It has one of the most kinetic and gratifying combat systems of its time, and it feels like it puts all of its attention into making sure its bones work. More than just the variety of moves, the sense of impact, the sound design---it puts a lot of effort into the speed at which characters approach you, how they behave on and off camera, and how they attack you in groups. It's unnatural but it creates interesting rhythms; Resident Evil 4's combat is arranged in a similar way, and I think it's something that more games should pay attention to.

God Hand has this lovely core, but I feel like it doesn't know how to support it. Its very silly narrative and central aesthetic owing to Fist of the North Star, tokusatsu, and wrestling works as a frame, as a kind of motivation, but the narrative has nothing to do with why anyone would want to play this game and I think it knows it. The manner in which its inspirations don't fit together is often more compelling than the manner in which they do.

Also the level design and art direction don't do anything to help out the game. We have enemies that crumple and rocket about, but the environment doesn't support any of this elasticity. It's just a bunch of cheap theming. It looks like the scenery is going to fall apart at any moment, and yet it doesn't, even as it houses a pinball machine full of musclemen. Imagine if walls burst open, the ground opened up, buildings toppled---if the spectacle playing out felt as if it wasn't contained in an invincible shoebox.

God Hand is fun and even thoughtful, but it feels oddly prototypical, almost like a beta to a truly great game.