EDIT: I'll post up the scores listed below right here as a summary of reviews released, using a 0-10 format. For sites like GamePro that use 1-5, I'll double the score:

10/9/9.7/7/9/7/10/8/8/9/8/8.75/9

Total Average Score: 8.6

Keep in mind that two of the reviews below gave no score, but were HIGHLY impressed by the game. GeekPulp's was part I, so maybe they'll have a score in part II.

---------------------------------------------------------

Wow, I guess the final product is turning out to be half-way decent :). If you haven't checked it out, this lengthy preview thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=763501) tells you plenty of info about this title.

The first review of Heavenly Sword from Play magazine (http://www.psxextreme.com/ps3-news/1678.html) is reportedly a perfect 10 out of 10:

It's not set for release in the U.S. until September 12, but rumor has it that Play magazine has already written their review of Heavenly Sword. This flashy action title garnered plenty of attention at E3, and the hype hit its peak with the release of the playable demo a few weeks ago. Everyone is hoping for an awesome production...and if this report is to be believed, we'll get it.

According to the buzz zinging around video game forums online (it seems the original forum was GameFaqs), Play has rewarded Heavenly Sword with a perfect 10/10. Of course, this is one publication that has been known to sprinkle the "10"s about quite liberally, so perhaps it doesn't mean much, but it's still a damn good sign. Several quotes from the article - again, provided they're real - are as follows-

"The perfect action game in every way and quite possibly the most cinematic game ever created."

"Some might call it short...I would disagree."

"If you posses mad fighting skills prepare to be spoiled like Paris Hilton at her sweet sixteen."

Well, it certainly sounds fantastic. We'd like to be able to confirm this, but as it stands, it does appear very possible that all this is genuine. When Heavenly Sword lands in September, we'll be sure to find out for ourselves.

GeekPulp (http://www.geekpulp.co.nz/2007/08/12/heavenly-sword-review-part-1-ps3/) has part I of their review up (snippet):

You’d think a game that starts at the end of the story would be a little predictable and boring right? Well you’re wrong shame on you. Heavenly Sword has a story that by its self is not that spectacular and most of the game is played in the past (before the opening scene) yet the way that the story is told and the richness of the character development left me in awe, in fact it is made so well that the cut-scenes (which I usually loath) are so great that I wanted more and more of them, it was better than most movies, it draws you in and makes you love even the villainous tyrants that you are fighting against. Great graphics, grotesque monsters, bewbs and more equate to an A+++ title for the PS3. If you own a PS3 it is a happy day for you. If you don’t you might want to check this out.

Here's a review from Three Speech.com (http://threespeech.com/blog/?p=536) (snippet):

Heavenly Sword is amazing to behold, seriously addictive, pleasingly original, in that it manages not to feel like any other game you’ve played, demonstrates incredible attention to detail and, in general, is everything we hoped we’d find in a PS3 game. You could say that it’s about time, too – but once you get hold of a copy, you’ll agree that it was worth the wait.


New review in from our friends in Poland... a 9+ out of 10 overall (scan from NeoGaf forums (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=7436696&postcount=18)). The graphics and sound get a perfect 10 each.


This time HS gets a fantastic 9.7 score from Next Gen Ireland (http://www.nextgenireland.com/hsword.html):

Heavenly Sword really is a title which must be played to be believed. Videos have been popping up all over the web but trust us; they cannot do this game justice. The game will have you hooked from beginning to end and that’s a hell of a long time trust us. It took us 5 days straight of 12 hour sessions to finally complete this title, and that’s without all the secrets unlocked. We will definitely be revisiting this title to see what other surprises it has in store. If you own a Playstation 3 then it should be made law you must purchase this title. It simply is the most amazing videogame experience your likely to have for years to come.

Graphics 9.9
Audio 10.0
Gameplay 9.7
Replayabilty 9.5
TOTAL 9.7


MeelaPo has pointed out this UK ign review (http://ps3.ign.com/articles/815/815031p1.html). Great graphics, but they didn't care too much for the gameplay it seems (rated 7.0):

So, all that in mind, is Heavenly Sword a bad game? No, it’s not – although it certainly seems that someone, somewhere, forgot to ensure they were piling those glorious peripheral trimmings on a game worthy of all that Sony gold. Combat is undoubtedly the title’s strength and offers some immensely satisfying thrills when you actually get your hands on your sword. Projectile combat, too, is entertaining in its own right – although nowhere near enough to carry such lengthy sequences as is demanded here.


What U.K. ign doesn't like, GamePro seemed to enjoy (http://www.gamepro.com/sony/ps3/game...s/130968.shtml) with a 4.5 out of 5 score (90%):

Pros: An interesting narrative, fantastic production values and deep combat system results in the first triple-A PS3 title of note.

Cons: The game's combat system stresses reaction over action, the boss battles are iffy and the storytelling is uneven.
Thanks for the link rahzel!


The U.S. ign (http://ps3.ign.com/articles/815/815721p1.html) chimes in with a 7/10 score:
Heavenly Sword comes very close to being great, but nearly every element of its design falls short in one way or another.


