ENSLAVED: Odyssey to the West Coming to the PS3 on October 5, Win a Limited Edition Statue

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Hello everyone! My name is Laili Bosma from NAMCO BANDAI Games America, and I’m the Brand Manager for ENSLAVED: Odyssey to the West. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Ninja Theory during the creation of ENSLAVED, and watching this game come together has been awe-inspiring. We’ve got new content to share with you as we lead into the October 5th launch of the game, and a contest we know you’ll be excited by.

As PlayStation fans, you probably remember Ninja Theory as the studio that brought you Heavenly Sword, one of the early launch titles for the PS3. Ninja Theory has upped their game with ENSLAVED: Odyssey to the West, with their development focus on merging story-telling and gameplay. ENSLAVED features a rich narrative, deep and believable characters, some of the best talent in the video game, music and motion picture industries, and a production value that’s second to none. It also combines puzzle-solving, combat and platforming to keep the gameplay varied and intriguing.

ENSLAVED: Odyssey to the West takes place 150 years in the future, after several wars have obliterated nearly all of the planet’s population. In this post-apocalyptic future, mysterious slave ships harvest remaining survivors and take them out west, for unknown reasons. You’ll take on the role of Monkey, a loner who has spent his whole life on the run. Monkey finds himself captured by one of the slave ships and uses his brute force to break free from his cell. Meanwhile, he notices a young girl named Trip who uses more refined hacking skills to also break free, though she inadvertently sets the ship on a crash course to New York in the process. Knocked unconscious from the crash, Monkey wakes up to find that Trip has placed a slave headband on Monkey’s head which forces him to obey her and whether he likes it or not – help her get back home safely.

The brilliant team at Ninja Theory enlisted the help of heavyweight Hollywood talent to bring ENSLAVED to life. Andy Serkis, the genius behind Gollum in the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, helped us with co-directing the performance capture and also acting in the lead role of Monkey. Alex Garland, screenwriter for 28 Days Later, co-wrote the story. The team has built a truly deep and memorable experience that we think you’ll be amazed by. But don’t take my word for it. Have a look at our latest trailer.



Now that ENSLAVED: Odyssey to the West has gone gold, we’ve given the press an early look at the game, and they’ve come to love it! Destructoid loved their hands-on time with the game, and even named it their Game of the Show for Gamescom 2010. G4 loved their preview experience of the game, and GamesRadar was so impressed that we left them reeling.

We have a lot of special content planned for ENSLAVED. You’ve probably already seen our retailer bonus item specials, which will give you enhanced bonus costumes for Trip or Monkey when you play the game. We’re releasing regular Developer Diary Videos on our Facebook page to help give you an inside look at what went into the creation of the game directly from the team. We also plan to offer some side-story premium downloadable content for the people that want to explore more in the world of ENSLAVED beyond the main storyline.

Another thing we’d love to do is answer some of your questions about ENSLAVED: Odyssey to the West, and there’s no time like the present!

We’ve set up a special ID on the PlayStation Network to take your questions… just send a message to “EnslavedOTTW” from your PS3. We’ll take the best questions and answer them in a follow-up blog post here, in a few weeks.

To kick things off, we have a special treat we’re offering first to PlayStation.Blog readers. We’re creating a series of unique, limited edition statues commemorating the game’s launch. These will NOT be available for purchase anywhere. We’re only making 200 of these statues, and we’ll only be offering them in special giveaways and promotions leading into launch. Here’s a prototype:

Enslaved Statues

Do you have the perfect place in your home for one of these statues? Then send us a question! Even if we don’t pick your question for the Q&A, you’re automatically entered into our drawing to win one of the statues. We’ll pick the winner at random and announce it in two weeks, when we answer your questions. Ten other winners will receive redemption codes for all of our pre-order downloadable content, giving you access to alternate costumes for Monkey and Trip that are enhanced with some special bonuses like unlimited ammo. Contest available in North America except Quebec.

And even better, North American PS3 owners will get first access to the demo for ENSLAVED: Odyssey to the West when it comes to the PlayStation Store next Tuesday, September 21st.

ENSLAVED: Odyssey to the West has been a labor of love, and we can’t wait for members of the PlayStation family to get their hands on this wonderful game. We hope you’ll take the time to check it out when it launches on October 5th!

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142 Comments

28 Author Replies

  • QUESTION:

    What was it like being able to use the talents of Andy Serkis on not just one game, but two and to have him help out with the mo-cap direction?

    From: joostin
    (Huge Ninja Theory fan! I’m using Enslaved as my fill for a Heavenly Sword spin-off or sequel. Kai could have a game for sure!)

