post #1
10 February 2006, 17:38 UTC#1
I was on IGN a few days ago, I like to read up on games before I rent them, and I came across this title, watched a few video reviews of it, and was completely speechless, I fell in love with the design, atmosphere, and ambient sound. it was possibly the most beautifully made game I have seen since the PS2 first came out. and I'm ashamed I didn't come across it any sooner. it's from the same designer of the game "Ico" that came out a little at the beginning of the release of the PS2. anyway, this game is so brilliant that it ought to be fined.
this game is a platformer focused on exploration and badass combat between your character and sixteen immense monstersâ€â€the only sixteen encounters you'll have in the game. but the main point of the game is to show how any of us would strangle a baby, murder ten strangers or burn the mona lisa to save the life of a friend or loved one.
the landscape and awesome graphics aren't the only visual treats. animations are prince of persia-level spectacular, especially anything your horse does. given the amount of time you spend with this horse, the designers did well to make him not merely a beautiful animal, but to make each of his movements very lifelike. he seems bigger than any horse has a right to be tho.
the battle scenes when you're actually on a colossus (the huge monsters) are equally amazing. great artistry went into your character's climbing, leaping and holding-on-for-dear-life animations, all of which bring that much more intensity to an already intense experience. small treats, like the acrobatics you can pull off on the horses back, are the butter cream frosting of an already delicious game.
but this game is not perfect, all of the reviews I have read are taking issue with somewhat icky camera and movement controls. I totally agree, the camera is not generally where you want it to be, nor is it particularly easy to maneuver, due to its annoying habit of wandering back to an inconvenient first position just when you've adjusted it to your liking. it's easily dealt with but always mildly bothersome. similarly, movement controls could have used a little more work.
basically, what it boils down to is this: they tested the bejesus out of this game. they must have. the level of tuning that went into it is very obvious. it was polished and polished and polished until it shone. normally that's a good thing, but it also means that annoyances like the gay camera views and controls. the developers consciously introduced them, which angers me deeply. it's like they actually put them in there on purpose.
if you played ico, or god of war, and loved how it was made, you'll love this just as much as I do. it's worth the 40 bucks.
screenshots and videos here: http://ps2.ign.com/articles/658/658991p1.html
this game is a platformer focused on exploration and badass combat between your character and sixteen immense monstersâ€â€the only sixteen encounters you'll have in the game. but the main point of the game is to show how any of us would strangle a baby, murder ten strangers or burn the mona lisa to save the life of a friend or loved one.
the landscape and awesome graphics aren't the only visual treats. animations are prince of persia-level spectacular, especially anything your horse does. given the amount of time you spend with this horse, the designers did well to make him not merely a beautiful animal, but to make each of his movements very lifelike. he seems bigger than any horse has a right to be tho.
the battle scenes when you're actually on a colossus (the huge monsters) are equally amazing. great artistry went into your character's climbing, leaping and holding-on-for-dear-life animations, all of which bring that much more intensity to an already intense experience. small treats, like the acrobatics you can pull off on the horses back, are the butter cream frosting of an already delicious game.
but this game is not perfect, all of the reviews I have read are taking issue with somewhat icky camera and movement controls. I totally agree, the camera is not generally where you want it to be, nor is it particularly easy to maneuver, due to its annoying habit of wandering back to an inconvenient first position just when you've adjusted it to your liking. it's easily dealt with but always mildly bothersome. similarly, movement controls could have used a little more work.
basically, what it boils down to is this: they tested the bejesus out of this game. they must have. the level of tuning that went into it is very obvious. it was polished and polished and polished until it shone. normally that's a good thing, but it also means that annoyances like the gay camera views and controls. the developers consciously introduced them, which angers me deeply. it's like they actually put them in there on purpose.
if you played ico, or god of war, and loved how it was made, you'll love this just as much as I do. it's worth the 40 bucks.
screenshots and videos here: http://ps2.ign.com/articles/658/658991p1.html