The roller coaster reviews keep coming.... the game scores a perfect 10 out of 10 from Finland's #1 gaming media company Tilt.tv. (http://www.tilt.tv/?cm=games&aid=13694). Raitzi translates a summary for us:

+Very beautiful and good acting
+Very capable combat engine
-Far too short
-Stupid riccochet puzzles
10/10




EGM chimes in with review scores from three editors: 8, 8, 9


Great 8/10 review coming in from Game Daily (http://www.gamedaily.com/games/heavenly-sword/playstation-3/game-reviews/review/4858/1728/):



This epic story unfolds with the help of true next-gen visuals and excellent voice acting, courtesy of Andy Serkis (as King Bohan) and a cast of semi-known Brits. Looks-wise, Heavenly Sword presents one of the most eye-appealing games to appear on the PS3 – each level is filled with gorgeous vistas, and the characters, down to detailed facial expressions, give an something that might even be called an emotional performance.


Game Informer (http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200710/R07.0828.1537.05368.htm) loves the game enough to give it two scores of 9 and 8.75:

It may not realize its full potential, but the combat in Heavenly Sword is frenzied and entertaining – more than enough to justify giving the game a try. 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. It may invite comparisons to other action titles, but I can safely say that Heavenly Sword is a unique and captivating adventure with a style all its own.

I know many of you won’t agree with this next point, but part of this game’s charm is how short and compact it is. It throws you right into the fire, doesn’t bog down the quest with random events, and just keeps rolling with the intensity high. Many believe that games will deliver the same cinematic punch as movies. Heavenly Sword shows us just how close this union is.

:rolleyes: play

From Play, so taken with a grain of salt. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed the demo and have been looking forward to this title for a while now, but I can't trust play.

Eh, I'm getting it either way. But, Play reviews mean nothing.

Yes, Play magazine gives some crazy scores - I made the mistake of believeing them when they said Primal was a perfect game practically. What a mistake - they thought it was cool when the character was actually animated going up steps - oooooooo wow. What they didn't say was that she performed all these things (step-climbing, barrier climbing) as slow as someone who just **** their pants. They are also the same magazine constantly parroting that they want short 5 hour games so they can play them over a weekend, because theyre rich and like to spend 60 bucks for a 5 hour game... Play...

I would never trust Play. They gave Bullet Witch for Xbox 360 a 8 out of 10 when everyone else gave it a 3 or 4. :confused:

I rather wait for a IGN review than play. I'll be getting the game either way though....my PS3 has been gameless for too long.

it is Play, but i think HS will be a great game and will get 8 or 9's from most reviewers. regardless, as long as the game isn't really buggy, its a day 1 purchase for me. really, the most important thing to know about a TP action title like this is the combat system, and i got a very good idea of what its like from the short demo. my only concern with the game was that it would be all action but there ARE little puzzles and those little parts like GoW where you push the button thats on the screen.

If it scores above 9.0 from IGN, that's a very good sign.

my prediction is 7-7.5 on ign

^^

I hope you're wrong, but we'll have to see. The games in that range were either major yawners (for the most part) or PSN games.


Piyotama Puzzle 7.5
Formula One Championship Edition [UK] Racing 7.5
flOw [AU] Action 7.5
Godfather: The Don's Edition, The Action 7.5
Lemmings Puzzle 7.5
Major League Baseball 2K7 Sports 7.4
Mortal Kombat II Fighting 7.3
Virtua Tennis 3 Sports 7.3
World Snooker Championship 2007 [UK] Sports 7.2
Formula One Championship Edition Racing 7.2
Go! Sudoku Puzzle 7.1
Blast Factor [UK] Shooter 7.0
GripShift Racing Action 7.0
Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII Flight 7.0
Tony Hawk's Project 8 Sports 7.0

my prediction is 7-7.5 on ign
i'm thinking more of high 8 or low 9's from IGN, or an 8 point something from GS.

Even though we should take this with a grain of salt, it's better than getting a 6 or 7 from play.

Didn't Play give Lair a 9 while EGM ripped it a new one? I dunno if I'd trust Play just yet.

Didn't Play give Lair a 9 while EGM ripped it a new one? I dunno if I'd trust Play just yet.
EGM is known for giving low scores too. i personally wouldn't trust either. i trust GT, GS and IGN the most.

Didn't Play give Lair a 9 while EGM ripped it a new one? I dunno if I'd trust Play just yet.
LAIR is an odd duck though as there has been preview copies getting reviewed before the final was finished. Jury is still out on LAIR.

I've never read the Play mag before... thanks for the heads up.

Well - here's to hoping reviews from elsewhere will be similar!

EGM is known for giving low scores too. i personally wouldn't trust either. i trust GT, GS and IGN the most.

EGM doesn't give low scores, they give accurate scores. They actually consider a 6 or 7 above average. Meaning, a game that you would probably find fun.

The problem are peoples whacked perception of what all these f'ing numbers mean. Most people consider anything below a 7 to be complete garbage, mainly because that's the way many major review sites (Gamespot) rate.

