Dustin Chadwell: Platinum Games hasn't really let me down yet, and this near-Bayonetta approach to the Metal Gear universe starring Raiden doesn't seem like it will, either. The demo should be enough to persuade everyone else. It's also right around the corner, so it's hard to ignore what could easily be the first big hit of the year.

Chris "Atom" DeAngelus: From poisonous Zanzibar hamsters to kung-fu cyborgs to pop-song singing giant robots, Metal Gear has always been a weird series. Metal Gear Rising: Revengence looks to take that strangeness to new heights. From the developers of the surreal Bayonetta, Revengence follows secret-agent-turned-cyborg Raiden as he fights his way through an army of giant robots and biomechanical monstrosities. Filled with the same high-intensity action that Platinum Games is known for, it may not be the next game starring Snake, but it looks like the game everyone wanted to play back when we first saw the Cyborg Ninja in the original Metal Gear Solid.

Jason Grant: Platinum Games' second release of 2013 lets you plays as Metal Gear's resident cyborg ninja, Raiden, in a stylish action setting that's just as over-the-top as its most famous creation, Bayonetta. The real surprise is that, going by the demo, it hasn't lost the unique aesthetic or the fun faux-stealth gameplay for which the Metal Gear series proper is known. Icing on the cake!

Erik "NekoIncardine" Ottosen: The crew behind Bayonetta is bringing us two games this year, and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance looks to be a neat combination of the later Metal Gear entries with Bayonetta, full of set piece action while still providing a surprising amount of stealth gameplay. This returns Raiden to being the Cyborg Ninja, lets him slice up the environment, and looks to be a continuation of Platinum Games' form, with a liberal dollop of Hideo Kojima.