During the PSP era, hunting games were the rage. I remember rushing to buy whenever a new game in the style came out, and one that stood out among many was God Eater. After being tired of slaying Congalalas in Monster Hunter, I felt that God Eater was like a breath of fresh air because it had so many great things that kept me coming back for more. This was mainly the battle system because I am a fast-paced kind of guy. Whereas, in Monster Hunter, you attack methodically with slow strikes (depending on the weapon), and your evasive and movement options are limited. In God Eater, you have fast-paced attacks transforming weapons and different combo routes, which was what I wanted. Now fast forward several years and we have the third entry in the series, and for me, it’s kind of a big deal because its the first time the series lands on a Nintendo console. I couldn’t be happier. This is a series that feels right at home in a portable setting and the Nintendo Switch is the best of both worlds.
Now imagine my surprise after creating my avatar finding out that my character was an inmate! I was like, “Wow, did things go south from the end of the first game and the sequel?” I thought Fenrir was pro humankind but using people as tools? Anyways, I am getting into spoiler territory, and I have a policy not to spoil any story-related info on my reviews. So, like you might expect God Eater 3 is a hunting game. If you ever played one, you know the basics. Just select a mission explored in the pre-defined area before you. Try your best to collect as many resources as you can. Battle all kinds of monsters in varying sizes and appearances. But the way God Eater changes that formula makes each mission and the game itself feel rewarding fun and accessible.
One of the most notable aspects of the game is your weapon or God Arc, which makes this weapon interesting and sets GE from other games is the fact that you don’t need to commit yourself to a single play style. For example, in MH you can choose to be either a Sword Master or Gunner, so to use the other you didn’t choose, you need to craft the equipment and weapon you want to use. In GE, your God Arc can transform into a gun on the go. So, let’s say that you are hunting an Aragami (this is how the monsters are known here) with your dual blades, and you are taking quite a bit of damage due to fighting close. So, you change your weapon into the gun form and attack from a distance while your teammates are dealing with damage, giving you the time to use items to heal or to use your bullets to heal your teammates. There are several situations in which you can swap your style on the go to suit the situation you are in. When in the Gun form, you have infinite bullets in a way since each shot cost OP (Oracle Points). Once the gauge is depleted, you cannot shoot anymore but change into the Melee form, and with each successful attack you perform, you regain OP once is full you can go back to gun form. This is a dynamic and fun way to play it gives you the freedom to use the tools at your disposal in creative ways.
Another cool mechanic is the “Eater” mechanic. Holding down the heavy attack button transforms your GA (God Arc) into a monster of sorts. When you let go, it takes a “bite” out of your enemy, and this gives you a boost in your abilities but also enables Burst Arts. These are special movements that deal more damage with each swing of your weapon. As you use them more during that boost time, they grow up, and you unlock even more powerful ones. So, using the Eater mechanic is the way to go. You also have a Link Burst mechanic in which by pressing ZL and ZR near an ally you both enter this state that grants different boosts depending on the player. Some are entering the Burst (Eater) state immediately or increasing your attack power and speed or health regeneration. These mechanics make the game more action-oriented than anything I played before, and it’s beautiful.
Graphically, I like how the game looks. I think the developer did an impressive job porting this game for Nintendo Switch. I think the game plays well either handheld or docked. As expected, some sacrifices were made in comparison with releases in other consoles, but they do not affect in any way the experience the controls are solid. Everything is explained in detail whenever you take a mission.
The multiplayer aspect is where you will have the most fun at. There are tons of missions to take and also raid missions against huge bosses, so there is something for everybody. There are eight different melee weapon types to choose from, four gun-based types, and three shield types. If this is not enough, you can also play through the story in co-op mode. It is a cool feature that only the Nintendo Switch version has due to its hybrid nature.
The music and overall story is good. My only regret is not being able to play the previous entries besides the one on PSP, but that is just me.
Bottom Line: God Eater 3 is a port well done, and I commend Bandai Namco for letting Switch owners enjoy the rich story God Eater has to offer and the fast-paced combat. I definitely recommend it, be it you are a fan of hunting games or not, and if you are looking for a game to get into the genre this is the right way to start.
A Review code was kindly provided for this review.