I guess the moral of the story is to actually read the reviews and go from there.


I remember being at Barnes & Noble one day and browsing through a copy of Play. I don't believe they scored a single game below a 7 in that issue. And even the crap I know was crap. Reviews suck.

Most people go by "school thinking" where 10 is superb, 9 excellent, 8 good, 7 average, 6 below average, 5 fail. EGM may consider 5 to be average, which may be throwing people off.

Play magazine.... **snicker**... :rolleyes:

I've had this game preordered for over 6 months now at Gamestop...no amount of good or bad press can keep me from picking it up :D

imma get the game anyway, because i seen it on E3 2007, and it looked amazing.

What about this game makes it anything more than a rental for you guys? I'm just curious as it seems like the game will take at the most 20 hours to complete and that can easily be done in the 2~ week rental period you get from Blockbuster. I'm just curious what makes you guys willing to spend $60~ on this game. I just don't see the replay value there. Honest question.

It's not even about the replay value for me, I don't think (my opinion of course) that this game is good. Above average maybe, but not omgwtfbbq I have to buy this on the first day good. Only games on my radar this month is Warhawk for ps3, MHF2 and Joan D'Arc on psp, and last but not least Persona 3 on ps2.

I hope I'm proved wrong. I loved the cut scenes in the demo, great voice acting imo. The gameplay was so-so. The push a button (whats it called?) action scenes were meh. Overall I didn't like the demo.

How can you ask about the replay value for a game that isn't even out yet? We barely know much about it. From what we do know, most people like the action and attack variety.

It's just God Of War 3 with some arrogant self-righteous empowered woman showing that she can be sexy AND kick ass like men, when in all reality she would probably try to pick up the sword for revenge (or whatever motivates sexy self-empowered women to dress half-naked and kill people), curse as she was unable to wield the mighty blade of yore, and then experience what most resident females of captured cities experience in ancient times - what it's like to be booty (literally). Sure it's nice to look at a pretty woman chopping men'
s crotches with huge blades (any women's rights employees at that studio - or just lesbians?), and running down ropes that impossibly hold up big pillars with no visible means of getting the men on top (perhaps they were born there?) - but in the end it's just another hack and slash with complicated combos if you so choose to employ them and the occasionl Bond Moment where the camera zooms in and you do something clever to someone. That's sure to get old after the 250th time I watch someone's genitals get sliced off - "Yeh, I get it - you're a chick who puts men in there place after they have the audactiy to stare at your butt because you can't afford pants". I don't know who the Raven King is ...but I'm hoping he defeats this red-headed woman (like in a movie!), takes her prisoner (like in a movie!), tortures her so we can see how tough she is under pressure (a movie!) and then instead of tricking him with her feminine wiles (after he thinks she has given in to his charms) and stabbing him and saying something catchy like "I bet you thought you were going to be the one penetrating me..." and the audience goes "ooo you go girl" - I think she should just be left in the dungeon to die. There would be a surprise ending. I would be surprised if none of my above lame plot points did not make it into the game.

It's just God Of War 3 with some arrogant self-righteous empowered woman showing that she can be sexy AND kick ass like men, when in all reality she would probably try to pick up the sword for revenge (or whatever motivates sexy self-empowered women to dress half-naked and kill people), curse as she was unable to wield the mighty blade of yore, and then experience what most resident females of captured cities experience in ancient times - what it's like to be booty (literally). Sure it's nice to look at a pretty woman chopping men'
s crotches with huge blades (any women's rights employees at that studio - or just lesbians?), and running down ropes that impossibly hold up big pillars with no visible means of getting the men on top (perhaps they were born there?) - but in the end it's just another hack and slash with complicated combos if you so choose to employ them and the occasionl Bond Moment where the camera zooms in and you do something clever to someone. That's sure to get old after the 250th time I watch someone's genitals get sliced off - "Yeh, I get it - you're a chick who puts men in there place after they have the audactiy to stare at your butt because you can't afford pants". I don't know who the Raven King is ...but I'm hoping he defeats this red-headed woman (like in a movie!), takes her prisoner (like in a movie!), tortures her so we can see how tough she is under pressure (a movie!) and then instead of tricking him with her feminine wiles (after he thinks she has given in to his charms) and stabbing him and saying something catchy like "I bet you thought you were going to be the one penetrating me..." and the audience goes "ooo you go girl" - I think she should just be left in the dungeon to die. There would be a surprise ending. I would be surprised if none of my above lame plot points did not make it into the game.
I'm not sure if you realize that your constant thread crapping on every subject gets very tiresome.
It's not even about the replay value for me, I don't think (my opinion of course) that this game is good. Above average maybe, but not omgwtfbbq I have to buy this on the first day good. Only games on my radar this month is Warhawk for ps3, MHF2 and Joan D'Arc on psp, and last but not least Persona 3 on ps2.

I hope I'm proved wrong. I loved the cut scenes in the demo, great voice acting imo. The gameplay was so-so. The push a button (whats it called?) action scenes were meh. Overall I didn't like the demo.
They are called QTEs and used on several games to increase interactivity in scenes where it would be near impossible to do otherwise.

