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There’s just something about taking on a whole regiment of archers on your tod when you can take each one out in slow motion through a series of impossible, snaking shots. For a long, long time, Heavenly Sword's been a poster child for the next generation of PlayStation gaming, with a virtually unparalleled aesthetic and attention to detail. August 30th, 2007. We may earn a commission if you click a deal and buy an item. Think of it like this – couldn’t you say the same of 99% of Hollywood blockbusters out there? Despite some interesting set-piece battles and boss encounters, Heavenly Sword falls back more and more on simply throwing on harder foes then more foes and then more, harder foes. I think it’s safe to say that an awful lot of work has gone into Heavenly Sword’s production values. lovely. Heavenly Sword's on-paper design is great, but unfortunately it just misses greatness in a number of areas. After all, you don’t come to TrustedReviews for some roundabout discussion of a game’s weaknesses and merits followed by a verdict along the lines of “it’s decent enough” or “if you like this sort of thing you’ll like this.” You come because you want us to tell you whether the thing is worth splashing your hard earned cash out on or not. But there’s another part of me that thinks differently. Some will find this gimmicky or unnecessarily difficult and reach for the analogue stick steering option instead, but – personally – I thought it was a hoot. Why does Nariko feel she is cursed? Developer: Sony. Without the selection of weapons or the magic attacks you take for granted in God of War, all the button mashing occasionally gets you down. Developers Ninja Theory roped in Andy ‘Gollum/King Kong’ Serkis to provide motion capture acting expertise and play the main villain’s role of Bothan, plus a selection of other thesps including the legendary Stephen Berkoff. A strong new franchise for the PS3 By smansell927, updated 02/19/2008. This majestic sword is 31” overall, with a 440 stainless steel blade measuring 20”. Some enemies or combinations of enemies demand a different approach, but these are relatively few and far between. Heavenly Sword Review. Heavenly Sword is a PlayStation 3 exclusive title with high production values that delivers an engaging story and impressive cut scenes to bring you into the game world. Once you’re wielding the titular blade itself, the game opens up a range of stances – range, speed and power – which, when accessed via the shoulder buttons, enable you to hold enemies at bay or smash through the defences of your beefier opponents with relative ease. All the same, it’s hard to deny how repetitive and uninspired a lot of the action is. Sometimes it’s OK to be swept away by eye-candy, style and production values, particularly if they also come with strong, likeable characters and decent narrative hooks. The story was bad. Characters look alive and don't move with the usual stiltedness. Would the Spider-Man movies have been great had Sam Raimi been limited to the same effects as the seventies TV series? 8. Games: Heavenly Sword; By David McComb | Posted 31 Aug 2007. Heavenly Sword is quite possibly a gift from Sony to anyone who owns a PlayStation 3 console. Straight up, if you’re a fan of the intricate combos and gritty close combat of a God of War or Ninja Gaiden, then there’s a good chance you’ll be disappointed by the system on show in Heavenly Sword. Review Scoring Details for Heavenly Sword. While this 2019 adaption is overall done well and quite watchable, I am still disappointed because the story is so gripping and epic that properly executed it could have and should have been a 10. Even the bosses are interesting and appealing in their own twisted way. If wanted a game to show off your PS3, Heavenly Sword is a good bet to get some strong reactions. In the end, it’s a game that a lot of casual gamers are going to love. The landscapes you battle across and through, whether a mountain path or the interior of a mighty fortress, are never less than striking. The animation looks bad. Result boring, frustrating gameplay. Classic Game Room presents a CGRundertow review of Heavenly Sword for PlayStation 3. Sometimes it’s OK to gloss over the defects or weaknesses in a game’s gameplay and get caught up in the experience as a whole. Measuring 19″ overall, this sword has a stainless steel, double-edged blade with a … Despite some interesting set-piece battles and boss encounters, Heavenly Sword falls back more and more on simply throwing on harder foes then more foes and then more, harder foes. There’s only one way to find out. Why the distance between her and her master swordsman father? They have combined all this talent with a frankly awesome graphics engine capable of doing both some of the most lavish large-scale battle scenes I’ve ever seen and the most incredible character close-ups of any game, ever, in the history of games so far. With no online options and little repeat play value it is also, it must be said, a little short. Heavenly Sword (PlayStation 3) review by Jason Venter. What’s more, specific enemies start doing attacks that can only be blocked when in a certain stance. Would