As promised, two new characters for Superbot's PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale (I'm going to get sick of typing all that out soon) have been revealed for PAX East: Nariko and Sir Daniel Fortesque.
I'm sure Fat Princess was starting to feel lonely with being the only female entrant on the roster. No longer with the introduction of Heavenly Sword's Nariko.
And make room for MediEvil's (don't feel bad if you don't know the series) skeletal being, Sir Daniel Fortesque. There's no bones about it - this is a nice addition to the cast of characters for this party fighter.
Showing posts with label heavenly sword. Show all posts
Showing posts with label heavenly sword. Show all posts
Friday, August 31, 2012
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
PS3 Games That I'd Like to See Get A Trophy Patch (Which Probably Won't)
Like Uncharted: Drake's Fortune before it, recently Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots received a long-awaited patch, enabling trophies for prospective collectors to obtain. That sparked an interest in me to see what other games in the PlayStation 3 library that came out before Sony and third-parties' implementation of the trophy system. These five following games are ones that I would no doubt be interested in playing through again if such a trophy patch were to be included, though the likelihood is not that high.
Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
One of my favorite entries in the Ratchet & Clank franchise is Tools of Destruction, the game that brought the furry lombax and wise-cracking robot into high-definition for the first time. I would think a trophy patch for the PS3's first Ratchet & Clank game would be a perfect thing to have for the series's 10th anniversary this year (in addition to the Ratchet & Clank trilogy re-releasing on one Blu-ray disc later this year for North America -- it's already out in PAL territories). Such achievable trophies could have possessing one million bolts at one time, building the R.Y.N.O. IV through obtaining all of the Gadgetron Holo-Plans, nabbing all of the hidden Golden Bolts, trophies for completing five skill points, ten skill points, fifteen skill points, and so forth, and for upgrading all weapons fully. I already love Tools of Destruction, and such a patch would make me fall in love with the title all over again.
Resistance: Fall of Man
Using its love for creating off-the-wall and high-powered weaponry such as seen in the aforementioned Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, Insomniac Games made a first-person shooter with traditional 1950s firepower as well as a totally original and futuristic arsenal for players to utilize. Resistance: Fall of Man takes players through an alternate history where an alien race known as the Chimera have taken over large portions of the earth, exterminating a significant portion of humanity, and the remaining humans band together to form one last resistance to save mankind. If a trophy patch were implemented into Resistance, I would want the trophies to all be ones that can be obtained via single-player. The problem I have with multiplayer ones is twofold: 1) If the community isn't active or populated, it can make finding matches challenging, and 2) If the wrong type of trophies were in multiplayer, most players would go out of their way to obtain them instead of actively assisting their teammates; they'd be playing selfishly.
Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds
While not my favorite Hot Shots Golf game in the series for the main reason that the amount of courses from the fourth installment to the fifth installment decreased pretty notably, Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds (known as Minna no Golf 5 in Japan and Everybody's Golf 5 in PAL areas) carried out a brand-new swinging mechanic, brought forth six original courses, and added a story mode where players competed in tournaments and in VS. matches against computer-controlled opponents. PlayStation Move accessibility was added in Japan last year and in other territories this year, but there was no trophy patch that went with it. That's a shame as World Invitational proved, Hot Shots Golf fans find extra incentive to master a game through not only online but through obtaining trophies. Such trophies that could be earned include reaching certain ranks in story mode, achieving special shots like hole-in-ones, albatrosses, and chip-ins, playing on the individual courses a certain number of times, unlocking all Intermediate and then Advanced characters, and other fun achievements.
Heavenly Sword
Often compared to one of Sony's other action-oriented properties, God of War, Heavenly Sword has gameplay that has both a melee attack and ranged attack focus. It stars Nariko, an incredibly capable red-haired vixen full of drive and ambition, wielding the all-powerful titular Heavenly Sword. Nariko can switch between a series of three different stances to unleash holy hell on foes: Speed, Range, and Power. The actual campaign of Heavenly Sword does not drag on for too long. That was one of my complaints with the game. However, the addition of trophies (despite this series being on the back-burner) would make the title all the more appealing and add some much needed replay value. Sniping a certain amount of enemies as Kai, relinquishing a specific number of foes in each of Nariko's three stances, obtaining a given amount of glyphs, and beating bosses without damage could make for intriguing new ways to play an old game.
