Heavenly Sword

by Darren Lee Taylor - 2007/12/13 1:12pm

Heavenly Sword was to be a first generation title that defined the platform it presented, summoned from the unholy beast of SCEE and Ninja Theory, combining efforts of craft and skill to magic together a game full of promise, atmosphere, aesthetical pleasure and identity fear to its legion of anticipating fans. The identity fear was a questionable move to establish Heavenly Sword as a new iconic, characterised symbol for the Sony group, and to pave the way forward for future titles of the same nature.

Although at first glance, Heavenly Sword finds it difficult to prove this experimentation, what this game does prove, is that the Sixaxis motion controller can be used to incredible affect, steering in all directions to pull off dazzling moves in a stylish, impacting and practical fashion. Through the fluidity of the interactive cut-scenes, balanced gameplay and fully realised level design, Heavenly Sword plays out like a Japanese love story; only this time, the love is for the power of the omen infested sword and its infectious absorption to the world it governs, and not the characters themselves.

The story proceeds through a simple yet effective chapter select screen, in the mind and spirit of the main protagonist Nariko, who is struggling with the death of her eternal freedom. As you complete each stage of the game, you unlock hidden material and extra content through the collection of glyph spheres, or special burning pots that are scattered throughout the game. They also contribute to the main levels skill points that are awarded for performing exceptionally well at certain tasks and missions. There is just enough variation to leave a pleasant taste in ones mouth, and with the power of the PS3 backing the internal mechanics of the graphical splendour, this is one exclusive title that actually sits very well on Sony’s golden crown of mesmerising adventurers and empty, soulless journeys. Seriously, this game looks gorgeous, with pastel shading and blurred edges adding to the ancient surroundings of broken buildings and stricken fortress walls, barren wastelands and frozen ice peaks of lofty assertions, a perfect example of the PS3’s palette punching power. The blossoming trees light up the sky, the falling bodies of the defeated armies of the games main villain, King Bohan lie scattered like dummies on the soft earth, scorched and emblazoned with the swords swift swipes of fury.



The attacks and stance styles vary depending on the chapter’s main aims, and as such, you will be swapping backwards and forwards between long range speed skills, power stances and special moves to defeat the hundreds of enemies on screen. Think Onimusha meets Okami, and you will be halfway in discovering the true beauty of this game narrative, and core gameplay. When you activate a powerful attack through random button bashes and movements of the Sixaxis controller, you really feel as though you are Nariko, a subliminal message to the brain that you are actually, for that moment, in the midst of battle. The difficulty of the game is also a varying degree of painless hack-n-slash and full on intense boss encounters with some of the most perverse, sexy, paedophilic figures you will ever witness in a videogame, and they certainly have a contrasting nature to our heroine. From fish like bestiaries, inhuman lumps of rotting flotation, and winged demons from Satan’s womb itself, the bosses are tough, and that’s a great plus point for this title.

What must be stressed however is the length of the main game, and its limited replayablity options. Although there are reasons to pick up the pad and play again, you don’t really feel as though you want to experience the same sensations you felt before, and the only real reason that may draw you back into the world of Heavenly Sword, is the ramped up difficulty through hell mode and the absolutely spellbinding performances of the character movements and conversation cut-scenes, of which there are many, from Andy Serkis of Gollum fame. The way the crusty lips of Bohan spit and spurt words of intellectual, integral poison, to the hisses and grunts of the mad, mutated and moronic sidekicks of his indecent reign of the land, it is a professional and realistic wonder, and it only gets better with Narikos body language.



If you thought Lara Croft looked all hot and sexy in her Anniversary attire, you haven’t seen anything yet! Nariko is a walking love magnet, and my eyes were drawn to her entire physique as if it were a melting pot of sparkling jewels and bosoms. For the female gamer, it also personifies the female strength and integrity through Nariko’s powerful and passionate performance; a simple statement that is carried with magnificence and purity in the most ethical form. A strong lead, a strong story, and one which compels you to continue on your journey of prophetic justice and denial. The score is also worth noting, although not a particularly strong orchestral addition, it does add simple yet delightful effects to an otherwise silent universe.

Overall, this is a PS3 title that blossoms in its beauty and elegance, and dances in the fire with the other lacklustre launch games. A standard platformer, enhanced by a tactical and versatile control system that intertwines through a roping narrative of sauciness and seductiveness. What it lacks in longevity, it more than makes up for in the quality of the character design, movement and interactivity with the environment. Quite simply, this is a perfect addition to a vacant and absent PS3 exclusive catalogue, and must be cherished for what it is, rather than what it could have been.