It's just God Of War 3 with some arrogant self-righteous empowered woman showing that she can be sexy AND kick ass like men, when in all reality she would probably try to pick up the sword for revenge (or whatever motivates sexy self-empowered women to dress half-naked and kill people), curse as she was unable to wield the mighty blade of yore, and then experience what most resident females of captured cities experience in ancient times - what it's like to be booty (literally). Sure it's nice to look at a pretty woman chopping men'
s crotches with huge blades (any women's rights employees at that studio - or just lesbians?), and running down ropes that impossibly hold up big pillars with no visible means of getting the men on top (perhaps they were born there?) - but in the end it's just another hack and slash with complicated combos if you so choose to employ them and the occasionl Bond Moment where the camera zooms in and you do something clever to someone. That's sure to get old after the 250th time I watch someone's genitals get sliced off - "Yeh, I get it - you're a chick who puts men in there place after they have the audactiy to stare at your butt because you can't afford pants". I don't know who the Raven King is ...but I'm hoping he defeats this red-headed woman (like in a movie!), takes her prisoner (like in a movie!), tortures her so we can see how tough she is under pressure (a movie!) and then instead of tricking him with her feminine wiles (after he thinks she has given in to his charms) and stabbing him and saying something catchy like "I bet you thought you were going to be the one penetrating me..." and the audience goes "ooo you go girl" - I think she should just be left in the dungeon to die. There would be a surprise ending. I would be surprised if none of my above lame plot points did not make it into the game.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/oddbodyAS2/photoheman.jpg

Man, you've got some serious issues. Or you're drunk. Or both.

It's just God Of War 3 with some arrogant self-righteous empowered woman showing that she can be sexy AND kick ass like men, when in all reality she would probably try to pick up the sword for revenge (or whatever motivates sexy self-empowered women to dress half-naked and kill people), curse as she was unable to wield the mighty blade of yore, and then experience what most resident females of captured cities experience in ancient times - what it's like to be booty (literally). Sure it's nice to look at a pretty woman chopping men'
s crotches with huge blades (any women's rights employees at that studio - or just lesbians?), and running down ropes that impossibly hold up big pillars with no visible means of getting the men on top (perhaps they were born there?) - but in the end it's just another hack and slash with complicated combos if you so choose to employ them and the occasionl Bond Moment where the camera zooms in and you do something clever to someone. That's sure to get old after the 250th time I watch someone's genitals get sliced off - "Yeh, I get it - you're a chick who puts men in there place after they have the audactiy to stare at your butt because you can't afford pants". I don't know who the Raven King is ...but I'm hoping he defeats this red-headed woman (like in a movie!), takes her prisoner (like in a movie!), tortures her so we can see how tough she is under pressure (a movie!) and then instead of tricking him with her feminine wiles (after he thinks she has given in to his charms) and stabbing him and saying something catchy like "I bet you thought you were going to be the one penetrating me..." and the audience goes "ooo you go girl" - I think she should just be left in the dungeon to die. There would be a surprise ending. I would be surprised if none of my above lame plot points did not make it into the game.


WTF? :confused: lol....let's take a deep breath and repeat after me : "It's a Game"

I can't decide if people on the internet are even real.

How can you ask about the replay value for a game that isn't even out yet? We barely know much about it.

Exactly. So why blindly spend $60 on it? That's the part I don't get when you can rent it for about 10% of the cost. My point is that this type of game doesn't have the kind of replay value a fighting game, FPS, sports, racing, etc game has -- and not only that but this is a new franchise. I just don't get why so many are willing to buy it without question like that is all.

The same can be said of a lot of titles. Many of us like what we see so far and $60 is the going rate for games this gen. You don't so don't buy it.

Originally posted by Lee K
My point is that this type of game doesn't have the kind of replay value a fighting game, FPS, sports, racing, etc game has -- and not only that but this is a new franchise.
No different than the first God of War...

Exactly. So why blindly spend $60 on it? That's the part I don't get when you can rent it for about 10% of the cost. My point is that this type of game doesn't have the kind of replay value a fighting game, FPS, sports, racing, etc game has -- and not only that but this is a new franchise. I just don't get why so many are willing to buy it without question like that is all.


Some of us like to own our games. What's the replay value of a DVD or blueray movie? Personally, I won't watch the same movie twice within a year, yet I purchase DVD's and Bluray discs.

I also have company over occasionally. It's nice to have a library of titles for other people to enjoy.

I could be a strange duck, but I don't resell my games, and I usually purchase instead of rent.

"The moment we begin to fear the opinions of others and hesitate to tell the truth that is in us, and from motives of policy are silent when we should speak, the divine floods of light and life no longer flow into our souls."
-- Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815-1902) American social activist and reformer

"The moment we begin to fear the opinions of others and hesitate to tell the truth that is in us, and from motives of policy are silent when we should speak, the divine floods of light and life no longer flow into our souls."
-- Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815-1902) American social activist and reformerDon't sully her name by including her in a thread that is about fantasy games.

