Bandai Namco has served up a game made of ingredients that somehow cannibalise one another.


















HQ
















HQ

The terminology in God Eater 3 is in a world of its own, and it even feels a little complicated to explain the game/s in our own words. The series tells the story of a conflict between the weak human race and a superior biological life form. Independently acting cells, which decompose everything they come into contact with, have invaded Earth and release poisonous ash as part of their attack, ash which now covers the remnants of our dying world.

These cells can also combine themselves to form huge creatures too strong for us to fight – how can you possibly defeat something that can’t even be touched? Those who remain, however, have discovered an answer to this riddle and pay a high price to be able to counteract the threat. The so-called AGE – Adaptive God Eaters – are themselves the result of a series of inhumane experiments, and we play one member of this special unit in the latest action-game by Bandai Namco.

gaming, reviews, god eater 3
gaming, reviews, god eater 3

From the very beginning, the game makes it quite clear to us who and what we are in the eyes of the remaining humans, despite the great sacrifices the AGE must make. In this sense, God Eater 3 tells the classic hero story of a character who transcends the capabilities of his own kind and becomes the hope of everyone else. Unfortunately, the title doesn’t really seem to care too much about the telling of its own story, which is why there are few narrative beats to show for a game that offers around 25 to 30 hours of gameplay.

So much of the narrative is completely ignored by the gameplay. The reason for this is the old-fashioned mission design that comes straight from the early Monster Hunter games. There is just one sole mission type that, despite a certain level of variance, can only be played to a very limited extent. While God Eater 3 tries to tell a rousing, emotional story with all too human problems, the game keeps us slaying giant monsters called Aragami and there’s a disconnect between story and gameplay.


















HQ

gaming, reviews, god eater 3
gaming, reviews, god eater 3

The narrative is broken up in a number of places by randomly-positioned hunting missions, and we got frustrated when we had to play through further assignments in order to experience the next story beat. On the other hand, our gaming experience was also marked by the fact that there is no narrative progression at all until the next set of frivolous scenarios have been completed. It’s a pity that God Eater 3 doesn’t want to provide a coherent gaming experience and does so little with its own strengths. The game rarely succeeds in conveying tension or meaning, and when it does these moments never last long. The all too fragmented mixture of gameplay and story is irreparably split, which might even leave die-hard fans unsatisfied at the end of the day.

Aficionados of the series surely know most of this already, since the story has always been a disguise to draw newcomers into the engaging gameplay spiral. This still works, though, as we spawn in one of only 10 maps and must kill randomly assigned enemies. There are pre-determined resource locations, a timer ticking towards our game over, and a set of mission rewards in case we succeed, which in turn flow into the creation or expansion of our arsenal.


















HQ

Although, as explained, the story is mostly about human problems and solutions, Aragami are the only things we fight. These creatures have their own patterns of behaviour and by smashing certain body parts we can reduce their combat effectiveness or inflict additional damage to their weak spots. An innovation for God Eater 3 is the Ash Aragami, which can utilise extra skills when they nibble on us. We should probably explain that further: the God Eater’s special weapons extract certain properties from their victims when they come into contact with them, and in the game that is used to increase one’s combat strength. Ash Aragami have this ability too, which is why the monsters can unlock dangerous burst states (even more aggressive fighting phases); as long as this state persists, our own buffs will be blocked, so we can’t, for example, use bond links with the members of our squad.

Other than that, we’re basically playing the same game from 2016, because little work has been done to improve the overall package. There are a few new weapon types (double blades and a laser) and some additional combat systems that provide further buffs to our crew during combat. It might not have much impact, but God Eater 3 gains a bit more depth thanks to these revisions. When it comes to crafting, however, we see a lot of wasted potential as the various weapon branches divide into different elements, but generally speaking, it makes little difference which club you use and when you use it.

gaming, reviews, god eater 3
gaming, reviews, god eater 3

In the technical department, God Eater 3 ran solidly on the PS4 Pro we used for testing, showing no problems at all (however, we can’t comment on the quality of the PC port). The localisation works pretty well, too, although the dubbing is only available in English or Japanese. Unfortunately, our protagonist is the strong silent type who doesn’t make any noise during the cutscenes but who screams and moans endlessly during battle. Luckily, some of the music tracks work really well with the action, so we’d encourage you to turn down the annoying comments and combat effects to focus on other things. Also, navigation around the menus leaves much to be desired and undermines the otherwise middling production values of the game even further.

