Review
22 CommentsAnarchy Reigns review: new again
By Matt Leone on Jan 14, 2013 01.14.13
It's impossible to separate the game's mechanics from its character roster, which is a kitchen sink of cyborgs, pig mutants, pimps, characters from MadWorld (and Bayonetta if you pre-ordered), and seemingly whatever else the designers could think up, giving players a fighter for whatever level of exaggeration they want. While many games these days create generic main characters to appeal to the widest possible audience, Anarchy Reigns goes in the opposite direction with characters full of personality and unique looks. That personality, in fact, is a big part of the game's appeal — both because it has a bit of a nostalgic feel, and because it plays out in the game's combat. You rarely see a game go to these lengths to define characters through their combos, their charge...
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1 CommentAnarchy Reigns' match types explained
By Tracey Lien on Dec 19, 2012 12.19.12
Anarchy Reigns will have more than 10 match types, each with a significantly different play style so that players don't get bored, according to a developer from Platinum Games. A Platinum Games designer who goes by the name Paul explained in a recent post to the official Sega blog that the online match types provide variety and even within each match type there are layers of differences. In one example, Paul explains that one of the match types — the Team Battle — has classes distributed throughout the team which are based on each player's match rank. These classes change at fixed intervals and come in three types, each with varying abilities. Another match type is Death Ball, which is where two teams are positioned on either side of a sprawling field and are tasked with trying...
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5 CommentsAnarchy Reigns profiles show four characters in action
By Megan Farokhmanesh on Dec 07, 2012 12.07.12
Sega released character profiles and fighting styles for beat ‘em up Anarchy Reigns characters Jack, Leo, Bull and Sasha on its blog today. Each character is accompanied by a brief video demonstrating their abilities. Jack is an easy-to-use, well-balanced character for players of any skill levels, while Big Bull is a formidable choice that takes some getting used to. Leo is perfect for players looking for simple controls and dash attacks. Sasha, the last of the profiles, is a speedy character meant for more adept fighters. Anarchy Reigns is slated for Jan. 8, 2013 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3; the game already released in Japan earlier this year. Polygon reported previously that pre-ordering Anarchy Reigns at GameStop will grant players exclusive downloadable content.
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3 CommentsAnarchy Reigns GameStop-exclusive DLC includes playable Bayonetta, additional multiplayer modes
By Alexa Ray Corriea on Nov 20, 2012 11.20.12
Pre-ordering beat 'em up Anarchy Reigns from GameStop will net buyers exclusive downloadable content, including Bayonetta's eponymous star as a playable character and two additional multiplayer modes, Sega announced today. Bayonetta's attacks and weapons will be familiar to those who have played her 2010 hack-and-slash action title. Players can use her signature four "Scarborough Fair" large caliber handguns as well as her "Wicked Weave" attacks, summoning powerful demons through her hair to deal damage to opponents. "Mad Survival" multiplayer mode is similar to classic survival mode; teams of up to three can fight together in a showdown against waves of AI-controlled playable characters. Aerial-based "Dogfight" mode dangles players from in-flight helicopters in a gun fight that can...
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2 CommentsAnarchy Reigns Day One edition pre-order gets you two extra multiplayer modes, unlockable Bayonetta character
By Emily Gera on Nov 08, 2012 11.08.12
Users who pre-order the Anarchy Reigns Day One edition will receive two extra multiplayer modes and an unlockable Bayonetta character, Sega Europe announced today. Mad Survival multiplayer mode is an extreme variation of survival mode, where one team of three players fight against waves of enemies who take the form of tougher playable characters in the game. Dogfight is the second multiplayer mode available, which sees players attempt to shoot one another to the ground as they hang from helicopters. In addition, beyond making use of her signature weapons — a set of four large caliber handguns called Scarborough Fair — those who unlock the playable Bayonetta can also make user of her "Wicked Weave" attack throughout, summoning demons using her hair as a conduit. These pre-order...
