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[PhatSaqs]

Video of the Xbox concept back when they were called Just Add Monsters:
http://kotaku.com/gaming/microsoft/heavenly-sword-from-xbox-to-ps3-284674.php

Shane Kim at MS has also mentioned in interviews that they passed on the game in the past.

News to me.

 

[Lord Error]

This I guess is a pretty obscure factoid, and I have nothing to back it up, except that I'm pretty sure my memory is not failing me here. I did read that on B3D forum long time ago.

That HS Evolution video was made by some random guy on the internet and he has pulled things out of thin air when he stated that first realtime prototype video (that shows world shadows moving around) was running on Xbox.

I'm also pretty sure that the very first thing that appears in that video is a crude pre-rendered concept sequence that the team used to visualize what they want to accomplish with the game. That was also posted somewhere with that description, long before that Evolution video was compiled together.

Shane Kim at MS has also mentioned in interviews that they passed on the game in the past.

Haha, well, I guess that's his side of the story. Not quite the same what was said by the team member who was writing the development journal in Edge.

 

[XHitoshuraX]

News to me.

The Video is in the OP! >.<

 

[jetjevons]

Looks like the reviews are averaging out to be pretty positive overall. I may upgrade this from a rent to a buy.

 

[XHitoshuraX]

Looks like the reviews are averaging out to be pretty positive overall. I may upgrade this from a rent to a buy.

Hopefully more people feel the same.

 

[XHitoshuraX]

:laying LAIR::

piss off :lol

 

[dralla]

1up Review
http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3162437

 

[XHitoshuraX]

1up Review
http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3162437

noted, thanks!

 

[pswii60]

EuroGamer review:
http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=82447

7/10

The most disappointing games aren't the low-scoring Driver 3 out of 10s - those are just the road crashes we point and laugh at. Those are beyond redemption. No, the really gutting ones are always the ones that just fall short of greatness, where you feel sure that with a bit more polish and refinement that they could (and perhaps should) have been amazing. 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. It really did have the potential to be the PS3's first must-have title - yet, somewhere along the line it doesn't quite deliver. For PS3 owners, the wait for the killer-app goes on.

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But let's stay within the realms of exquisiteness to kick-off with - it's a nice place this time of year. For probably only the second time since we fired up the PS3 have we been moved to drag the sofa a bit closer to the TV. it's a game that you'll want to truly bask in, such is the visual opulence on show. It's as if Ninja Theory fell in love with the art style of ICO and fancied the idea of a setting a truly bombastic God of War-style hackandslash within it. Not a bad idea at all, when you consider how well both of those went down with you lot.

Art breaker
There are times within Heavenly Sword's six chapters when the technical accomplishments offer an embarrassment of riches; breathtaking moments designed to make you just stop, mouth agog, and wallow in some of the most ambitious, picturesque landscapes and ornate environments ever committed to a digital canvas. Some might boringly label it as 'truly next gen' or whatever - I'll just thank the art team for investing so much effort in making the simple process of traversing the game world a hugely entertaining experience in its own right. If anything's responsible for dragging you along through Heavenly Sword, it's the way the game makes you play the digital tourist, eager to find out where else the game can push the PS3. It's not as if we've had many titles that have done that so far.

Flame-haired women - always causing a ruckus.
It's a game that also takes the business of narrative extremely seriously, so it's just as well that such an emotive, desperate tale can be expressed on-screen in ways that have eluded game developers the world over - until now. Nariko's battle to keep the eponymous Heavenly Sword out of the hands of the evil King Botan is one told over a regular procession of in-engine cut-scenes, using the most sophisticated facial animation system seen outside of the CG movie business.Aided and abetted by the expert touch of Andy Serkis, not only do the character models look uncannily realistic (apart from the hair, which still looks like polygonal dreadlocks), but convey the kind of expression and emotion not normally associated with mere videogames. With near-perfect lip syncing adding a final layer to the effect, it's clear that an incredible amount of effort went into the cinematic appeal of Heavenly Sword. Unlike so many other games released on PS3 to date, you really appreciate the generational leap in the production values. Even Square-Enix's legendary teams would be impressed.

