This week marks the release of Heavenly Sword – and after months of anticipation, weeks of “making-of” videos and the animated prequels, we’re fired up to see the game make its way to store shelves.
Considered one of the most anticipated PS3 titles of the year, the buzz around Heavenly Sword continues to build as review scores begin to pour in from leading gaming sources. A sampling of the scores thus far include: Play Magazine – 10/10, Game Pro Magazine – 4.5/5, Game Informer Magazine – 8.75/10, Electronic Gaming Monthly Magazine – 8.33/10, GameZone.com – 8.8/10, and 1Up.com – 8/10.
Here’s what they’re saying:
“Heavenly Sword is a fun, engaging, and most importantly, exclusive PS3 title that Sony fanboys can brag to 360 fanboys about.” – Game Pro Magazine
“…the combat in Heavenly Sword is frenzied and entertaining… The amazing cutscenes (with some of the best facial animations I’ve ever seen), a cool cast of characters, and the stirring musical score complement the gameplay to create an incredibly cinematic experience.” – Game Informer Magazine
“… there’s no doubt in our mind that Heavenly Sword is a winner and a work of art (eat that Roger Ebert!) that will help shift tons of PS3s come September. When it’s good, it’s truly magnificent and some of the final stages will have anyone with a 42-inch high-definition TV foaming at the mouth. No battle-scene compares to Nariko’s finale. Plus, Nariko’s home of the new face of PlayStation, going so far as to shunt Lara Croft from her throne as the ultimate game girl. Bring on Heavenly Sword 2.” – GamesRadar.com
“Heavenly Sword is among the rarest of treasures in the video game world. It is also an important game in the history of that entertainment genre. Why? Never have there been such compelling characters in the gaming world; characters you cared about, characters that could twist your emotions with the initial look in their eyes after a plot point is revealed…. Heavenly Sword is an amazing accomplishment. It is the promise of what the next-gen platforms can achieve in terms of breathing life into characterizations.” – GameZone.com
“Heavenly Sword feels like a summer action flick. It’s full of nonstop action, and it looks terrific. Heavenly Sword is a fantastic game from start to finish.” – GameSpot.com
“Heavenly Sword is the games equivalent of that showcase DVD you bought when you first got your home theatre system all set up; it’s The Matrix or Saving Private Ryan, but it also happens to be a damn good action game to boot…. one of the best experiences you can get on the PlayStation 3. Period.” – TotalPlayStation.com
“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.” – 1Up.com
Also, I’m embedding here the new Heavenly Sword trailer!
Lastly, I wanted to include a few reference links here to our previous Heavenly Sword posts. Enjoy!
Inside the Developers Studio: Nina Kristensen
Heavenly Sword Prequel – Part I
Heavenly Sword Prequel – Part II
Heavenly Sword Prequel – Part IV
Heavenly Sword Prequel – Part V
If the sales are good enough for HS then the devs. are talking about downloadable content….. people buy the game!
I bought it today.
Holy lordness guys, good freakin job! This is one of the most amazing games I’ve ever played. It stands up to God Of War (yes, I’m aware there have been others comparing them, but how do you compare awesomeness? With more awesomeness) and in some ways succeed it. The graphics are unprecendented, and the gameplay is addictive, enthralling, and good to the last drop. The game is short, for most casual players, but I took the advice given by the developers, and slowed my pace, tried less hack and slash, more timed finishers and reversing, and the battles are intense, and play very well. On a scale of 1-10, I’d give it a definite, set in stone 9.5. While having flaws, (SIXAXIS Kai arching is kind of bunk, but it is optional, which is nice, but the implementation just could’ve been more intriguing, had it been done a little more precise, or say a sensitivity adjust. Just in, ya know, the Options Menu.
All in all, this is a great title, and hopefully will help remind people why Playstation is the place to be.
OMG!! Yo I got this game who cares if its short wow!
How da hell did this game get a 7.9????
Here’s two metaphors for what it’s like playing Heavenly Sword:
1. It’s like sex, short and fun
2. It’s like playing an 6 hour action movie.
Eh? EH?