This is a videogame, and it's called suspension of belief.

Don't sully her name by including her in a thread that is about fantasy games.

This is a videogame, and it's called suspension of belief.
Forsooth, brave knight! If I have sullied her most beauteous name, it was because I have not had the honor of seeing her in person, for as sure as my heart hast been given to Nell Carter,- may she forever be the flower and eternal light of this most humble of servants - I would surely have not profaned it out of personal knowledge of her failings - of which there must be none - but out of a dignified and non-personal relationship with her grace, for anything closer would be seen as most ungentlemanly of me and would needs dishonor my name and the name of thy lady. For no sooner would I sully the great lady's name than I would proclaim my squire, Sancho, to be none other than the ignorant bumpkin that God has proclaimed his lot in life to be. Pray forgive this knight for any sullieing that hast been commited towards your lady, and perhaps we may not come to blows in defense of her honor - for often times with blows comes a trial of honor and strength wherein lies the glory that besets us Knights Errant, and it would be disastrous to remove one of us both doing the will of the Mighty from our appointed tasks, over a trifling - though a trifling is not Lady Elizabeth, I assure you. Methinks it be hard being a hero in these modern days, but also reminds me of why we need heros in these modern days, another quote from your lady Elizabeth, if I may be so bold, brave sire knight : "It requires philosophy and heroism to rise above the opinion of the wise men of all nations and races."

Forsooth, brave knight! If I have sullied her most beauteous name, it was because I have not had the honor of seeing her in person, for as sure as my heart hast been given to Nell Carter,- may she forever be the flower and eternal light of this most humble of servants - I would surely have not profaned it out of personal knowledge of her failings - of which there must be none - but out of a dignified and non-personal relationship with her grace, for anything closer would be seen as most ungentlemanly of me and would needs dishonor my name and the name of thy lady. For no sooner would I sully the great lady's name than I would proclaim my squire, Sancho, to be none other than the ignorant bumpkin that God has proclaimed his lot in life to be. Pray forgive this knight for any sullieing that hast been commited towards your lady, and perhaps we may not come to blows in defense of her honor - for often times with blows comes a trial of honor and strength wherein lies the glory that besets us Knights Errant, and it would be disastrous to remove one of us both doing the will of the Mighty from our appointed tasks, over a trifling - though a trifling is not Lady Elizabeth, I assure you. Methinks it be hard being a hero in these modern days, but also reminds me of why we need heros in these modern days, another quote from your lady Elizabeth, if I may be so bold, brave sire knight : "It requires philosophy and heroism to rise above the opinion of the wise men of all nations and races."

Ha! Well done!

EGM doesn't give low scores, they give accurate scores. They actually consider a 6 or 7 above average. Meaning, a game that you would probably find fun.

I would have to disagree here. After EGM gave Herzog Zwei a 3 or 4 out of 10, I lost all respect in their number system. The reviewers there for the most part were/are quite young. Not the AVS type.
I will admit years later they had it in their top 100 games of all time, and apologized for their original review.
However, had I read the review before I bought the game, I may never have purchased it, and missed out on my addiction to games of that sort (Dune, Command an Conquer, Total Annihilation, etc).

I would have to disagree here. After EGM gave Herzog Zwei a 3 or 4 out of 10, I lost all respect in their number system. The reviewers there for the most part were/are quite young. Not the AVS type.
I will admit years later they had it in their top 100 games of all time, and apologized for their original review.
However, had I read the review before I bought the game, I may never have purchased it, and missed out on my addiction to games of that sort (Dune, Command an Conquer, Total Annihilation, etc).

I think it's time to just let that one go, friend. I find EGM gives pretty good reviews these days, and I can appreciate their effort to use the entire range of scores.

And when I say review, I mean the actual written review. I don't form an opinion just off a number.

Ha! Well done!

It's from Don Quixote.

http://library.duke.edu/research/citing/

Anyways. It's a good action game. The AI in the demo was a little bit diappointing, but I am guessing that it gets better deeper into the game, though it has been said that the game uses hundreds of opponents at once later in the game, so maybe quantity over quality --- could this bee a cross between God of Way and Dynasty Warriors?

Also, in defense of Play Magazine. They reeview games different and they have stated it in their magazine before. Heavenly Sword is a 10, not for everyone, but for people who are fans of this genre. Unlike EGM they do not have The Need For Speed/Madden fans review a fantasy oriented game, but someone with more relevant game experience (not dissing EGM, I like it too). I think as long as you get that (and care) you will know that the game may only be an 8 or 9 to you. Also if they give a game less than 7 it is going to be horrible...

It's from Don Quixote.

http://library.duke.edu/research/citing/


Yeah, the Sanco Panza bit pretty much gave that away. I enjoyed the literary reference anyway, and thought it was a clever response. But I'll stop before go further on a tangent.

It's from Don Quixote.

http://library.duke.edu/research/citing/

Anyways. It's a good action game. The AI in the demo was a little bit diappointing, but I am guessing that it gets better deeper into the game, though it has been said that the game uses hundreds of opponents at once later in the game, so maybe quantity over quality --- could this bee a cross between God of Way and Dynasty Warriors?

