an Aragami that is still alive with the predator form, God Eaters can send teammates into a "Burst Mode" called "Link Burst" that temporarily increases their speed, strength and energy regeneration.
The player's health bar and stamina gauge never increase, and there is no armor in the game, but he player will get better and better at bringing down the various Aragami. Each beast has their own set of attacks, tells, behavior, elemental and damage type strengths and weaknesses. To survive the player must learn when to dodge, when to block and when to go in for an attack. Taking advantage of an Aragami's weak points and breaking chunks off of their body is always immensely satisfying. Should the player fall in battle, AI teammates can use "Link Aid" to revive fallen team members at a cost to their own health bars. Up to four teammates and a limited number of items can be taken to each fight. The usefulness of each teammate can vary quite a bit - Sakuya Tachibana for example is an excellent healer, while Kanon Daiba is deliberately programmed to shoot her squad. This disparity of skill between squad members means you will be using some more than others.
A lot of care and artistry went into God Eater's design; the creatures are a visual treat for the eyes and the soundtrack boasts a distinctive style. The amount of character customization is very impressive for a handheld title to boot! The anime cut-scenes and story related skits helped to add much needed breaks in a genre prone to monotony and burn out. Some zones and Aragami were used a bit too often, but not enough for it to become an issue. It is a post apocalyptic world of living weapons and bewildered gods worth giving a try, particularly if Monster Hunter isn't your thing. God Eater offers a very different kind of beast hunting experience.
God Eater Burst will yield approximately 40 to 60 hours of gameplay, but this is the type of game that is best played in bursts rather than long play sessions. An updated version of God Eater Burst (sold under the name God Eater Resurrection) was released for the PlayStation 4 and PC with enhanced graphics, reconfigured event scenes, and additional story and combat content. My review is based on the original PSP release.
"God Arcs" to literally consume the Aragami. Players take control of a young New-Type God Eater at Fenrir's Far East Branch. New-Type God Eaters can switch between gun and blade form weapons, whereas old-type God Eaters could only use one weapon type. The protagonist is quickly promoted as the new leader of the first unit by the director when the previous one goes MIA. The new leader is then immediately sent out on several secret missions. During one of these missions, the first unit finds a friendly, human-like Aragami and uncovers a conspiracy surrounding the director - something called the "Ark Project".
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