The Legend of Korra Game Review
By Edwin Velez
Elementary My Dear Korra
Do not take the header for an insult. Picking up this game on whim during one of Xbox Live’s weekly sales, I found myself quite surprised with how solid the title actually is. Needless to say it is not groundbreaking, and had I bought it for a retail price I may not have the same views on it as I currently do, but what I found in the title was a testament to my gaming filled childhood. It was developed by Platinum games (Bayonetta), which is probably why it has impressed me to some degree. Korra presents a fun, straight-forward adventure that is light on substance but still manages to have enough to entertain both fans of the series and new-comers alike.
Korra’s story is simple enough. Having been stripped of her bending abilities by a mysterious chi-blocker, Korra must find out both how to regain her powers and also why he is targeting her. Spanning across eight chapters, the game itself is not particularly long. It should only take most players 4-6 hours to beat the story once around. Across these chapters, players regain their bending abilities while training them individually per element to learn new moves, level up, and master them. Though considered a “beat-em-up,” Korra feels very similar to Ninja Gaiden in terms of gameplay. You fight various enemies with your bending at your disposal in hopes of maintaining combos, countering to do massive damage, and figuring out which element is best for the situation.
Korra’s story is simple enough. Having been stripped of her bending abilities by a mysterious chi-blocker, Korra must find out both how to regain her powers and also why he is targeting her. Spanning across eight chapters, the game itself is not particularly long. It should only take most players 4-6 hours to beat the story once around. Across these chapters, players regain their bending abilities while training them individually per element to learn new moves, level up, and master them. Though considered a “beat-em-up,” Korra feels very similar to Ninja Gaiden in terms of gameplay. You fight various enemies with your bending at your disposal in hopes of maintaining combos, countering to do massive damage, and figuring out which element is best for the situation.
For a game that was most likely aimed at a target audience of ages 8-14, there is more depth than I would have anticipated. There is a shop where you can buy health items, scrolls with new moves, and temporary buffers (much like Ninja Gaiden), all of which are purchased with currency earned during regular gameplay. There is a sheet of collectable goodies that can be found, which offer more currency when found. Aside from the already solid fighting segments, there are two mini-games that offer unique styles of play. There is a Naga based mini-game, where Korra rides her pet companion in segments that mirror Temple Run with an Avatar twist, adding elemental buffers as you try to make it to the goal without crashing. There is also Pro-Bending segments, where 3v3 teams duke it out to stay on the map. These can be accessed outside of the story narrative to play at any time, which is a fun addition.
Though the narrative is barely there at all, which I really was not in it for that to begin with. Fans may be disappointed by the lackluster story, but should find solace in almost everything else the game offers. Aside from the bland cut scenes, the game looks pretty good. Its style mimics the cartoon for the most part, albeit a more dimensional experience. The game is voiced by the cartoons actual cast which is always a plus, and to top it off it features a harder difficulty where you can continue with your current progress. The framerate and controls are also very smooth, not even stuttering during some of the games more congested fights.
At the end of the day, Korra is not an extravagant use of a licensed property in the fashion that something like the Batman Arkham series is. Yes, it lacks many things, and could be a lot deeper in terms of gameplay and narrative. But what it lacks in, it honestly makes up for in simplicity. Go in expecting a low budget conscious game, and you will be surprised how solid of a title it actually is. The boss fight in the end is even satisfying, which many AAA titles cannot even say. Had this been a PS2 game back in the hay day of linear action adventure titles, many would look at it much more positively. Approach it is a pinnacle of rentals, or a lucky break in the bargain bin, and I assure you playing it will be a better than decent experience. Even if it is just for the achievements, give it a shot.
Though the narrative is barely there at all, which I really was not in it for that to begin with. Fans may be disappointed by the lackluster story, but should find solace in almost everything else the game offers. Aside from the bland cut scenes, the game looks pretty good. Its style mimics the cartoon for the most part, albeit a more dimensional experience. The game is voiced by the cartoons actual cast which is always a plus, and to top it off it features a harder difficulty where you can continue with your current progress. The framerate and controls are also very smooth, not even stuttering during some of the games more congested fights.
At the end of the day, Korra is not an extravagant use of a licensed property in the fashion that something like the Batman Arkham series is. Yes, it lacks many things, and could be a lot deeper in terms of gameplay and narrative. But what it lacks in, it honestly makes up for in simplicity. Go in expecting a low budget conscious game, and you will be surprised how solid of a title it actually is. The boss fight in the end is even satisfying, which many AAA titles cannot even say. Had this been a PS2 game back in the hay day of linear action adventure titles, many would look at it much more positively. Approach it is a pinnacle of rentals, or a lucky break in the bargain bin, and I assure you playing it will be a better than decent experience. Even if it is just for the achievements, give it a shot.
FINAL SCORE: 7/10
|
+Solid Action-Adventure Title
+Progress Carries Over +Fun Mini-Games |
-Shallow
-Narrative hardly exists |
Release Date: 10/22/2014
Developer: Platinum Games
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Platinum Games
Publisher: Activision