Also, in defense of Play Magazine. They reeview games different and they have stated it in their magazine before. Heavenly Sword is a 10, not for everyone, but for people who are fans of this genre. Unlike EGM they do not have The Need For Speed/Madden fans review a fantasy oriented game, but someone with more relevant game experience (not dissing EGM, I like it too). I think as long as you get that (and care) you will know that the game may only be an 8 or 9 to you. Also if they give a game less than 7 it is going to be horrible...
Yes, anyone who has read it can get it from the Sancho bit and the insane literary style. Though not a straight rip-off, I sure ripped off the flowery style of prose - but then again - Cervantes was doing the same thing when he wrote it. I get all Quixotish when I hear the word "sully" to this day... :D

Exactly. So why blindly spend $60 on it? That's the part I don't get when you can rent it for about 10% of the cost. My point is that this type of game doesn't have the kind of replay value a fighting game, FPS, sports, racing, etc game has -- and not only that but this is a new franchise. I just don't get why so many are willing to buy it without question like that is all.
People buy movies and game for the same reason they purchase books from bookstores for $20 when they could just as easily borrow the same book from their local library for free-- they like to place them on display like trophies, showing all who enter their home their vast library of media that they have collected

I would have to disagree here. After EGM gave Herzog Zwei a 3 or 4 out of 10, I lost all respect in their number system. The reviewers there for the most part were/are quite young. Not the AVS type.
I will admit years later they had it in their top 100 games of all time, and apologized for their original review.
- LOL. That ws the most glaring error that they have made. If my neighbor didn't own that game, I definitely would not have bought it. But I did learn a great lesson from that at the age of 14... that other people's opinions did not necessarily match mine.

Two more early reviews:

GeekPulp (http://www.geekpulp.co.nz/2007/08/12/heavenly-sword-review-part-1-ps3/) has part I of their review up (snippet):

You’d think a game that starts at the end of the story would be a little predictable and boring right? Well you’re wrong shame on you. Heavenly Sword has a story that by its self is not that spectacular and most of the game is played in the past (before the opening scene) yet the way that the story is told and the richness of the character development left me in awe, in fact it is made so well that the cut-scenes (which I usually loath) are so great that I wanted more and more of them, it was better than most movies, it draws you in and makes you love even the villainous tyrants that you are fighting against. Great graphics, grotesque monsters, bewbs and more equate to an A+++ title for the PS3. If you own a PS3 it is a happy day for you. If you don’t you might want to check this out.

Here's a review from Three Speech.com (http://threespeech.com/blog/?p=536) (snippet):

Heavenly Sword is amazing to behold, seriously addictive, pleasingly original, in that it manages not to feel like any other game you’ve played, demonstrates incredible attention to detail and, in general, is everything we hoped we’d find in a PS3 game. You could say that it’s about time, too – but once you get hold of a copy, you’ll agree that it was worth the wait.

Both have been added to first post.

I can't decide if people on the internet are even real.

Thats hilarious.

We need to get Cosby in here for a "Mattardos say the darndest things"

Thats hilarious.

We need to get Cosby in here for a "Mattardos say the darndest things"
Bill Cosby is my hero - he tells it like it is! He doesn't back down from the dirty truth! You know what I'm talkin' about, Willis.

I wish I liked the game play of H.S., because the background looked really nice. But unfortunately for me, I just can't get into this genre. But it sounds like for people who like this type of game it's shaping up to be a real winner.

Bill Cosby is my hero - he tells it like it is! He doesn't back down from the dirty truth! You know what I'm talkin' about, Willis.

"You see the jello tastes so good because the pudding and the smooth and hhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaanhhhhaaaaaaaaa"

Cosby is the man, and Wayne Brady's impersonations on Whose Line Is It Anway are even better.

Some of us like to own our games. What's the replay value of a DVD or blueray movie? Personally, I won't watch the same movie twice within a year, yet I purchase DVD's and Bluray discs.

I also have company over occasionally. It's nice to have a library of titles for other people to enjoy.

I could be a strange duck, but I don't resell my games, and I usually purchase instead of rent.

I'm the exact same way. Not much replay value in Ninja Gaiden, but I'm more than happy I bought it.

I own over 40 PS2 games, and I've probably played most of them less than 15 hours (though about 40% of my games are RPGs that I will eventually play).

I kind of like collecting good games.

I barely every buy any sports titles though, since most of them are extremely boring rehashes. I will be buying Hot Shots Golf 5 and Gran Turismo 5 though :) (and the first really good NHL game to come out...probably around 2009 or 2010).

Good RPGs (80% or better) and AAA Action/Adventures are my main meat.

New review in from our friends in Poland... it gets a 9+ rating out of 10 (scan from NeoGaf forums (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=7436696&postcount=18)). The graphics and sound get a perfect 10 each:



http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/8975/dsc00182fx6.jpg

Added to first post of this thread.