Saints Row 2
It seemed like a reasonable idea (not quite a sure thing) that third-parties would take games that already had achievements on the Xbox 360 and just turn them into trophies for the PlayStation 3 version. This did not happen most of the time.. Instead, Saints Row 2 came out shortly after Sony implemented trophies for most of their games. However, trophy use was only mandatory as of the beginning of 2009. (Saints Row 2 released in October of 2008, after trophies materialized, but before they were a must-have feature.) Regardless, I can't imagine if it would have been relatively easy to just create a trophy list based off the Xbox 360 achievement list for the PS3 version of Saints Row 2 as I am not a developer. I don't see how it would have been too terribly tough. Even the Greatest Hits release could have been a prime opportunity to execute such a patch.
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Those are just five examples of games released prior to Sony's trophy system being required for developers to use. Like the article title says, the hope for these games to actually get such a patch is a long shot, but that doesn't mean I can't dream. After all, Metal Gear Solid 4 seemed to be a long shot, too, and a trophy patch finally happened. Who can really say what will happen in the future? As for now, what PS3 games would you like to see get trophies, or get added trophies to collect upon the ones you already have to work on? Speak out in the comments section below.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Heavenly Sword (PS3) Review
When I got my 60 GB Playstation 3 back in 2007, it was at Best Buy and I received a free Sixaxis and choice of a free game with my purchase. This was a choice between Lair and Heavenly Sword, so I went with the lesser of two evils, Heavenly Sword. The following was my assessment of my purchase.
Ever since the Playstation 3 was released, owners have been clamoring for an epic adventure to the likes of the God of War series, and while Kratos' third exploit is a long ways away, developer Ninja Theory hopes to fill the hole left with their own over-the-top action-fest otherwise known as Heavenly Sword. Does this title rise up to the ranks of Heaven, or does it sink into the inner pits of Hell?
Heavenly Sword, fittingly enough, revolves around the sacred blade, the Heavenly Sword. A noble clan possesses the sword, and a wicked lord and his minions want it. Nariko, our ass-kicking heroine, uses the sword herself to take on the evil empire. The catch, however, is that with each use of the Heavenly Sword, it slowly drains the user's life, so while Nariko may be annihilating and harming scores upon scores of enemies, she's simultaneously harming herself in the process. This story element unfolds itself in a way to keep the player guessing as to Nariko's fate. In fact, the game begins with Nariko unsheathing the blade to take on an entire army of soldiers until ultimately submitting to the sword's celestial power. What follows for the player is the story told through flashbacks all wrapping back up to the opening cutscene and the tale's finale.
Nariko shows off her aerial acrobatics.
A game based around a sword should hopefully center around combat and action, and with no worries Heavenly Sword focuses more or brawn than brains. Sure, there's a small amount of elementary puzzles to solve and lavish cutscenes sprinkled throughout Nariko's journey, but for the most part you'll be engaging enemies head-on. Sometimes, you'll switch characters when the story allows and become the comic relief Kai whose weaponry consists only of long-range arrows. When the fire button is held down, these arrows can be steered toward targets with the Sixaxis controller which is pretty cool and fun to do. Regardless, it's much easier and less finicky to just to use analog controls. Still, it's great that the Sixaxis wasn't forced onto players.
And now she goes through the spin cycle.
The biggest problem with Heavenly Sword is that it gets repetitive. Not just doing the same attack over and over again (thanks to there being no weapon upgrades), but you'll feel like you've been placed in scenarios more than once. Thankfully, there's entertaining and intense boss battles to partake in, and while these are by no means God of War standard, they help break up the sense of monotony. Victory won't happen through mashing buttons halfheartedly. You'll need to wait for a villain to expose himself (no, not in the dirty way) for you to get a good amount of hits on. This is followed by various Quick-Time Exchanges-- another God of War staple. These have you hitting a direction on the analog stick or pressing or mashing on a given button to defeat a foe in a simulated action sequence. Thankfully these exchanges allow for one or two mistakes, but even if you fail it, you can easily try again from the start with no penalty or waste of time.