[…] me. It’s been fairly highly accoladed by the swath of gamer sites out there and even Sony is jumping up and down about it. Most of the game websites will all tell you about the game, it’s a combo based action game […]
Just got killed by Whip lash, the snake lady…almost had her, just couldn’t counter those huge waves she sends over. Anyway, really really really congrats to your team in making this a THOROUGHLY enjoyable game/movie! It’s wonderful! I am NOT one of those that can ever win races through games so this game is just right in length for me, so far 3.5 hrs of pure fun!!! hopefully many hrs to more to go!
Perfect!!!
Thanks again!@
Looks really pretty, pity it is an average game. Another hit and a miss for Sony, along with Lair. thats 0 for 2 so far.
If you haven’t already, buy God of War and God of War 2 (well, probably worth renting as both are completed waaaaay too quickly)
@ ^^^^ irnchriz. Everyone here knows that Heavenly Sword is better than reviewers make it out to be. (Same with Warhawk and Lair). And please don’t try to bring down another Sony title.
Thanks,
Lh
All lies, this game doesn’t suck but its not a AAA title either. Its a game every PS3 owner should RENT then return. Unless your a collector and like watching your games sit on a shelf for months on end the day after you bought it.
I have now played HS for a while and I can only say that this was the best hack and slash in a while. NGS was good but HS is even beter imo.
I really do suggest ppl to go out and buy this game.
(not if you can buy only few games (1-3) a year because then I only suggest really lenghty games with insane playtime)
But for those Ps3 owners seeking for great game and experience you wont regret. It’s short in terms of 1st time playtrough, but Hell mode and unlockables bring the lenght from 6h to atleast 20h of fun fun.
Offcourse I suggest first to check the demo if you already havent, and go trough it couble of times to get hang of the battle system and theme.
I would give it a 9+
+ Combat system (a lot better than gow)
+ GREAT visuals ( best looking ps3 game so far(imo))
+ many language options
+ Good sixaxis support (and optional for MotionD Haters)
– Lenght
this game is great, actually one of my favorites
This game is awesome from start to finish. Now I’m ready for the sequel….
I love this game is my new favorite its better them i was specting and from a Veteran player like me that star playing games when my grandmother buy me a PS1 with the Final Fantasy 7 game and finish God of War on God Mode believe me
@158 lakaihigh.
Its an average game with some nice visuals, Im sick and tired of people trying to talk up crap games.
If its a case of make the best of what you have got (as so far after a year on the market we have got a load of crap average games and nothing to speak of until next year either) then your the fool. As for me, my PS3 is on its way back to the shop.
I got it today here in Germany and I like it quite a bit so far. The graphics look even better than what I had seen so far and the actors are amazing.
What really bugs me about this release (and about Lair as well which I imported), is that the bonus content for us buyers was used as promotional material by Sony before the games release. It’s meant to extend play time (which may be needed if your game is on the short side) but if I’ve seen it all already and/or could download it right now for free from the PSN Store it’s not much of an incentive to unlock it.
@ 164 irnchriz
That’s too bad dude cuz you are going to miss out on the best year for Playstation. I’ve been with Sony since the beginning and if you believe the ships going down then you can say that I’m going down with it. I don’t want to believe that so that why I try to stay so positive :)
You may be right about the system only having average titles but that’s why I look to the future. I only hope that you don’t buy into a virtual system (wii) or a doomed system (xbox).
“Its an average game with some nice visuals, Im sick and tired of people trying to talk up crap games.”
and I am sick of ppl who havent even played the freaking game, or think their opinion is above every 1:s elses.
If you come to conlusion of average game from some sucky IGN rewiev (or other copyies from that )then you really should consider stop reading reviews.
theres really nothing that doesnt work in heavenly sword, only the lenght is a issue.
Great battle system, great visuals, Nice plot I mean wth do you want?
IF you dont like the genre then just stop playing the games of that genre.