I can't decide if people on the internet are even real.

There's a simple answer to that. We're not.

haha Play again.

Nothing but stellar reviews so far. This time HS gets a fantastic 9.7 score from Next Gen Ireland (http://www.nextgenireland.com/hsword.html):

What a month of games this has turned out to be. The Xbox 360 receiving Bioshock, Nintendo Wii has Metroid Prime 3 and the Playstation 3 gets Warhawk and Heavenly Sword. Has there ever been a better time to be a gamer? Heavenly Sword, developed by British development team Ninja Theory, is without a doubt the most anticipated Playstation 3 release to date. Ironically for a game developed in Britain is the remarkable Japanese feel to it. Never has a game had so much hype behind it and a lot of eyes will be watching to see just how good this title is. While it won’t make or break Sony and their Playstation 3 efforts, if this game doesn’t do well, there may be trouble ahead. Thankfully Heavenly Sword manages the almost impossible task of surpassing any hype surrounding it.

Heavenly Sword is not your typical game by any means. Looking more like an RPG than an all out action title, you may be caught off guard. By now we are sure you have all watched the videos, demos to an endless degree and are eager to get your hands on it. We had our reservations about just how deep Heavenly Sword could be, but our worries where laid to rest about 20 minutes into the title. Boasting some of the greatest level designs in gaming history, Heavenly Sword is possibly the most beautiful action game we have ever played.

The majority of Heavenly Sword will be played with the stunningly beautiful Nariko, a fiery redhead destined to become a bigger cult hit than Lara Croft. Nariko is the daughter of a local Chieftain named Shen. She is also the sister of another playable character named Kai. Nariko moves swiftly and unbelievably fast with some of the most unbelievable array of moves. Everything just flows remarkable well from character animation to the basic feel of Nariko.

The game will launch you into Nariko’s family home under siege by evil forces commanded by King Bohan which by the way is the nastiest villain you will ever come across. He is also accompanied by his inept son Roach. There is a huge plot twist in the opening cinematic which we will not spoil for anyone, but he helps determine how the game will be played through to the end. Just be prepared to totally abandon your life, friends and work, because Heavenly Sword will have you enthralled and totally hooked from beginning to end. The game itself is absolutely huge and completing it is no mean fete.

Graphically Heavenly Sword is stunning as already touched upon earlier but the audio presentation is something to behold. Apparently Sony managed to cram more than 10 gigabites for audio material in Heavenly Sword and we can easily see that’s the truth. From character speech right through to dramatic scores, this is what audio is all about. Battle music will leave you breathless and the voice acting alone is simply the best we have come across in years. Capcom take note. No more dodgy Resident Evil acting please.

As well as the playing with Nariko, there numerous levels in which you play as Kai, who lacks any melee abilities but is supplied with and endless amount of arrows – and you can, for example fire arrows through objects in your path. For example, if you see a burning bush up ahead, fire your arrows through the flames, aim them towards some explosive barrels and watch the fireworks. But for all the non stop action, there will be a lot of puzzle solving to do also, so make sure to get your thinking caps on because these aren’t simple brain teasers, you will be tested to the max of your logical ability.

One thing we feel we should mention before we end this review is the epic boss battles throughout Heavenly Sword. We always imagined God of War always holding pole position in boss battles but Heavenly Sword took our breath away. Again, we wont spoil anything here but prepare yourself for total shock and awe battles.

Heavenly Sword really is a title which must be played to be believed. Videos have been popping up all over the web but trust us; they cannot do this game justice. The game will have you hooked from beginning to end and that’s a hell of a long time trust us. It took us 5 days straight of 12 hour sessions to finally complete this title, and that’s without all the secrets unlocked. We will definitely be revisiting this title to see what other surprises it has in store. If you own a Playstation 3 then it should be made law you must purchase this title. It simply is the most amazing videogame experience your likely to have for years to come.

Graphics 9.9
Audio 10.0
Gameplay 9.7
Replayabilty 9.5
TOTAL 9.7

Nothing but stellar reviews so far. This time HS gets a fantastic 9.7 score from Next Gen Ireland (http://www.nextgenireland.com/hsword.html):

Is it September yet???? I haven't been this excited about a game in years - can't get here soon enough. I'm glad to read that it has enough content to keep someone occupied for a while - that was one of my few concerns...

I like the part that says they played 12 hours a day for five days before they beat it (without unlocking all the secrets). I didn't know it had that much meat on the bone!

Nothing but stellar reviews so far. This time HS gets a fantastic 9.7 score from Next Gen Ireland (http://www.nextgenireland.com/hsword.html):

Damn your really trying to find them. Who the hell has heard of Next Gen Ireland

Damn your really trying to find them. Who the hell has heard of Next Gen Ireland

LOL. Clearly not under Rupert Murdoch's umbrella....or are they...DUH DUH DUH!!!!

Seriously, Joe, no need to dig that deep, man. The game will be good. No need to make desparate attempts to back that up with info from 1 source with a horrible reputation and another one with no reputation at all.