The penalty for failing a QTE segment is to simply try it again.
Nariko's sword skills have three forms of which to take out enemies with: speed, power, and range. The finesse here is in using the proper form on the proper enemy at the proper time. Reach enemies from far distances with your range attacks, use power to smash through a foe's defenses, and when there's an opening on an enemy, use the speed form to rapidly get some attacks in. Each form has its own stance which can be changed mid-combo. Of course, the best offense is a good defense, and that bodes true in the realm of Heavenly Sword. An enemy will either attack normally, flash blue, or flash gold. These colored indications tell you what stance to defend in. With the rightly timed dodge, you can perform a visually impressive killing blow which not only make short work of enemies but they just look damn cool. Alternately, you can roll out of harm's way with the right analog stick for baddies and bosses that are too tough to dodge any other way.
There's two parts to Heavenly Sword, the combat-heavy action that Nariko's sword skills call for, and the twing-twang shooting segments as Kai. Nariko herself will even be called upon to man (or I guess, woman) cannons to shoot down enemy catapults with well-placed shots or just wipe out enemy infantry. No job is too big or too small for Nariko. It's just unfortunate that the job (i.e. the game) can be completed in around five hours.
Through repeated battles you earn glyphs. These are earned by attacking enemies and keeping combos going without getting interrupted. By having your glyph total exceed one of three levels in a given game segment, you'll be given new combos, new art, and other bonuses. This is where the replay value lies in attempted to score high enough to earn every bonus the game offers, and the game is responsive and satisfying enough for making such an optional task seem enjoyable.
So many men, so little time.
Heavenly Sword is indeed enjoyable to play, but it's incredibly enjoyable to stare at, too. The game has its own sense of style whether it's the split-screen conversations that go on while you're still in control of Nariko, the impressive art direction both artistic and technical, or the in-between chapter monologues where Nariko addresses the camera. All would be lost though if it weren't for the phenomenal voice acting which is some of the best I've heard in a long time. Kai's cries are especially painful for the heart to endure... and that's a good thing. There's some parts of the game where the framerate noticeably stutters, but apart from that issue the game is technically sound. Seeing literally a thousand warriors each with individual motions and movements is damned impressive. I said wow.
Heaven for the player, Hell on the enemies.
Overall, Heavenly Sword isn't exactly gaming heaven. The quest is over far too soon, and if unlocking art isn't your thing, there's really nothing else for you to come back to. The game's linearity doesn't offer much of anything to explore, so repeated visits won't offer anything new. There is a much harder difficulty to unlock, but two playthroughs is hard to recommend a purchase for. Both modes can be completed in a rental period. However, if the price is right, and the desire for a next-gen God of War-esque experience is up your alley, then by all means try Heavenly Sword out. It's worth at least a rental, and at most a discount purchase. Regardless of which road you take, this game is definitely worth your time and quite possibly your investment.
[SuperPhillip Says: 7.5/10]
A Little Slice of Heaven
Ever since the Playstation 3 was released, owners have been clamoring for an epic adventure to the likes of the God of War series, and while Kratos' third exploit is a long ways away, developer Ninja Theory hopes to fill the hole left with their own over-the-top action-fest otherwise known as Heavenly Sword. Does this title rise up to the ranks of Heaven, or does it sink into the inner pits of Hell?
Heavenly Sword, fittingly enough, revolves around the sacred blade, the Heavenly Sword. A noble clan possesses the sword, and a wicked lord and his minions want it. Nariko, our ass-kicking heroine, uses the sword herself to take on the evil empire. The catch, however, is that with each use of the Heavenly Sword, it slowly drains the user's life, so while Nariko may be annihilating and harming scores upon scores of enemies, she's simultaneously harming herself in the process. This story element unfolds itself in a way to keep the player guessing as to Nariko's fate. In fact, the game begins with Nariko unsheathing the blade to take on an entire army of soldiers until ultimately submitting to the sword's celestial power. What follows for the player is the story told through flashbacks all wrapping back up to the opening cutscene and the tale's finale.
Nariko shows off her aerial acrobatics.