The list of Monster Hunter clones is a long one, but over time God Eater (in addition to the Toukiden series) was able to excel and offer a true alternative to Capcom’s everlasting monster slasher. With Monster Hunter: World, however, the bar has been raised and God Eater 3 makes that terribly obvious. The game runs smoothly and the style will certainly satisfy anime fans, but despite some minor innovations and additions, it feels like the franchise is treading water. The story is broken and distorted and the gameplay can get dull and repetitive, while much more can be easily missed or overlooked due to lacklustre explanations or the use of progress restrictions. Fans of the last game probably know all of this already, but nowadays there are better alternatives waiting for us to play.

gaming, reviews, god eater 3
gaming, reviews, god eater 3

Keyword: God Eater 3

CAR'S NEWS RELATED

Review: Reevaluating the Honda HR-V RS e:HEV - A pleasant surprise

A few months ago, we had the opportunity to test the Honda HR-V Turbo, which left us thoroughly impressed with its excellence among small crossovers. However, we must admit that our initial impression of the Honda HR-V e:HEV RS hybrid was less than favourable. Oh, how mistaken we were! The ...

View more: Review: Reevaluating the Honda HR-V RS e:HEV - A pleasant surprise

The 2023 Ford Ranger Raptor duo - 2.0L twin-turbodiesel & 3.0L EcoBoost V6 - tested in Sa Pa, Vietnam

We were lucky enough to be given the opportunity to experience the Ford Ranger Raptor with both the V6 petrol and twin-turbodiesel powertrains and compare them back to back in the dramatic backdrop of Sa Pa in Vietnam, full of challenging mountainous terrain. Here’s what we came away with. Only ...

View more: The 2023 Ford Ranger Raptor duo - 2.0L twin-turbodiesel & 3.0L EcoBoost V6 - tested in Sa Pa, Vietnam

Five reasons to LOVE the 2023 Honda WR-V

It's no surprise that the 2023 Honda WR-V is coming to Malaysia very soon, which is why Honda Malaysia took some of the country's motoring media members to Thailand for a short taste of what the small SUV has to offer. Our trip's goal was simple – drive Thailand's range-topping ...

View more: Five reasons to LOVE the 2023 Honda WR-V

New F1 Manager 2023 game now available for pre-order

It’s less than two months until F1 Manager 2023, Frontier Development’s second officially licensed Formula 1 management game, launches digitally with a physical release for console versions coming at a later date. From July 31 players will be able to take charge of any one of the 10 teams on ...

View more: New F1 Manager 2023 game now available for pre-order

FIRST LOOK: 2023 Proton X90 Premium and Flagship variants

As we inch closer to the launch of the all-new 2023 Proton X90, we took a much closer look at the top two variants, the Premium and Flagship models. As announced previously, there will be four different variants to choose from when it comes to the 2023 Proton X90 three-row ...

View more: FIRST LOOK: 2023 Proton X90 Premium and Flagship variants

First Drive: 2023 Honda Civic RS e:HEV - Making My Job Difficult

Having driven the Honda Civic quite a number of times over these last 2 generations of the model shifting toward a predominantly turbocharged era, I did meet e:HEV version with a degree of skepticism. When I first heard about the car’s imminent launch, I reckon that fitting an RS badge ...

View more: First Drive: 2023 Honda Civic RS e:HEV - Making My Job Difficult

SDAC-Ford organises beginner's off-road experience for Ford Ranger owners

SDAC-Ford (Sime Darby Auto ConneXion-Ford) recently organised a beginner's off-road driving experience for a group of Ford Ranger owners. As part of the Ford Ranger Getaways with the tagline “Living the Ranger Life”, the latest 'getaway' was organised at the M4TREC Beginner 4WD Course located in Semenyih, Selangor. We met ...

View more: SDAC-Ford organises beginner's off-road experience for Ford Ranger owners

Review: 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ AMG Line - The Luxurious EV that can cope without a charging network

The Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ might have been late to the local EV party, but as we found out, it's probably the only EV we would buy right now. Consumers who are looking for the most technologically advanced sedans are often early adopters of technology and are interested in features such ...

View more: Review: 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ AMG Line - The Luxurious EV that can cope without a charging network

First Drive: 2023 Perodua Axia - "Better, MUCH better"

Jeremy Clarkson finds Range Rover Sport no match for its big brother when it comes to carrying his shotgun

Five new racing games you need for 2023

These are the 50 best driving games of all time

Beyond games and esports – Gran Turismo’s untamed ambitions

Review: Was the 22-year wait for an F1 Manager game worth it?

2022 Rimac Nevera: An In-depth Look

Gran Turismo 7 gets launch date and is now confirmed for PS4 and PS5

BMW M2 Mixed Reality review: the best racing game ever created

How Gran Turismo returned to motorsport’s forgotten world

Need for Speed: Unbound review - bound for glory?