Team Ninja, congratulations. And I say that with a very warm heart :)
I picked up the game yesterday and just could not put it down! I am a very fussy gamer and if something doesn’t grab me in the first 5 minutes I never play it again. My preferences are for FPS and strategy games (I can’t stand RPGs). Heavenly Sword surprised me as being outside of my usual likes but completely and utterly gripped, but more than that – just plain fun! I believe Heavenly Sword is the first truly cinematic gaming experience.
Out of 10, I would score the game a solid 9.5. I noticed a few poppy textures and some weirdness in cut scenes (might have been mist from the waterfall in the background but it looked weird and was distracting); the start screen was also a bit bland – perhaps longer orchestrated music before going into the video? – if these were cleared up 9.8 for sure.
The “making of” extras were a fantastic inclusion (although I have not paid attention to the other videos which have already been promoted online elsewhere) adding depth to the title. Congratulations on scoring some very talented actors and actresses. Their contributions have made the game story so much more rounded and inviting. A perfect fit. The concept artwork is also amazing. Team Ninja – do not let that Italian guy go!!
And for those who have struggled with the sixaxis motion system, give it a chance. With a little practice (it took me 3 or 4 attempts to knock out the catapults) you’ll find it works amazingly well and you’ll be able to get a head shoot on every archer trying to stop you from reaching the armory in no time.
I didn’t finish the game last night, but I will do shortly, and then I’ll play it again.
Team Ninja, you have my vote for downloadable content. :)
Well done to you all.
I love this game! the cinematics, action, arc, story… all of it! Well done NT!
Keep cheerleading, so they continue to ruin what so many developers have struggled to do before them, bring a great gaming experience to the public. Its ridiculous the amount of people on here touting this game as the next best thing. This game is a 5 amongst a bunch of 2’s and your all clamouring for scraps off the floor. I look forward to the DLC sony is going to try to extort you for. Oh yeah, Why even bother calling it Heavenly Sowrd when Dragon’s Lair Redux would have been more appropriate.
@170 You obviously have not played the game or are a MSfanboy or something cause you are so far out in left field. This game is awesome, a 5?? are you insane? And comparing it to Lair just makes everyone realize your an idiot, play the game then judge and you’ll see for yourself. It at least a 9 for me.
DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT PLEASE!!
You, sony fanslave. Get over your self. This game sucks the teet of failure. If your to stupid to realize that, then I can’t help you. Maybe your god Sony can benefit from your lack of reasoning as you continue to buy crappy incomplete titles but let your doesn’t mean you have to let your stupidity spew over into your posts.
Hate MS, and beat HS. Take a leap.
All I can say to you is look at the reviews of this game, look at the majority of feedback of this game, you’re in the very small minority so I guess everyone else is wrong huh? fine hate the game thats your prerogative, but to say the game sucks and insult those of us that like it makes you an idiot. I bet you’re not happy with anything in your life! loser!
Heavenly Sword is one of the best games to come out this year, or ever for that matter. Want to play some Twing Twang?
I rented it and beat it in just about 7 hours…
damn the last boss was tough!!! ( and fights cheap!)
but a great game through and through…but it REALLY WAS TOO DAMN SHORT for me to pay $60 bucks for…
and if sony actually charges for the DLC…waht a ripoff1!
DLC>>>IT SHOULD BE FREE!!!
This game is awesome. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
LOL. We won’t tell you otherwise. Just rent it first. Do yourself that favor, and if we’re wrong and you love it, the extra 5-8 bucks won’t be a waste because you found a title you really like. BUT! If you don’t like it as much as the Sony Marketing pushing you to make an impulse purchase, than you saved youself $50 bucks. Either way you slice it, you win.
Well I have to say that I am happy that I “bought” Heavenly Sword because after beating the game getting all the gold medals and god mode ads a lot of replay value. Picked the game up on launch day and I am still playing it.
beat it on normal and hell mode. best ps3 game to date.
This message is directed at Ninja Theory mainly.
It concerns the screen tearing, lag and the audio being out of sync with the video during cut scenes.
Over at PSU, some posters are reporting having these issues, whilst others are not. Some say it’s based on the software, hardware or even our TVs. I’m playing on a 32″ LCD HDTV with firmware 1.93. I have the US copy of the game.