The problem with all this technical showboating is you need an equally great game within all the blockbuster presentation - and it's here where things start to unravel for Heavenly Sword. The crux of the matter is that the combat never quite feels as gratifying or assured as you'd hope. Lacking the hardcore depth of a Ninja Gaiden or Devil May Cry, nor as wonderfully accessible as, say, Onimusha or God of War, it sits in a kind of unsatisfying no-man's land between them, and goes its own way to the ultimate detriment of your overall enjoyment.

Dance stance
There's nothing at all heavenly about a blade that separates limbs from bodies.
At its most basic, it does much the same thing as all of them. Yep, the square and triangle buttons get a good pasting again, with the heart of the game's uncomplicated combo system based on various button presses of every hackandslasher's most overworked symbols. Occasionally you might want to throw in a X for good measure, but more significant is the role played by use of L1 or R1 - the 'stance' modifier. Without using either you fight using the 'speed' stance's set of moves, which effectively gives you the ability to throw a flurry of quick sword-based manoeuvres, but do medium levels of damage. It also means you can counter your opponent's moves if you see a blue-ish hue and hit triangle just as they're about to land an attack.

If you hold down L1 you can pull-off the range attacks/counter. This chain blade attack might be pretty weak in isolation, but in the right context comes in incredibly useful - such as breaking up a gaggle of enemies if you're surrounded. As a counter, it can be essential - swishing away a hail of incoming arrows, say, or dispersing a wall of water heading towards you. By far the most deadly, though, is the heavy stance, performed by holding down R1 and mashing combos using triangle and/or square. Although it's a bit slower than the others, it's invaluable when timed right - and, likewise, an effective counter to have up your sleeve when the opportunity presents itself. Once you learn a few of the basic combos (or get lucky with button mashing), even the hardiest enemies hit the deck as they feel the full force of your blade.

Mastering Nariko's 'Superstyle' moves gives Ninja Theory the chance to zoom in on the action and show off some of its grisly, but never less than satisfying finishing moves. Essentially used as a payback for stylish, relentless killing sprees, the better you get at killing, the better the action looks. Countering successfully, and an unbroken string of kills bring delicious, grisly rewards.

While there's no denying that the combat can be brutally thrilling to watch, at no time during the game did we ever feel fully in control of our actions. Wild, random slashing would often be just as effective a technique as studying the combos and attempting to follow them to the letter - so, inevitably as new moves get unlocked, you tend to stop paying that much attention to the progression system and play on furious, rhythmic instinct. So long as you're making progress, it hardly seems to matter if you're button mashing or not - sad to say.

Part of the problem is the way Heavenly Sword rewards progress. Every game from possibly Onimusha onwards has gravitated towards a variation on the genius orb/soul harvesting system, which ensures players have a means to power up weapons/powers/armour as they see fit. This allows players to subtly change the experience to suit them, and how they want the game's 'currency' to be invested - for example, spread thinly across all abilities and weapons, or towards maxing one in particular. However, Ninja Theory's decision to go for a predetermined approach is baffling, because it leaves the player with no means of controlling or varying how Nariko powers up over the course of the game.

Perhaps only having one weapon (the Heavenly Sword) is a bit of an oversight in a genre that relies on the variety and intrigue provided by new and increasingly powerful attack methods and, likewise, defence mechanisms. All the game offers in return for your concerted efforts is new combos when you accumulate medals during each sub-level. To a degree there's a incentive to go back and replay levels you didn't do so well on to earn new combos, but only if you're capable of working out these new moves afterwards. For the vast majority of players, that's no real incentive - not when good old fashioned button mashing does the job just fine (on Normal difficulty, I might add - the unlockable Hell mode's a different story, in as much as it'll kick your arse if you don't know exactly what you're doing).

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Another thing to take issue with is whether the counter system is a good idea at all. What's wrong with being able to block, for example? If anything, the rather lame auto block system merely encourages you to wade in like a maniac and thrash around until everyone's lying prostate on the ground. If you could block, it would encourage a bit more strategy, but instead it feels like a never ending sequence of attacks - it's not as if there aren't enough spare buttons to make it possible. On the whole, the control system just makes the game feel more hemmed in than other hackandslashers - which, we suspect is precisely the opposite of what Ninja Theory was aiming for. It might make it more accessible on the surface, but you just feel constrained.