Jurassic Park have been anything without the revolutionary CGI dinosaurs? But for those looking for a well-crafted tale, solid hack ‘n’ slash action and one of the PS3’s best early showcases, Heavenly Sword may just punch the ticket. Heavenly Sword has a lot to offer, assuming you keep your expectations in check. Heavenly Sword is undoubtedly beautiful and engaging. Audience Reviews for Heavenly Sword. Unfortunately, it's over far too quickly. The lighting and general ambience seems to cross the work Fumito Ueda put together in Ico and Shadow of the Colossus with the grand spectacle of God of War, with an additional rich Eastern influence that could have come straight from the Crouching Tiger/Hero/House of Flying Daggers strain of Wuxia cinema. Not as short, it must be said, as some of the game’s harshest critics might make out, but certainly short of the masterpiece status that, on visuals alone, it might be judged worthy. Heavenly Sword review All hail the PS3's gaming goddess By Barry_Keating 29 August 2007. Artistically, Heavenly Sword is a complete and utter triumph. What’s more, these are characters you can get involved with, and in a story that you want to progress through. You block and parry automatically providing you’re not actively attacking, and pummelling the square and triangle buttons is usually enough to unleash a constant wave of spectacular thrusts, cuts and slashes on your hapless foes. Puzzles, meanwhile, are limited to opening doors by pulling levers, winding pulleys or throwing swords or shields at handily placed gongs. It does come close, though. Heavenly Sword would not serve as Sony’s saviour, nor would it become a key series after failing to break even on its expensive budget. Heavenly Sword - PS3 Review By OrpheusUK, updated 04/07/2008. Heavenly Sword is that sort of game: your sense of disappointment is amplified because it's clear that Ninja Theory handled so many elements exquisitely. Heavenly Sword began development in 2002 with footage of the original PC version published on TeamXbox in 2004. 8. Is this game worth your time and your money? Heavenly Sword Review. You might want to know the reasons and the criteria, but at the end of the day you want a definite judgement. They hired the multi-talented, multi-faceted jazz/world/drum&bass musician Nitin Sawhney to write the orchestral soundtrack, and orchestras in London and Prague to record it. ... Heavenly Sword is a story of a nubile outcast, Nariko and her search and subsequent protection of the highly coveted sword … Thick and substantial, it makes a daring display, and Neo would love it! Will using the Heavenly Sword of the title bring downfall on her and her people, or is it the only way to fight back against an evil empire? 8. A Little Slice of Heaven By SuperPhillip, updated 04/24/2008. Even though it's quite short compared to other epic titles, the game is so interesting and fun to play that almost everyone will forgive them. Heavenly Sword Review. OK. Fine. We’re not talking Tomb Raider standard, let alone anything more elaborate than that. There are even times when it gets to be a bit of a grind, and you’re glad to see the back of a specific chapter just because – when it comes down to it – trashing several whopping ape-men at once isn’t actually that much fun. By Paul Younger April 21, 2008. Gameplay: 8.5 There is a minor learning curve when it comes to the game’s controls, but players are generally Heavenly Sword is an film animation from the popular game on the PS3 (play-station) about a heroine and her sister, with an unbreakable bond, that set off on a journey to to find their long lost brother chosen by fate to wield a sword of the the Gods. Aren’t there a lot of movie stars where, were you to pull away the looks and the glamour, you’d be left with someone of only mediocre acting talent? But look at those visuals, get caught up in the experience, and you might end up saying “so what?”. Emperor Kang-Si Sword. Away from the cut-scenes, the game remains astonishingly beautiful. Heavenly Sword for PlayStation 3 game reviews & Metacritic score: A dramatic tale of revenge sees Nariko, a fiery red-haired heroine embark on a quest for vengeance against an invading King and his army. With such a high standard set, it shouldn't come as a surprise that gameplay doesn't hold up its end of the bargain. Battle scenes are truly epic, with hundreds of soldiers on-screen at once. If you can do that, then you’ll find Heavenly Sword a game that’s well worth your time and your money. With Anna Torv, Alfred Molina, Thomas Jane, Ashleigh Ball. If not, save your cash and hold off for Devil May Cry 4, Ninja Gaiden 2 or the next God of War. SHOW Heavenly ... Sony is challenging their very own Kratos for the top title with Heavenly Sword. It had, at one time, been up and running on an early Xbox 360 prototype, [citation needed] but this was abandoned in favor of the PlayStation 3 when the title was picked up by Sony Computer Entertainment. Heavenly Sword ambitions in the visuals department come at a cost, however, there is a fair amount of screen tearing throughout the game, and the frame rate takes a hit when there is an intense processing load. 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