I love this game, I want this game! Ninja Theory’s last outing, Heavenly Sword, was conceptually brilliant but practically flawed. Now armed with a real combat system, a great story, and a pair of endearing characters, not to mention the brilliant Andy Serkis, Ninja Theory is back with a game that, from what I’ve played, looks f*cking amazing. Accompanying our official preview, here are some Jimpressions!
Simply put, Enslaved stood out as one of my games of the show. I love the animation, the bright and colorful take on post apocalyptic Earth, and the awesome interactions between main character Monkey and his female captor/ally Trip. I really appreciated how Monkey’s climbing and acrobatics feel natural, intuitive and quick, and I really dug the way in which both Trip and Monkey can distract enemies to draw fire so the other one can do their thing. Combat is quick-paced and very fun, the script is charming and funny, and the visuals, while taking a definite hit thanks to the Xbox 360 development, still manage to be breathtakingly beautiful.
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is going to be an excellent game from what I played. A definite improvement over Heavenly Sword in nearly every way that matters, Enslaved looks set to be a true sleeper hit. I really hope the rest of the game is as smooth and well paced as what I played, because it truly was an E3 highlight for me.