Instant replay
It's a real shame to reflect on that, because in all other respects the game gets things just right. The bite-sized structure (and the ability to replay each and every segment afterwards) is a great touch, and keeps the action flowing like a good action blockbuster should. The camera, as well, is exceptionally well executed, and is never something you need to worry about, because (like God of War) the levels are designed intelligently enough to take all of that away from you. Instead of having to control the camera with the right stick, it pans around exactly when it should, leaving you with the option to use the right stick to pull of a nifty evasion move. If peering in a specific direction is that important to you, L2 and R2 give you that ability - not that you ever really need to, but sometimes you might just like to admire the view...

Dare I say it, the combat can feel very Sands of Time on occasion.
Now and then Heavenly Sword takes a break from all the hackandslash guff and lets you shoot at things from big cannons, or fire arrows into the mush of one of those sneaky archers stationed up in the ramparts. In these hugely entertaining (but rather samey) interludes you can aim the rough direction and trajectory with the left stick and fire haplessly with the square button (and invariably miss), or hold down L1 and effectively steer the missile directly to its target. By default, the game encourages you to use the SixAxis tilt controls, but although it feels rather fantastic when you wobble your pad to your target, it's horribly imprecise. After a few hours of struggling with it, we couldn't quite believe how much easier it was to control the direction with the analogue stick in comparison. Nice try, but no thanks. Inevitably, after you've played through a couple of these shoot 'em up sections, the novelty wears off a little and it starts to feel a bit tacked-on, but that's not to say they weren't enjoyable. At the very least, they show off the gore, the excellent explosions and the game's frankly superb physics in an incredibly cinematic fashion.

On that last point we should perhaps elaborate. In keeping with the exceptional technical graphical feats, the way all the game's objects have a convincing physical property is genuinely impressive. Objects splinter and break apart, structures collapse and debris knocks other items asunder. Every scene is truly alive with destruction, and the ability to grab hold of practically anything and lob it at an enemy is great fun. But, as with so many of the other impressive technical feats in the game, it only seems to make the central gameplay flaws more apparent, sadly. In short, it looks pretty, but never really utilises the physics to do anything in real gameplay terms.

Picky
The occasionally playable Kai is, as Tom said, the best fruitcake ever seen in a game. And yes, her face paint does indeed rule.
But that's not to say the game is totally glitch free, either. In fact, on regular occasions it's glaringly apparent that Heavenly Sword isn't quite as optimised as it could have been, with notable frame rate hitches creeping in now and them, and occasional v-sync tearing. As polished as the game is 90 per cent of the time, there's a lingering feeling the game was deemed 'good enough' rather than fully honed in all areas. That's a real shame, because it brings us back to thinking about how good the game might have been had the developer been given a few more months to tweak, refine and change a few things that might have made all the difference.

As it stands, Heavenly Sword is still an impressive, epic hackandslash adventure, and one that's full of memorable moments that keep you engaged right to the end. At times it veers towards being truly great, with the general 'direction' of the game's key sequences ensuring that it always keeps your attention with one visually arresting sequence after another. But inevitably, no amount of lavish technical polish and drama-filled cut scenes can disguise how it feels to play, and the fact that at its core, the combat doesn't quite cut it. Put simply, it feels like it's trying too hard to be different for the sake of it, and throws all manner of good, well-established ideas out to its detriment. Instead of being a spectacular refinement of what's gone before, Heavenly Sword is a reinvention that doesn't quite pay-off. Not quite the 7th heaven you might have been looking for, then.

7/10

 

[AgentOtaku]

1up Review
http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3162437

blocked at work....what'd it get ?

 

[CSSer]

blocked at work....what'd it get ?

8/10

By Matt Leone 08/30/2007



VIDEO: Head over to our videos page to check out all Heavenly Sword footage!

If you were to look at Heavenly Sword in a series of glimpses -- or, say, videos that appeared online prerelease -- you'd be forgiven for not knowing exactly what kind of game it is. Clearly, it's "action" and features a lot of fighting, but is it a God of War clone? Is it a Dynasty Warriors clone? A Sniper Elite clone? In short, yes. But the long answer is a little more complex....