Could any developer please shed light as to whether there should be any of these issues within the game.
I would also like to take the opportunity to thank Ninja Theory for making this amazing game. Best single player game on the PS3 to date. Graphically stunning, epic storyline, can’t wait for any dlc or sequels. Andy Serkis really made the game as director of capturing performance and deserves a lot of credit too.
Ninja Theory has just made one of the best games I’ve ever played…
I’ve been around since the SNES games…and I can’t tell you that this game has really surprised the hell out of me.
The story’s lovely…everything you do has meaning to it, and it’s just plain FUN to kick ass…
Kai is PURE love =D
This game is magical man!
Scarecrow your a liar. Gavi, your misinforming the public, this storyline is not epic. Its a watered down soap opera.
Sony / NT this game is a joke.
Sony you are failing and you have wasted my money and time. I would sell my PS3 if I could, but no one wants one. Look at ebay, they sell for what $350 a pop, grossly under your price sku. While the Wii is selling upwards of $350. Doesnt’t that ring a little wrong to you.
Look around, you have a bunch of YES men consumers who aren’t willing to or are scared to tell you the truth about your product and titles. Isn’t it obvious the marketers and PR guys you hire to viral market your product isn’t bolstering your sales.
Your company is obviously going through some kind of transition. You need to either clean house or start holding your executives responsble. Your inadequate actions are not only costing you customers, its going to cost you this psuedo-console war.
Its funny, I sat in for 6 days waiting to buy FOUR PS3’s, and while I was waiting they asked if I was also waiting for the Wii. I scoffed, jokingly stating that a.) who the hell wants a wii b.) you’ll be able to get the wii anywhere at anytime c.) people will be lucky to find a PS3 in 6 months. I guess the joke is on me cause the Wii just kicked your ass, and I still need to sit in a line for a day or more if I hope to get a Wii at retail.
I’m sorry but I’m not laughing anymore, this is a shame and just down right pitiful. Oh, how you have fallen, the mighty Goliath slew by David.
Now I have to explain to the wife that we got screwed. Thanks Sony.
I love the game, but it needs to be marketed better. This game is a gem. Advertise this game just like a movie.
@ Laughed,
Have you actually played Heavenly Sword?
Opinions are like arseholes: everybody has them. However, you have gone to great lengths to demonstrate that the analogy is more appropriate in your case than most.
If a person has an opinion about something and they choose to express that opinion, what right do you have to call them a “liar”? Moreover, unless you have an insight into the mindset of the person stating such opinion, how can you claim they are lying?
yeah i don’t see why Laughed had to call that guy a liar…how the heck does he know waht he was thinking?
some people are taking this a bit too seriously…it’s a GAME!!
geez…
but i agree with most of what has been said about the PS3 under performing..and letting us down..
i remember at launch when my girlfriend got me mine, i would have swore it was going to have such a lineup and support by Sony…but a whole year has almost passed..*sigh*
Dean: Do you have any other grandfatherly classic insults you want to dust off?
How do I know he is lying because YES I have in fact not only played the game but I beat it in 5 hours and there was nothing he described that fits the game. Nothing.
Where as Thom obviously played the game and is right, they should market this game as Dragon’s Lair Redux. You know, that 3DO title from when we were kids. No challenge, no depth, no gameplay. Kinda like your post.
Just because you refuse to except that companies like Sony pay people to spin control their product and or to drum up sells with false hype doesn’t mean its not true.
I really, really, really want IP tracers to weed people out and expose the truth. But like the PS3 itself take a crap in one hand and… well you know.
PS: If its not working fix it, and right now the Sony cheerleading needs to stop in order to focus on the problems that need to be fixed.
no cheerleadin here kiddo (laughed), the ps3 is the machine of the future and its future proof, thats gospel. bash and/or praise all you or anyone else wants. if you have a ps3, congrats, if you dont like it, sell it. if you have a 360 and dont own a ps3, beat it. the games are gettin much better as time goes on and rumors are surfacing about exclusives switchin in to 360 in the future but the truth is, they are just rumors, MS knows the 360 will peak after halo then its done, its a glorified 6th gen system and makers are gonna move to the capabilities of the ps3…..truth be told!!!