  • Hello first I would like to say that I am loving the statue giveaway and that would look so good with my other game art statues!!! From what I’ve seen, and having not played the demo yet, the game looks amazing.
    My first question is are the levels in Enslaved set up in a linear fashion or is there some sort of a hub in each area where there is a mission structure in place? Next question,
    What is the replay-ability like?
    And lastly,I love action adventure games and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow launches on the same day, what is so different about this game that I should pick up both games or even choose Enslaved over Castlevania?

  • With so many other media adaptations of the “Journey to the West,” including most notably Dragon Ball and a variety of other games, television shows and anime, what was Ninja Theory’s interest in doing a futuristic, non-mythological adaptation of this story?

  • October 5th can’t come soon enough. It’s rare that I get excited enough about a game to pre-order it, but that’s what happened with Enslaved just minutes after trying the demo.

    Also, I hope Andy Serkis continues to lend his talents to the video game industry, because he’s simply awesome.

    Q: Will there be any other way to get the pre-order costumes after the game’s release? I don’t mind having to wait a while, I just hope they’re available to everyone at some point…

  • Very disappointing that post launch DLC is planned already, and especially soon after release.

    Sounds like yet another case of a developer (likely influenced by a publisher) deciding to cut out content from game and resell it back to us in a few weeks for $10.00

  • @104 BigPoppaB
    You couldn’t be more corrected. The DLC for this game was announce 4+ months ago. This is going to be another Assassin Creed where they cut major contents just to release it a few weeks later for $15

  • I watched the first 13 or so minutes of the game on Destructoid and I was very impressed. Truly, great work!

    Question: Will Monkey ever attain new weapons apart from his slick staff that he pulls out from his forearm? I’ve noticed in gameplay footage he eventually has some sort of ability to shoot projectiles from his staff but that’s all I’ve seen.

    Can’t wait to pick this up! Thanks!

  • How similar will the combat control scheme be to Heavenly Sword? Will it be a familiar setup or an all new system?

  • Did you use anything from your Heavenly Sword project? Like, are you using the same engine in this game, or did you use anything from it in this one?

  • So far I have only seen Monkey’s staff, are there any other weapons that we don’t know about yet?

  • I have got a question for you. What was the game’s levels built in? Maya? In-house level editor?

  • Well, since I thoroughly enjoyed Heavenly Sword I guess I’ll have to pick up Enslaved. Darn.

    Ha Ha! I already pre-ordered it on Amazon last week! Plus, Amazon’s bonus is the soundtrack by Nitin Sawhney!

  • I guess we just post our questions on this feed to be entered for a chance to win that awesome statue?

    I was wondering if Enslaved was planed to have sequels or dose the story get told from beginning to end in the one game?

    Also, any chance of Nariko coming back to life for a Heavenly Sword sequel? Bring on some more Twing Twang!

    • While I’m happy to answer questions here, if you want to be entered to win the statue, you have to send a question to our PSN ID. :)

  • Hi Laili and all Namco bandai games staff. I love all your games being baten kaitos and tales of one of the best series I’ve played. Now that I have the chance, I have preordered this game from gamestop and now, with the recent trailers I can’t wait!!!! I would like to know if the ps3 vs is different to the Xbox 360 version, I mean, the 360 will have compressed video and audio just like FFXIII or this won’t be necessary? I hope you answer my question. Thanks for this amazing game, long live to namco and ninja theory.

    • Enslaved is an amazing game, and we are going to make sure to deliver a top-notch experience to everyone. That way, there will be no substantial differences between the two platforms.

  • Another question, that I will make from my ps3 when I get to my house… but meanwhile I would like to know if the ps3 owners of Heavenly sword will have some reward of unlock at the beggining of EOTTW with a clear save from HS.. I’ll be awesome!!!…. if not there’ll be always a patch to enable such feature :D
    Thanks again.

  • Can we submit more than one question?

    • We’d love to hear as many questions as we could from everyone, so please feel free to send as many questions as you like for the Q&A! Unfortunately though, it’s only one entry per person. :)

  • Up until a couple days I barely knew this game, all I really knew was it was the Heavenly Sword guys and Andy Serkis was in it.

    I’m seemingly one of the few who loved Heavenly Sword so I was kind of excited just knowing that, but after playing it myself I can say it shot straight to the top of my most anticipated games list. I love the cinematic quality of everything, and the story seems to have the potential to be amazing, not to mention the top notch acting.

    Yep, saying I’m excited is an understatement.

    • That’s awesome, Rabid! We are really excited to show you the final game in a few weeks and see what everyone thinks. Enslaved has been a labor of love for Ninja Theory, and watching it over the course of development has been so much fun.

  • Do you have any plans to add additional story line downloadable content?

  • Are there any pre-order bonuses?