Wow. Check out Ferrari’s stunning 1,338bhp Vision Gran Turismo concept

OTHER CAR NEWS

; Top List in the World https://www.pinterest.com/newstopcar/pins/
Top Best Sushi Restaurants in SeoulTop Best Caribbean HoneymoonsTop Most Beautiful Islands in PeruTop Best Outdoor Grill BrandsTop Best Global Seafood RestaurantsTop Foods to Boost Your Immune SystemTop Best Foods to Fight HemorrhoidsTop Foods That Pack More Potassium Than a BananaTop Best Healthy Foods to Gain Weight FastTop Best Cosmetic Brands in the U.STop Best Destinations for Food Lovers in EuropeTop Best Foods High in Vitamin ATop Best Foods to Lower Your Blood SugarTop Best Things to Do in LouisianaTop Best Cities to Visit in New YorkTop Best Makeup Addresses In PennsylvaniaTop Reasons to Visit NorwayTop Most Beautiful Islands In The WorldTop Best Law Universities in the WorldTop Richest Sportsmen In The WorldTop Biggest Aquariums In The WorldTop Best Peruvian Restaurants In MiamiTop Best Road Trips From MiamiTop Best Places to Visit in MarylandTop Best Places to Visit in North CarolinaTop Best Electric Cars For KidsTop Best Swedish Brands in The USTop Best Skincare Brands in AmericaTop Best American Lipstick BrandsTop Michelin-starred Restaurants in MiamiTop Best Secluded Getaways From MiamiTop Best Things To Do On A Rainy Day In MiamiTop Most Instagrammable Places In MiamiTop Interesting Facts about FlorenceTop Facts About The First Roman Emperor - AugustusTop Best Japanese FoodsTop Most Beautiful Historical Sites in IsraelTop Best Places To Visit In Holy SeeTop Best Hawaiian IslandsTop Reasons to Visit PortugalTop Best Hotels In L.A. With Free Wi-FiTop Best Scenic Drives in MiamiTop Best Vegan Restaurants in BerlinTop Most Interesting Attractions In WalesTop Health Benefits of a Vegan DietTop Best Thai Restaurant in Las VegasTop Most Beautiful Forests in SwitzerlandTop Best Global Universities in GermanyTop Most Beautiful Lakes in GuyanaTop Best Things To Do in IdahoTop Things to Know Before Traveling to North MacedoniaTop Best German Sunglasses BrandsTop Highest Mountains In FranceTop Biggest Hydroelectric Plants in AmericaTop Best Spa Hotels in NYCTop The World's Scariest BridgeTop Largest Hotels In AmericaTop Most Famous Festivals in JordanTop Best European Restaurants in MunichTop Best Japanese Hiking Boot BrandsTop Best Universities in PolandTop Best Tips for Surfing the Web Safely and AnonymouslyTop Most Valuable Football Clubs in EuropeTop Highest Mountains In ColombiaTop Real-Life Characters of Texas RisingTop Best Beaches in GuatelamaTop Things About DR Congo You Should KnowTop Best Korean Reality & Variety ShowsTop Best RockstarsTop Most Beautiful Waterfalls in GermanyTop Best Fountain Pen Ink BrandsTop Best European Restaurants in ChicagoTop Best Fighter Jets in the WorldTop Best Three-Wheel MotorcyclesTop Most Beautiful Lakes in ManitobaTop Best Dive Sites in VenezuelaTop Best Websites For Art StudentsTop Best Japanese Instant Noodle BrandsTop Best Comedy Manhwa (Webtoons)Top Best Japanese Sunglasses BrandsTop Most Expensive Air Jordan SneakersTop Health Benefits of CucumberTop Famous Universities in SwedenTop Most Popular Films Starring Jo Jung-sukTop Interesting Facts about CougarsTop Best Hospitals for Hip Replacement in the USATop Most Expensive DefendersTop Health Benefits of GooseberriesTop Health Benefits of ParsnipsTop Best Foods and Drinks in LondonTop Health Benefits of Rosehip TeaTop Best Air Fryers for Low-fat CookingTop Most Asked Teacher Interview Questions with AnswersTop Best Shopping Malls in ZurichTop The Most Beautiful Botanical Gardens In L.A.Top Best Mexican Restaurants in Miami for Carb-loading rightTop Best Energy Companies in GermanyTop Best Garage HeatersTop Largest Banks in IrelandTop Leading Provider - Audit and Assurance In The USTop Best Jewelry Brands in IndiaTop Prettiest Streets in the UKTop Best Lakes to Visit in TunisiaTop Highest Mountains in Israel