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9 CommentsAnarchy Reigns coming to North America Jan. 8, Europe Jan. 11
By Alexa Ray Corriea on Oct 19, 2012 10.19.12
Platinum Games' brawler Anarchy Reigns is coming to North America on Jan. 8, 2013, and Europe Jan. 11, publisher Sega announced today. The open-world title features up to 16-player combat using characters from Platinum Games franchises as well as a handful of original personalities. The game includes several multiplayer modes, like an all-out Battle Royale and co-op matches against other players and AI opponents. Anarchy Reigns will be available for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 for $29.99. The game was originally scheduled to release in fall 2011, but Sega's decision to focus on its key franchises and its push to digital forced the company to push back the game's debut.
'Bayonetta' on PlayStation 3 was Platinum Games' 'biggest failure' according to director
By Alexa Ray Corriea on Sep 25, 2012 09.25.12
Director of Platinum Games Atsushi Inaba considers the PlayStation 3 version of hack-and-slash action title Bayonetta the developer's "biggest failure," reports Edge in a ten-page feature from its latest issue. In an interview excerpted on Edge's website, Inaba stated that handing the PS3 port over to the studio's in-house team at publisher Sega was a mistake, resulting in framerate and control issues that ruined players' experience of the game. "At the time we didn't really know how to develop on PS3 all that well, and whether we could have done it... is irrelevant," Inaba told Edge. "We made the decision that we couldn't. But looking back on the result, and especially what ended up being released to users, I regard that as our biggest failure. "One thing I will say is that it...
'Bayonetta 2' would not exist without Nintendo, says Platinum Games
By Michael McWhertor on Sep 22, 2012 09.22.12
"Would Bayonetta 2 not exist without Nintendo? The answer is yes," says Atsushi Inaba, executive director at Platinum Games. He tells Polygon that Nintendo, the sequel's publisher, was a key partner in getting the game made. "We are not viewing this as a change of platform," Inaba told Polygon in an interview at Tokyo Game Show. "We were looking for a partner to create Bayonetta 2 and Nintendo was a strong, cooperative partner that was willing to create and grow Bayonetta 2 together [with us]. As a result the platform became the Wii U." In the wake of Bayonetta 2's announcement as an exclusive for the Wii U, some fans vocalized their displeasure, hoping that the sequel would be released on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 like the original Bayonetta. Developers at Platinum Games said in...
'Far Cry 3' delayed until December 4th
By Samit Sarkar on Jun 25, 2012 06.25.12
Far Cry 3 has been delayed by three months to December 4th in the United States, Ubisoft announced today. The first-person shooter had previously been scheduled for release on September 4th, but will now launch on November 29th in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and stateside on December 4th. The dates are the same for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC versions of Far Cry 3. "We're taking more time to create the best possible gameplay experience," said producer Dan Hay. Far Cry 3 now joins the long list of delayed 2012 releases, although many of them — including Anarchy Reigns, BioShock Infinite, and South Park: The Stick of Truth — were pushed all the way into 2013. To tide yourself over until December, read our E3 preview of the game's co-op mode.
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2 CommentsSega kicks Anarchy Reigns to 2013 for North America, Europe
By Michael McWhertor on Jun 18, 2012 06.18.12
Platinum Games' bloody beat 'em up Anarchy Reigns won't be coming to America or Europe this summer. Sega said today that it has pushed the brawler, which features combatants from Bayonetta and MadWorld engaging in chaotic combat, into 2013. Sega placed blame on its company-wide restructuring for the latest delay. Anarchy Reigns was originally slated for release on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in the fall of 2011. In a statement issued to Polygon, Sega reps explained that the slippage relates to the company's decision to focus on four key franchises and its digital business. "Due to the on-going restructure through SEGA Europe and SEGA America, the release campaign for Anarchy Reigns has had to be re-evaluated," reads a Sega statement. "As such, we are now looking to launch the...
