It’s understandable – the game doesn’t look very good, the story is very silly, it doesn’t control incredibly well and they must have been put off by the bizarre cover art. But the people who overlooked it missed out on a real gem.
Clover’s Final Title
God Hand was the last title to be released by the company that brought such wonderful titles as Viewtiful Joe and Okami – Clover Studio. The pedigree of the studio should give a clue as to the overall quality of the game and, unsurprisingly, it is excellent.
Players take control of a young man named Gene, who is in possession of the arm of a god after having his original arm chopped off by some nasty blighters... Yes, the story is very silly.
God Hand: Game Full of Character
While God Hand isn’t a game to be played for its story – it’s certainly no epic tale along the lines of Fallout 3 or Bioshock – it is most certainly a game about characters. From the homosexual twosome through to the gorilla in a lucha libre wrestling costume (or maybe it’s just a man in a suit) it cannot be said that this is anything but creative when it comes to characters.
The game doesn’t skimp on content either, as players take Gene through a number of levels in third-person melee combat. While in some games this may be as complex as a few button presses and a handful of combos to get a player through the game, God Hand chews this notion up and spits it out in utter disgust.
No, this is a game about combos, about learning the best new moves and about incorporating them into play. It’s about finding out effective fighting styles, about figuring out attack patterns of enemies and getting the timing right on dodges.
God Hand is a Game for the Hardcore
While hardcore is a word overused in the gaming press today, it rarely fits a game as well as it does with God Hand. This is an unforgiving game – another likely reason why it was overlooked on release – but if a player learns their craft and puts their time in, it’s also a rewarding game.
The depth of play available is incredible, with combinations, new moves and specials unlocked throughout the experience. While there aren’t that many levels on offer through God Hand, the sheer level of difficulty on show and the fact that it is so much fun will both lengthen the experience and keep a player coming back for more, respectively.
One to Revisit with the PS2 Price Cut or for Those with a PS3
God Hand was overlooked and criminally ignored just a few years ago, but even so it isn’t hard to pick up for cheap. Any number of stores are likely to be stocking it new, and popular auction sites and second-hand sales are sure to have copies readily available.
Those with a PS2 – of which there are a lot, of course – those who have decided to pick up a PS2 following its recent price cut or those with a PS3 with backwards compatibility should most definitely look into acquiring God Hand.
It isn’t the easiest of experiences, it certainly ranks among the oddest and it may cause a fair bit of frustration, but it is an excellent, excellent game when given due care and attention.
