Godhand

[jedimind7]

Just wanted to see peoples thoughts on this game. It seems its either a love it or hate it affair. Personally I think the game is great. Its definitely challenging but I like games like that. I got the game like five months ago. I had read so many mixed reivews I wasent sure wether or not to get it. Im glad I did. So for anyone thats played it, what do you think of it?

[djbeatmongrel]

Basically this and Okami are some of the best final efforts of a game studio i have seen in the last gen. God hand has some flaws but the overall spaghetti western/kung fu style and customizable gameplay make it shine.

[Half Japanese]

I think it's fantastic, probably moreso than usual because I'm familiar with The Fist of the North Star, which the game parodies heavily. I really need to finish it though. I put it down for whatever reason about 80% finished and haven't picked it up since.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Other than the "unfriendly" camera (it's fine in terms of how it lets you manipulate it, but it doesn't do much on it's own) it's an amazing walk & beat em up that (as Half Japanese eluded to) throws tons of parody digs at Fist of the North Star.

I can't recall so much great customization of fighting moves since River City Ransom ...if ONLY it were 2 player simultaneous it might have been more critically welcomed and be more fondly remembered overall.

You can still find it new for $20 at most Gamestop stores, and it's totally worth it if you enjoy 3D Final Fight / Double Dragon / River City Ransom type games.

[Sotenga]

Oh dear geebus, I love this game to its death. I must have beat it... at least four times within the span of a month? Something like that? XD

I see GH as a love letter from programmers to its patrons. It's a video game meant primarily for people who love video games, just like Grindhouse was modeled as a movie experience for people who love movies. The difficulty is jarring at first (lord knows how much of an effort to get me to simply Lv. 3), but it's definitely a game at which you get better with lots and lots of practice. I don't think I could ever run a coveted "Fresh KMS Hard run," though. You've got to recognize your limits.

So, on the premise of God Hand: Your favorite stage, boss, and song? For me, Level 4 (it was viciously difficult, but I love the robotic design of the whole shebang), the fights against Azel (proving that a single enemy CAN, in fact, be really effing hard to fight in this game), and Sunset Heroes (the Mad Midget Five theme).

[ProgrammingAce]

It's kind of a goofy game, but i like it.

I played through a good majority of it in one sitting. See... my memory card had just gone kaput and i was just going to fire it up to see what it was like. At about 80% of the way through, i finally decided i needed to put it down. I was pretty bummed out i couldn't save my progress, so i never picked it back up.

[swlovinist]

God bless Capcom, God bless Clover Studios. These are the types of games that keep my PS2 close by. There are these wierd games that fit one type of game, then throw in something totally else(gambling, which is awsome). I love this one, just for how wacky it can be. Not to mention, additcting.

[Kitsune Sniper]

I want this game. I wish my local stores had complete copies.

[Ze_ro]

This game is worth it if only for it's hilariously awful voice acting! The opening scene is the most awesomely bad video game translation since Zero Wing. Truly Epic.

--Zero

[heybtbm]

I see GH as a love letter from programmers to its patrons. It's a video game meant primarily for people who love video games, just like Grindhouse was modeled as a movie experience for people who love movies.

This is probably the best thing I've read here in months. I completly agree.

Godhand is an essential title for any PS2 library.

[Sotenga]

This is probably the best thing I've read here in months. I completly agree.

Aw... garsh. Thanks, man. ^_^

On a semi-relevant tangent, I also see No More Heroes exactly like this as well. It realizes its existence as a game despite having a story structure, and it allows itself a lot of creative freedom and fourth-wall breaking as a result.

Back on the focus of God Hand: I recall reading an opinion with which I absolutely disagreed. I can't recall the exact text, but I think he said that he hated the game's story, regarding it as little more than an excuse to be "MOTHERFUCKING FIST OF THE NORTH STAR" or something like that, and I just facepalm'd. That's completely missing the point! The story is SUPPOSED to be base and stupid; that's intentional, and that's why it's so genius! It harks back to ye olden days of gamekind where all you needed to go on was "here are bad guys, go destroy them." Man, I sure miss those days, but GH is a throwback to the games on which I was raised. I think I'd consider it on my Top 100 list because of this.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I think that God Hand suffers from something it couldn't avoid ... it was released AFTER Death by Degrees, Final Fight Streetwise, and Urban Reign.

At that point, most PS2 gamers were a bit reluctant to plunk down their cash on yet another potentially mediocre brawler.

[DJ Daishi]

the characters in Godhand were...weird..lol..I just now noticed the similarities to Hokuto no Ken...especially with the outfit.

[ThoughtBomb]

Godhand was a brutally difficult yet hard to put down beat-em-up that was completely quirky and different in comparison to the current gen of games out there. Another thing that made this game great was it's humor. *spoiler* The very first time I saw the scene where the 2 goons were dumping a body in the graveyard and then pointed at each other all stupid and said "Sweeeet!" just before getting knocked into orbit by Elvis, I cracked up. By the way, if anyone hasn't tried, beat the game and go to the extra missions in the battle arena. Anyone who can defeat Evil Gene can consider themselves a true Godhand master. I only wish I could have taped that moment. Hardest battle in the game, hands down.

[Kitsune Sniper]

I think that God Hand suffers from something it couldn't avoid ... it was released AFTER Death by Degrees, Final Fight Streetwise, and Urban Reign.

At that point, most PS2 gamers were a bit reluctant to plunk down their cash on yet another potentially mediocre brawler.

Oh great, this means I have to get Urban Reign now.

[VACRMH]

Oh great, this means I have to get Urban Reign now.

I loved that game. Once you got the hang of it, the battles were a blast.

Another fan of Godhand here, I can't understand how anyone can dislike it. Because of Godhand I now say "Son of a bitch" completely different

[jedimind7]

You know its funny that Urban Reign gets mentioned because I just literally found out this game exsisted like half an hour ago. I might have to pick it up.

[Sotenga]

Anyone who can defeat Evil Gene can consider themselves a true Godhand master. I only wish I could have taped that moment. Hardest battle in the game, hands down.

Dear god, that took me ages to beat the bastard... so out of desperation, I just decided to default to the ever-handy "Drunken Twist Cancel Spammage" strategy, and although quite a few people were saying it didn't work for them, it's what finally beat the bastard for me. Good did it feel, yes?

[spoon]

I think that God Hand suffers from something it couldn't avoid ... it was released AFTER Death by Degrees, Final Fight Streetwise, and Urban Reign.

At that point, most PS2 gamers were a bit reluctant to plunk down their cash on yet another potentially mediocre brawler.

Don't forget The Bouncer.

God Hand is awesome btw. Love the Fist of the North Star stuff.
I shed a tear for Clover Studios.