A good half of Heavenly Sword is reminiscent of God of War -- you run through dramatic environments, hit enemies with flashy attacks, participate in button-pressing minigames, and even follow an oddly similar plot. Another quarter of the game ramps up the number of enemies, so the experience feels more like Dynasty Warriors. And then the remaining portion of Heavenly Sword involves long-range arrow and cannon attacks using the PS3's tilt controls. There's where your sniper skills come into play.



It's a pretty compelling package, especially when you consider that there aren't many games of this sort on PS3 yet, and that Heavenly Sword's visuals are arguably the best the system has seen to date. I can't talk up the graphics enough -- not only are the characters and environments incredibly well detailed, but there's very little of that typical (and easily abused) "next-gen gloss" applied to them, so you get a much cleaner-looking game than fare like Gears of War or Virtua Fighter 5.

This focus on presentation carries through a lot of the game. From the well-acted cut-scenes to a handful of picture-in-picture cinema sequences that play out while you run around to the camera angles during some of the game's more violent maneuvers, it's clear the developers know their game looks good and want you to know it as well. On occasion, Heavenly Sword moves so quickly that it feels like the framerate can't quite keep up, but if you're looking for a gorgeous PS3 or 360 title, there's not much that can compete at this point.

It's also important to note just how well the game handles its tilt-control features. Whether you're using arrows to take out single enemies in the distance, protecting an ally by picking off enemies around him as he tries to cross a bridge, or shooting a cannon at thousands of approaching soldiers, the ability to twist your wrists to make the perfect shot works extremely well once you get accustomed to it -- and it never becomes too easy or unfairly difficult.



When you look at Heavenly Sword as a traditional action game, however, it doesn't stand up to criticism quite as well as its contemporaries. There's the surface-level stuff, such as how you can't jump -- which, while not inherently a flaw, just feels out of place in a game where combos cause you to hop all over the place and where you jump in cut-scenes all the time -- but it's the details that stand out the most.

Such as how you can run past a group of enemies, then turn around and watch them get caught on an invisible wall, not able to follow you. Or how the button-pressing minigames pop up at unusual times and rarely seem to be connected to the buttons you press (think Indigo Prophecy, not Shenmue). Perhaps the biggest problem with the game is the way enemies get funneled your way. Whether you enter a room or just a blocked-off part of a level, it's not uncommon to stand in the middle of an area fending off 10 waves of not-so-smart enemies.

It feels like the designers tried to make up for not having intelligent enemies by having a ton of them -- an interesting trade-off, but one that doesn't always work in the game's favor, especially once the freshness of the three combat styles wears off and each battle you enter starts to feel "heavy" (not being able to jump doesn't help). Though the combat fluidity and combo variety match up well with a game like God of War, the fights often feel more like battles in Dynasty Warriors because of the seemingly never-ending number of virtually mindless bad guys. Quantity over quality seems to be the approach here -- though, I should clarify, not nearly to the degree present in Dynasty Warriors. Heavenly Sword knows when to cut you off, but its combat slows the pace down quite a bit.



Which -- given the overall length of around 10 hours -- may not be an accident. If you were to take this game as is and thin out some of the heavier arena battles, it would become too short, so it's a shame that there aren't more intelligent enemies to go up against to keep the battles engaging through to the end.

For those looking for the next big triple-A action game, Heavenly Sword is close, but not quite there. To its credit, there's a scene near the end of the game where you essentially go bowling through crowds of enemies -- it makes you realize just how epic games like this are going to be a few years down the road. But for now, Heavenly Sword does one better than hint at the future. It's an example of developers doing a good job being inspired by good taste, rather than looking up the recipe and coming up with something that's a bit different, but not quite as good as the original. Heavenly Sword is on the positive side of that line: solid in its own right and definitely worth playing.

Besides, can a game that lets you pick up a body, throw it, and tilt it with the PS3 controller as it flies at other enemies be bad?

 

[AgentOtaku]

thanks friend

 

[tanod]

full review text

Not cool, should be a summary only - just sayin'

 

[DemDereNads]

Weird, I recall this game being referred to as a bomb over one review. GR has it at an 85% average...

I'm sure I'll Gamefly it eventually.

