Asura's Wrath

Asura's Wrath is a one-of-a-kind action game from Japanese studio CyberConnect2 that combines gameplay with a format resembling an animated TV series, split into episodes complete with recaps, credits, and previews of what's coming next. The player takes on the role of the demigod Asura, who is stripped of his divinity and loses his daughter after being betrayed by his own comrades, and who sets out on a path of revenge against his former allies. Combat combines classic close-quarters action with massive quick-time-event sequences that unfold on a cosmic, almost planetary scale. The player gradually faces a pantheon of deities called the Seven Deities, with each final confrontation escalating step by step toward cosmic proportions.

On PS3 the game stood out for its exaggeratedly grandiose visual style, with battles taking place between planets and combatants growing to galactic size — a clear nod to the aesthetic of Japanese action anime series and manga source material. The music and voice acting effectively underscored the emotionally charged moments of the protagonist's fury and despair, while the visual style combined cel shading with intricately detailed environments and massive, monumental enemies. Individual episodes varied in length and pacing, much like episodes of a television series, an unusual approach for the action game genre.

The game divided reviewers due to its heavy emphasis on quick-time events at the expense of more traditional gameplay and room for free-form action, yet thanks to its exceptional presentation and manic energy it found devoted fans around the world. The decision to sell the story's final chapter as paid DLC was also controversial, drawing criticism from players expecting a complete experience in the base game. Today Asura's Wrath is valued as a unique experiment straddling the line between video game and interactive anime, one that's still hard to compare to anything else and has earned a cult reputation.

Why play it: Anyone looking for a unique experiment straddling the line between video game and interactive anime will find manic energy and exceptional presentation in Asura's Wrath, even though the quick-time events crowd out room for free-form action.