Initially striking, but we should expect more from this gen.
I'll start with the good aspects. Heavenly Sword has fantastic graphics; in fact, it probably rivals the best any system has to offer thus far. The animations are superb and the lip syncing is perfect. Nariko's blades, clothes, and hair whip around in a beautiful maelstrom of violent expression. Chairs, crates, dishes, food, weapons, and sheilds can all be smashed or used as projectiles, and the physics engine is quite solid. Nariko is also actually quite a joy to control, with a fighting system that can be implemented by noobs preferring a button mashing approach or dedicated students of the game who want to block and parry every enemy attack, striking at the right moments with the right stance and unleashing devastating combo after devastating combo.
But the joys end there. The level design is hopelessly linear; you'll see the same enemies stage after stage; and the sixaxis controls, god, don't get me started. Yes, after several minutes of pure frustration you will become adept at guiding projectile weapons at your targets with relative ease. But, aren't video games supposed to be fun? I'm finding this to be an issue with a lot of the Sony first party titles, leading me to believe sixaxis motion control is a primary directive for the development teams. The way I see it, if it makes logical sense and is actually an enjoyable mechanic to use, by all means, I'll use the tilt action! Luckily, this functionality is optional, though it is selected by default, so you'd probably be best served turning it off after your intial frustrating foray.
I think my biggest issue with the game is how serious Heavenly Sword seems to take itself. All of the high production values left me thinking one thing: these guys really believe they have an epic tale on their hands here... are you kidding me?! Histrionic voice acting and motion capture performances piled beneath a reheated plotline we've all seen a hundred times before didn't really do it for me. Sure, you can tell they threw a bunch of money behind this stuff, but that doesn't mean we have to overlook how bad most of it is. To be honest, I got as far as beating the stuffing out of Whiptail... for the third time... and decided I'd had enough. If you want fun, epic, multitiered boss battles, play a God of War title, the Metal Gear Solid series, or Shadow of the Colossus. If you want to look at something pretty while not really enjoying yourself, just watch a Scarlett Johansen flick. Otherwise, your hard-earned green can be better spent on another title.
But the joys end there. The level design is hopelessly linear; you'll see the same enemies stage after stage; and the sixaxis controls, god, don't get me started. Yes, after several minutes of pure frustration you will become adept at guiding projectile weapons at your targets with relative ease. But, aren't video games supposed to be fun? I'm finding this to be an issue with a lot of the Sony first party titles, leading me to believe sixaxis motion control is a primary directive for the development teams. The way I see it, if it makes logical sense and is actually an enjoyable mechanic to use, by all means, I'll use the tilt action! Luckily, this functionality is optional, though it is selected by default, so you'd probably be best served turning it off after your intial frustrating foray.
I think my biggest issue with the game is how serious Heavenly Sword seems to take itself. All of the high production values left me thinking one thing: these guys really believe they have an epic tale on their hands here... are you kidding me?! Histrionic voice acting and motion capture performances piled beneath a reheated plotline we've all seen a hundred times before didn't really do it for me. Sure, you can tell they threw a bunch of money behind this stuff, but that doesn't mean we have to overlook how bad most of it is. To be honest, I got as far as beating the stuffing out of Whiptail... for the third time... and decided I'd had enough. If you want fun, epic, multitiered boss battles, play a God of War title, the Metal Gear Solid series, or Shadow of the Colossus. If you want to look at something pretty while not really enjoying yourself, just watch a Scarlett Johansen flick. Otherwise, your hard-earned green can be better spent on another title.
