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It's possible that with enough practice, this feature could feel as effortless as standard attacks. In the demo, I couldn't figure out how close I needed to be to something for the hit to register.
Even though the visual guide for the sword shows a slashing mark on enemies that extends far from Raiden's body, when you actually swing the sword the range is quite limited.
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In slicing mode, the camera zooms in and hovers over Raiden's shoulder. There's also an issue with Raiden's reach. Odds are you'll have but a second or two to pull it off before something kicks or shoots you, breaking your concentration and sending Raiden flying across the screen. They slow down in the bullet-time mode, but they don't stop, making it a real challenge to adjust your sensitivities and aim the sword strokes in the right place.
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