Regardless of which scores HS recieved, it deserves a sequel, however it needs to BE LONGER.
Ninja Theory did a mighty fine job but their talk about 10~12 hours was completely overrated.
I just beat the game on Normal Mode, yeah, no biggie, I know, but it’s been a while since I actually had time to beat an entire game. I loved EVERY second of it. It’s an interactive movie with exellent game play…or is it an exellent game with unbelieveably good CG and Music? Can’t decide, maybe after hell mode.
But seriously guys, the ending?! You better have something brilliant up your sleeves for Part 2, you’ve got some explaining to do!
Thanks again everyone at Ninja Theory!
Great great great game.
@ Laughed
You’ve missed my point. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. You can’t proclaim that someone is a “liar” because you don’t necessarily share that opinion.
I respect your opinion that you thought there was “no challenge, no depth, no gameplay”. I cannot call you out as a “liar” for that statement, but I and the majority of other posters can disagree with you.
Dean: Granted, but I firmly believe these boards are flooded with marketers pushing a product, so when I see something like that I lose it. Read any post by obrio, its almost undeniable.
Pharmd: Its funny how only 2 titles have sold more than a million units: RFoM and Motorstorm. Every other title has sold under 200k units and you think the success of the PS3 lies with telling consumers to sell their system and scaring off potential buyers with flame / hate speech. I don’t think the viral marketers of this blog or Sony would appreciate that. They need every sale they can get even if its from someone you don’t like or agree with. This is evidenced by the amount of sales speech that goes on here. So yes, cheerleaders need not apply.
The Truth about Heavenly Sword
6 out of 10
Though I enjoyed this game, and I did, this is a really truely short game. Some people will say that you can explore and make the most out of the game but thats not really true. You have a predetermined amount of enemies and once they are defeated you really have no other recourse but to move onto the next stage. Sure you can stand around and admire the view but how long does that last. 2 minutes, tops?
Also, anyone can pretty much walk through the Normal version of this game exclusively using 1 button for the first 2 chapters. This may sound silly but it actually makes the game harder, though it is counter to the way the game tells you to play. Additionally, for the remainder of the game you can unthinkingly press 2 buttons at random the square and triangle, or my personal fav, the triangle and the circle. This will work upto any of the bosses, at at which point you’ll have to play a more active roll at dodging their attacks. One more thing about the control scheme, this game uses a guitar hero / Dragon’s Lair approach to gameplay. Fans of either of these series will love the action and drama that unfolds in this title.
This game is stunningly beautiful at times, typically reserved for close-ups but don’t worry there are tons of those, and they are purely breath taking. Also the acting is probably beyond anything you experienced in a game before. They have Andy Serkis playing the Evil King and the rest of the cast do a great job of stepping up to his caliber and range. You will find yourself emotionally attached to at least two of the characters because of Ninja Theorys excellent execution at emoting several scenes.
However, if you were to cut out the CJ and the load times this game would run FOUR hours. Not a joke. Also, besides the game mechanics I mentioned above, this game falls just a little short. The game does not reward you for good or exceptional game play. Ex: Every chapter is split up into sections and in each section you have to earn THREE glyphs. Now you would think earning these glyphs would be difficult based on the length and difficulty of that section. In fact its not. Its increasingly harder on boards with little to no opponents, while if you face an army you can acquire all 3 glyphs in the first 2 minutes of a 10 minute segment. That just rings unbalanced to me. Also, there is real no motive to stay alive and until you actually get to a boss, you probably won’t be challenged enough to actually be worried about it.
Additionally, many gamers like myself like to see how well they can do on a particular level in any given game. We judge this by trying to defeat a level with out losing any health or getting hit at any time. Its kind of a homage to the games of yesteryear. Other ways of judging this is trying to achieve the highest hit accuracy possible. Though this game provides 3 goals per section, none of these objectives are actually tied to them.