 

[tanod]

Weird, I recall this game being referred to as a bomb over one review. GR has it at an 85% average...

I'm sure I'll Gamefly it eventually.

I'm sure the two LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL GAF threads about the two lowest scores (IGN, Edge) on the internet may have had something to do with thinking it was a bomb.

 

[DemDereNads]

I'm sure the two LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL GAF threads about the two lowest scores (IGN, Edge) on the internet may have had something to do with thinking it was a bomb.

I know... basically pointing out how ridiculous people can be when they dismiss a game after one review. Hell, even dismissing a game that you are interested in from all combine reviews is quite ludicrous.

 

[Lord Error]

Weird, I recall this game being referred to as a bomb over one review. GR has it at an 85% average...

I'm sure I'll Gamefly it eventually.

To be fair, it will probably end around 80%. GR doesn't have Edge review as well as Eurogamer review factored in yet - and who knows what Gamespot will give it

 

[pswii60]

I don't think people think it's a bad game. It's just that all expectations previously were on this being an almost universally acclaimed AAA 9+ title. Especially given all the hype, commentaries, animated episodes, budget, WETA involvement and exposure the game as had. And unfortunately it just hasn't lived up to what most of us expected. It's still likely to be a good game, just perhaps not as great or reaching its potential. Still, I will be able to judge for myself very soon.

 

[XHitoshuraX]

Not cool, should be a summary only - just sayin'

/nod

Ill add those reviews into the next update, thank you!

 

[tanod]

To be fair, it will probably end around 80%. GR doesn't have Edge review as well as Eurogamer review factored in yet - and who knows what Gamespot will give it

Eurogamer review went up today 8.0.

 

[Nightz]

Eurogamer review went up today 8.0.

Wait, this post says 7.0, which is it? (Can't access Eurogamer from work)

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

Wait, this post says 7.0, which is it? (Can't access Eurogamer from work)

I just read it. It ended with a 7.

 

[dralla]

7 from Eurogamer

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

7 from Eurogamer

Keep in mind, they didn't like Blue Dragon at all so I wouldn't put much stock in it. That game is fucking amazing, seriously.

 

[Randy Lanzarote]

Sevenly Flawed, the title of their review.

I didn't lol, but I admire their attempt at humour

 

[Nightz]

Thanks for the quick answers.

 

[tanod]

Wait, this post says 7.0, which is it? (Can't access Eurogamer from work)

Sorry that was weird. I must have got it mixed up with something else. These sites are really digging for hits with those review titles.

 

[Sharp]

Wow, that Eurogamer review text really makes it sound like it should be a lot higher.

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

Sorry that was weird. I must have got it mixed up with something else. These sites are really digging for hits with those review titles.

I don't think that would come up in any google search ever, actually.

 

[XHitoshuraX]

New minor update:

Added two new reviews.

Fixed spelling errors.


If anyone has any suggestions on something that should be added please let me know!

Also, I know I have quite a few video links, but does anyone want a dedicated video header?

 

[tanod]

I don't think that would come up in any google search ever, actually.

Well, titles like that get both the people interested in the game as well as the people who want to see it crash and burn to click on it. Same goes for a lot of reviews, actually.

EDIT: I remember now. I was thinking of the 1UP review.

 

[XHitoshuraX]

Wow, that Eurogamer review text really makes it sound like it should be a lot higher.

With all due respect to the reviewer, he has, on a constant basis, been the most idiotic man that was ever birthed.

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

Well, titles like that get both the people interested in the game as well as the people who want to see it crash and burn to click on it. Same goes for a lot of reviews, actually.

EDIT: I remember now. I was thinking of the 1UP review.

I didn't even see the title, for what its worth, until someone pointed it out. It's like a teeny little byline.

 

[XHitoshuraX]

I didn't even see the title, for what its worth, until someone pointed it out. It's like a teeny little byline.

exactly!

 

[relaxor]

You know, not every game can be a perfect 10 Masteriece Moby Dick of videogaming, and I think the reviews of this seem fair. Could have been more, but still great. It sounds like a good title for the PS3 library, but perhaps not the breakout success it could have been.