  • @119: Yes they are, they were announced a weeks ago. Gamestop preorder bonus is a code for monkey ninja suit.
    Regards

  • What sort of things did you have in Heavenly Sword that worked so well that you incorporated into Enslaved?

  • i know you guy are working on the next Devil May Cry game but please change Dante back everything yet was awesome until you here my name is Dante give him his white hair back ok change to the way he was ok

  • Will there be any explanation about what happened to the world as we are traveling through it?

  • How long does it take to beat the game?

  • Okay, maybe this isn’t the most appropriate place to ask this, know I plan to buy it for my Playstation 3 day one, but is there any chance at all of Enslaved (because of the adaptive unreal engine) coming to PC? Thank you.

  • This game is going to be one of the best 2010 games
    why there is no limited edition for the game that contain all DLC?
    and I wanted to ask about the lovely game heavenly sword !! why there is no trophies and are we going to see a 2nd heavenly sword
    hope to see your reply :-)

  • I loved the visuals of Heavenly Sword,but the combat was so repetitive and continuous that my fingers would cramp up. Will Enslaved be more evened out on kills and puzzle/problem solving?

  • It will have an impact ending such as the one of heavenly sword?

  • Wow i was really amazed by the demo, the game looks so awesome beautiful cinematics and slick gameplay. After I played the demo I directly pre-ordered the game :D I cant wait till October 8th!!! (Europe, Netherlands)

    but also i have an question:

    will this game get Coöp or multiplayer? Or maby free roaming so you can explore the new york jungle? Or are you guys gonna make those DLC’s so you can explore more of the world? I would love to hear from you back im really excited about this game THANKS!!!

  • How long is the game?

  • I want to watch, play, touch, hear, and see Enslaved based solely on that video.

  • Im really looking forward to seeing how the story plays out on this game. I was really disappointed to learn that the only way to get an art book of this beautiful game, is trough the purchase of an European exclusive CE of the game. Bummer for those of us in the US. Any chance on an art book for the US?

  • Tried the demo this week.

    THAT’s HOW YOU MAKE A DEMO!

  • Hello I just wanted to let you know i am a huge fan of your games. i still play heavenly Sword to this day and enjoy the music as much as the game. I know there was not a soundtrack release for heavenly Sword and I love Nitin Sawhney and am very happy you used him again to do the soundtrack again. My question is will there be a release of the game soundtrack this time around? I surely hope so!!! Thanks Cort Kern

  • Will the game be as linear as the demo was? Im stoked for the game it looks good but idk if i can get it if the whole game is really linear i need freedom lol. And from what i read on the previews you cant use that that gliding thing when you want just at scrpited moments which kind of sucks you know i would love to slide around jump off and lay a combo on someone the jump on slide to another it would be sweet

  • The game has alot of potential and the story seems well done. However the demo has left me wondering if I actually want to cancel my preorder. While I see alot of elements from Uncharted 2 the production quality is not there. I really dislike the way that the character moves, not fluid enough. The character is heavenly sword and the movement was better…much better. I’m going to wait for reviews before picking up my preorder. I expected better game play from such a great dev team.

  • Question: Is the PS3 version of ENSLAVED going to have a King Bohan costume for Monkey and a Nariko costume for Trip to wear while in-game?

  • @Cyber-Gladiator ~ Nariko Costume, Hot damn that’s a good Question! I thnik that would be the cats meow if that happened!

    My Question is:
    What is the likely hood that in the future all the various “exclusive” pre-buy DLC will be available to everyone that buy’s the game.

    I’d have to guess that having several different bonuses unique to each retailer was some marketers/investers decision, and I assume your (dev’s/gamers) stomach turned as mine did upon discovering that tid-bit. They didn’t honestly believe that ppl would buy the same game several times…right? Cuz I have to admit, it gave me pause to consider if I should buy the game at all.

    [not an attack, more of a concern or bitter taste for my part, it just seems wrong and very…EA’ish]
    I understand the need for consumers to buy new and the need for dev’s/publishers to deter people from the used market, so I’m down with DLC for new buyer’s. But not several differnt ones, and not when I look at the EU’s collectors edition. please don’t do that again.

  • @ NorthernLitez:

    Yeah I saw that to but i mailed the dev team of enslaved about that and they have tested the game for me and they told me that the game itself is MUCH more beautifull and MUCH better, the demo is not like the real deal becouse the demo has allot of things that need to be fixed and they are fixed in the real game so dont worry :) I cant wait till it comes out!!! :D

  • i was skeptical abou the game at first but then got very interested in it after playing the demo, now i just think its brilliant, all i want to ask is, is there a second coming out or other games by ninja theory like this one in development?

  • sorry to post again but when might DLC be out for this game and will it iclude pre order outfits monkey gets?

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