A game based around a sword should hopefully center around combat and action, and with no worries Heavenly Sword focuses more or brawn than brains. Sure, there's a small amount of elementary puzzles to solve and lavish cutscenes sprinkled throughout Nariko's journey, but for the most part you'll be engaging enemies head-on. Sometimes, you'll switch characters when the story allows and become the comic relief Kai whose weaponry consists only of long-range arrows. When the fire button is held down, these arrows can be steered toward targets with the Sixaxis controller which is pretty cool and fun to do. Regardless, it's much easier and less finicky to just to use analog controls. Still, it's great that the Sixaxis wasn't forced onto players.
And now she goes through the spin cycle.
The biggest problem with Heavenly Sword is that it gets repetitive. Not just doing the same attack over and over again (thanks to there being no weapon upgrades), but you'll feel like you've been placed in scenarios more than once. Thankfully, there's entertaining and intense boss battles to partake in, and while these are by no means God of War standard, they help break up the sense of monotony. Victory won't happen through mashing buttons halfheartedly. You'll need to wait for a villain to expose himself (no, not in the dirty way) for you to get a good amount of hits on. This is followed by various Quick-Time Exchanges-- another God of War staple. These have you hitting a direction on the analog stick or pressing or mashing on a given button to defeat a foe in a simulated action sequence. Thankfully these exchanges allow for one or two mistakes, but even if you fail it, you can easily try again from the start with no penalty or waste of time.
The penalty for failing a QTE segment is to simply try it again.
Nariko's sword skills have three forms of which to take out enemies with: speed, power, and range. The finesse here is in using the proper form on the proper enemy at the proper time. Reach enemies from far distances with your range attacks, use power to smash through a foe's defenses, and when there's an opening on an enemy, use the speed form to rapidly get some attacks in. Each form has its own stance which can be changed mid-combo. Of course, the best offense is a good defense, and that bodes true in the realm of Heavenly Sword. An enemy will either attack normally, flash blue, or flash gold. These colored indications tell you what stance to defend in. With the rightly timed dodge, you can perform a visually impressive killing blow which not only make short work of enemies but they just look damn cool. Alternately, you can roll out of harm's way with the right analog stick for baddies and bosses that are too tough to dodge any other way.
There's two parts to Heavenly Sword, the combat-heavy action that Nariko's sword skills call for, and the twing-twang shooting segments as Kai. Nariko herself will even be called upon to man (or I guess, woman) cannons to shoot down enemy catapults with well-placed shots or just wipe out enemy infantry. No job is too big or too small for Nariko. It's just unfortunate that the job (i.e. the game) can be completed in around five hours.
Through repeated battles you earn glyphs. These are earned by attacking enemies and keeping combos going without getting interrupted. By having your glyph total exceed one of three levels in a given game segment, you'll be given new combos, new art, and other bonuses. This is where the replay value lies in attempted to score high enough to earn every bonus the game offers, and the game is responsive and satisfying enough for making such an optional task seem enjoyable.
So many men, so little time.
Heavenly Sword is indeed enjoyable to play, but it's incredibly enjoyable to stare at, too. The game has its own sense of style whether it's the split-screen conversations that go on while you're still in control of Nariko, the impressive art direction both artistic and technical, or the in-between chapter monologues where Nariko addresses the camera. All would be lost though if it weren't for the phenomenal voice acting which is some of the best I've heard in a long time. Kai's cries are especially painful for the heart to endure... and that's a good thing. There's some parts of the game where the framerate noticeably stutters, but apart from that issue the game is technically sound. Seeing literally a thousand warriors each with individual motions and movements is damned impressive. I said wow.
Heaven for the player, Hell on the enemies.
Overall, Heavenly Sword isn't exactly gaming heaven. The quest is over far too soon, and if unlocking art isn't your thing, there's really nothing else for you to come back to. The game's linearity doesn't offer much of anything to explore, so repeated visits won't offer anything new. There is a much harder difficulty to unlock, but two playthroughs is hard to recommend a purchase for. Both modes can be completed in a rental period. However, if the price is right, and the desire for a next-gen God of War-esque experience is up your alley, then by all means try Heavenly Sword out. It's worth at least a rental, and at most a discount purchase. Regardless of which road you take, this game is definitely worth your time and quite possibly your investment.
[SuperPhillip Says: 7.5/10]
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