 

[tanod]

You know, not every game can be a perfect 10 Masteriece Moby Dick of videogaming, and I think the reviews of this seem fair. Could have been more, but still great. It sounds like a good title for the PS3 library, but perhaps not the breakout success it could have been.

At the very least, it's really breaking new ground on a lot of fronts presentation wise. It really sets the standard for what motion capture performances should be for ALL next-gen games. The cool Ang Lee (Hulk style) framing and camera angles is also something I've never seen a game do and is a nice touch.

 

[XHitoshuraX]

ANOTHER quick update:

New "Making of Heavenly Sword" episode 4

thanks!

 

[Lord Error]

Wow, that Eurogamer review text really makes it sound like it should be a lot higher.

Haha, it's true. The whole review does come across as quite positive. Guys at Eurogamer are *strict* though. Their scores are more like Edge scores, so this kind of review/score is not that unusual for them.

I still do think a combo mashing complaint (that Edge also had) is kinda unfair, because with a correct combo you can essentially combo-mash through every game of this kind on Normal difficulty - even Ninja Gaiden. Combat in HS definitely seems deep enough that it pushes you away from doing that by rewarding mixing up and experimentation, and I don't think it's any less accessible than combat in GoW. You can tell such things easily from the demo.

At the very least, it's really breaking new ground on a lot of fronts presentation wise. It really sets the standard for what motion capture performances should be for ALL next-gen games. The cool Ang Lee (Hulk style) framing and camera angles is also something I've never seen a game do and is a nice touch.

I suppose it could have been more, but it also looks like it came out much better than what people from the opposite side of the anticipation spectrum feared it could be (pointing at developers poor track record, and media lockdout that seemed to last forever). Also, it's hard to say for sure, but I do think the game excels at what it was set to excel at, and it even offers a novel spin on the combat which in this game is physics based a lot more than in simillar games, that rely on canned hit animations. I guess something, somewhere had to give for all that novelty to work, but I think it's very cool the way it is.

 

[Mesijs]

So, I finished the game just a few minutes ago.

I liked it. I liked it a lot in fact. But I do agree with some complaints that it could have been done better. The combat system doesn't always work like it should, some levels in the game do feel a bit like closed arena's rather than a part of a believable world and the game is too short.

So, that were all the negative points. The positives are that it plays like a spectacular blockbuster movie. The motion capturing is top notch and the graphics are jaw-dropping. The feeling you get when fighting in Bohan's arena or taking down his catapults is unrivaled. And while I wouldn't think it in advance, the game actually does not become repetitive. This is because the story keeps it driving forward, there are parts when you are shooting arrows with Kai or cannonballs and there are bosses. The arrow/cannonball parts are a great lot of fun. But in the last and most difficult case, I siwtched for the first time from sixaxis to stick-control. This is actually more accurate, but sixaxis is more fun.

About the fighting system: most of the time it works, but sometimes it fails miserably. The changing to stances is effective in some combat situations and if executed well devastating. But you simply do not have the time to react if you first get a speed attack and then a power attack, so you can't block them in all cases. And in one of the bossfights I had to fight of a lot of enemies. After two failed attempts I started button bashing and it worked... which is quite stupid.

But most of the time it does work. Countering attacks is great and satisfying. When doing it perfectly, the camera position changes and you pop a devastating move. You can also do these devastating moves with circle if you get enough points. These are extremely cool and effective. So the combat system does not work in all cases, but it does it's job. I think with a few tweaks it could be great.

I think this game had the potential to be a classic, but because of the three cons it isn't. I think I would rate it 8 out of 10, but I still have to play a bit (also in Hell mode) to write the review for Gamer.nl

 

[XHitoshuraX]

So, I finished the game just a few minutes ago.

I liked it. I liked it a lot in fact. But I do agree with some complaints that it could have been done better. The combat system doesn't always work like it should, some levels in the game do feel a bit like closed arena's rather than a part of a believable world and the game is too short.

So, that were all the negative points. The positives are that it plays like a spectacular blockbuster movie. The motion capturing is top notch and the graphics are jaw-dropping. The feeling you get when fighting in Bohan's arena or taking down his catapults is unrivaled. And while I wouldn't think it in advance, the game actually does not become repetitive. This is because the story keeps it driving forward, there are parts when you are shooting arrows with Kai or cannonballs and there are bosses. The arrow/cannonball parts are a great lot of fun. But in the last and most difficult case, I siwtched for the first time from sixaxis to stick-control. This is actually more accurate, but sixaxis is more fun.