More importantly, the very glyphs this game wants you to strive to unlock simply provides you with media you have already seen a 100 times. Its the same behind the scenes and anime videos PSN has been doling out for their promo of this game. They also have 100+ pictures of HS content but you can not interact with these pictures nor use them on your PS3 as wallpaper, which just comes across as a failed opportunity on everones part. Finally, the only mentionable unlockable is the Hell Mode* which you get regardless of how many glyphs you’ve unlocked and after the completion of the “Normal” difficulty setting.
This game does have some reply value if you just want to see if you can out do yourself, or if your a stickler for unlockables. I don’t know, sometimes people feel like they haven’t finished a game if everything isn’t unlocked. Also, if your a PS3 owner that finds yourself looking for that title that will show off your investment, look no further. Though the graphics can be laggy** and the audio** is out of sync in some areas and just down right buggy in others nothing in this game could be duplicated elsewhere. It took 10 gigs just for the audio alone, coupled with the picture quality and acting this game is unrivaled by even some of Hollywoods standards.
This game is trying to mix 2 medias, movies and games. While the big budget in mocap and it’s actors make sure this game does not fail at its Hollywood inspirations, this game does come up a little short for its gaming endeavors with very little content and absolutley no rewarding challenges (excluding Bohan) or gameplay.
Nevertheless, this is a title we as PS3 owners can be proud of but in my humble opinion, it is still a rental first and for most.
*This review is based in no way on that particular setting.
**There are only a few users noticing this. Whether its due to hardware setup or otherwise is yet to be determined. I have also noticed this myself.
Please excuse the typos/misspellings.
wow…this morning had a chance to play heavenly sword..it continues to be fun.fun..fun…FUN AND THATS WHY I PURCHASED IT. I FIRST GOT THE DEMO AND THEN I CHECKED TO SEE IF I COULD AFFORD IT AND WHEN I COULD I PURCHASED IT. ITS NOT MY STYLE TO ALLOW OTHERS TO INVADE MY SPACE AND TELL ME I WAS STUPID BECAUSE I MADE THAT PURCHASE .
(laughed) you are such a homer…..
a. get a life other than posting every other comment on here
b. so what about previous sales, thats in the past and it only continues to grow….with more developers switchin gears to the sony platform much more will follow…if you knew anything about investing or anything other than blogging youd know this
c. who cares if you sell it, sony doesnt, they already got their dollars for the purchase and even if they dont get the buyers dollars they will with the games, if youre not gonna play it, sell it….sony and microsoft both take huge hits on manufacturing the systems cuz they know they will recoup it in game sales.
d. i love how you had no comment on the 180or 360 or whatever that P.O.S is bein an advance 6th gen system and not being able to step into the next gen realm
I own heavenly sword. It was great but I am sorry to say Nariko left me unfulfilled. She made me happy but she is a 7 hour woman. Will I buy her again? Yes! Will she last longer this time? I truly hope so. 3 more hours and this game would be a 10. But the worls is not perfect.
Orbio your a a$$hle and we don’t need marketers here. Since we, or rather I, now know this to be a truth, will you have to change your handle or can you jsut stop altogether? I would really love it if you could just stop trying to sell the Sony product and use this blog for what its intended purpose was, fans. I think you got the wrong information, you see, marketers belong on the forum not here.
Pharmd: From one fan to another, you are a joke. Your life is joke. Your very existance is a joke. I hope you get hit by a truck and die. I hope you have children and I hope you get to see them die. In fact I would love it if they died in your arms. Nothing would make me happier to know that both your parents died, your siblings died, and your kids died all in one fell swoop. I hope that you watch in agony as this passes. And then I hope you kill yourself. In fact I just got a message from Sony, they asked me to tell you to go kill yourself right now. You can either throw open a window and leap out, or you slash your wrists, stickem in the tiolet and flush. Have fun.
(laughed)
CLASSY!!!!!
you need help man, bad!!!!
ps….. wtf is this
“one fell swoop”
don’t blog if you can’t type ya flamin homer