About the fighting system: most of the time it works, but sometimes it fails miserably. The changing to stances is effective in some combat situations and if executed well devastating. But you simply do not have the time to react if you first get a speed attack and then a power attack, so you can't block them in all cases. And in one of the bossfights I had to fight of a lot of enemies. After two failed attempts I started button bashing and it worked... which is quite stupid.

But most of the time it does work. Countering attacks is great and satisfying. When doing it perfectly, the camera position changes and you pop a devastating move. You can also do these devastating moves with circle if you get enough points. These are extremely cool and effective. So the combat system does not work in all cases, but it does it's job. I think with a few tweaks it could be great.

I think this game had the potential to be a classic, but because of the three cons it isn't. I think I would rate it 8 out of 10, but I still have to play a bit (also in Hell mode) to write the review for Gamer.nl

What the hell is that?

 

[CrushDance]

What the hell is that?

.nl=new zealand?

 

[XHitoshuraX]

.nl=new zealand?

From NL you got New Zealand? >.<!

 

[Pimpwerx]

I've been offline for most of the week, but I did manage to grab a few demos before moving my PS3 to my new apartment. This demo is my favorite, even ahead of GTHD. This will be the first PS3 game I buy...I think. Maybe Warhawk if my gf didn't lose the ear insert for my Jabra.

It's funny, b/c I only played GoW2 for the first time this week too. We rented it since the PS3 section at BB was crap, and I am amazed. I understand the hype, and will probably end up buying it and the original. I really understand the GoW comparisons now. It's not direct since HS is really a faster-paced game with a bit more depth in the mechanics. But it's certainly got that stylish flair to it. Best of all, I was able to convince my girl to get this over that piece of shit Tomb Raider that she loves so much. After playing the demo, I hope those reviews are off the mark. This game has serious potential. PEACE.

 

[kassatsu]

Goodies from the PS Blog.

Storyboards from the animated shorts

 

[XHitoshuraX]

Goodies from the PS Blog.

Storyboards from the animated shorts

hmm I'll try and add it

 

[tanod]

I've been offline for most of the week, but I did manage to grab a few demos before moving my PS3 to my new apartment. This demo is my favorite, even ahead of GTHD. This will be the first PS3 game I buy...I think. Maybe Warhawk if my gf didn't lose the ear insert for my Jabra.

It's funny, b/c I only played GoW2 for the first time this week too. We rented it since the PS3 section at BB was crap, and I am amazed. I understand the hype, and will probably end up buying it and the original. I really understand the GoW comparisons now. It's not direct since HS is really a faster-paced game with a bit more depth in the mechanics. But it's certainly got that stylish flair to it. Best of all, I was able to convince my girl to get this over that piece of shit Tomb Raider that she loves so much. After playing the demo, I hope those reviews are off the mark. This game has serious potential. PEACE.

Despite what you've heard, the reviews have actually been pretty good for the most part.

 

[XHitoshuraX]

I thought about it and I'm not going to add the storyboards just yet...they don't grab me as too important and I only have so much space in the OP

 

[Mesijs]

What the hell is that?

It's from The Netherlands.


I just started on Hell difficulty. I'm dying a bit faster so I have to be cautious and counter a lot. But only later in the game I'll see if it's a truly different challenge.

 

[Raist]

.nl=new zealand?

:lol

 

[XHitoshuraX]

It's from The Netherlands.


I just started on Hell difficulty. I'm dying a bit faster so I have to be cautious and counter a lot. But only later in the game I'll see if it's a truly different challenge.

I see, well assuming you get the review done, I'd be glad to put it up.

UPDATE:

Added titles for the four "Making of" videos.

I will be adding the story boards as thumbnails in the future.




You know I was playing through the game again this morning and I realized how completely off some of the reviewers are on the combat. With countering and timing not only do battles look extremely elegant, but they are difficult as well. Sure, anyone can button mash, even on normal in NG you were able to button mash, but the amount of attention the player has to focus during battle is very impressive.