What's the problem with posting a review by someone with firsthand experience of the game? Isn't that what one of the purposes of the forum is to begin with? The passing of information?

Makes more sense than posting continuously in a forum that you don't even own, doesn't it?

What's the problem with posting a review by someone with firsthand experience of the game? Isn't that what one of the purposes of the forum is to begin with? The passing of information?

Makes more sense than posting continuously in a forum that you don't even own, doesn't it?

Ditto. If someone doesn't care just don't read.

IGN tends to have have the most spot on reviews, imo.

Why would anybody trust GameSpot? Their reviews can be completely off the wall at times. How is it that Warioware and PD0 get rated above a 9 and THPS3 a perfect 10, yet LoZ: TP, Shadow of the Colossus, MGS1&3, and Gran Turismo all score in the 8s? The original review for Gran Turismo gave it a 7.9, but it was re-reviewed out of protest and given an 8.6, still far from the 9+ most other sites gave it (and what it deserved).

Even worse are their ratings for strategy games. Supreme Commander was rated in the 8s, yet C&C3 got a 9.0 (C&C3 was a step up from C&C: Generals, yes, but not near as good as previous C&C games). At least they changed their Company of Heroes review from an 8.x to a 9.0 after much protest from RTS fans such as myself. But still, the fact that it was rated below a 9 in the first place irks me. Both SupCom and CoH are far better than C&C3.

I used to be an avid poster on the GS forums, actually, but I lost all respect for them after a time, partly because of their reviews, and partly because I was banned from their forums for discussing Harry Potter (a haneous crime, I know).

^ Haha, so true. I have no idea why they gave Warioware a 9.0.....

I dont know about the other games you listed, but Perfect Dark Zero deserved a 9.0 IMO. If it werent for the rugged/choppy movement in that game and the "floaty" feel, I think it would have deserved a 9.5+. I do agree though that IGN usually gives pretty honest, unbiased reviews. I cant wait to see what Heavenly Sword and Lair get rated at.

Damn your really trying to find them. Who the hell has heard of Next Gen Ireland

Troll, I have simply posted every review that has been released. Now go back under your bridge.

GS's rating for Bioshock came out today....9.0. So, Warioware must be better, since it recieved a 9.2 just half a year ago, from the same reviewer. *rolls eyes*

It happened to be reviewed by Jeff Gerstmann, who I believe is the source of many of GS's problems. He wrote the 7.9 Gran Turismo review, the 9.2 Warioware review, and the reviews for LOZ: WW and TP. I personally believe that he is a very simple-minded person, hence his preference of Warioware over Bioshock, and his preference of WW over TP (9.2 compared to 8.8). Anyone who has played both Zeldas would know that the WW was rather tedious due to it's lack of challenging puzzles. It was very long with mostly filler (the neverending quest for the triforce shards), and was quite a chore to get through. TP, however, was engaging throughout the entire game.

GS's rating for Bioshock came out today....9.0. So, Warioware must be better, since it recieved a 9.2 just half a year ago, from the same reviewer. *rolls eyes*

It happened to be reviewed by Jeff Gerstmann, who I believe is the source of many of GS's problems. He wrote the 7.9 Gran Turismo review, the 9.2 Warioware review, and the reviews for LOZ: WW and TP. I personally believe that he is a very simple-minded person, hence his preference of Warioware over Bioshock, and his preference of WW over TP (9.2 compared to 8.8). Anyone who has played both Zeldas would know that the WW was rather tedious due to it's lack of challenging puzzles. It was very long with mostly filler (the neverending quest for the triforce shards), and was quite a chore to get through. TP, however, was engaging throughout the entire game.

Dude, a little perspective eh? Why would you compare a BioShock review on Xbox 360 in August 2007, to an old Warioware (Wii? DS?) review? Just...why? Or a Wind Waker gamecube review from 2003 to a TP review from late 2006? Do you lack the ability to put a time and a place in context? What if you found one of Jeff's reviews from a college paper for a late '80s Amiga game that he gave a 9.1? I can see it now, "OMG, he gave this old Amiga game 9.1 and he gave BioShock 9.0! OMG!" Put those reviews in context of time and place.

And although that particular reviewer in Play Magazine has given out his fair share of dubiously high scores, I still prefer that mag's writing and design to 90% of the crap out there. So I imagine Heavenly Sword is quite awesome.

Dude, a little perspective eh? Why would you compare a BioShock review on Xbox 360 in August 2007, to an old Warioware (Wii? DS?) review? Just...why? Or a Wind Waker gamecube review from 2003 to a TP review from late 2006? Do you lack the ability to put a time and a place in context? What if you found one of Jeff's reviews from a college paper for a late '80s Amiga game that he gave a 9.1? I can see it now, "OMG, he gave this old Amiga game 9.1 and he gave BioShock 9.0! OMG!" Put those reviews in context of time and place.

And although that particular reviewer in Play Magazine has given out his fair share of dubiously high scores, I still prefer that mag's writing and design to 90% of the crap out there. So I imagine Heavenly Sword is quite awesome.

The Warioware review is for the Wii version which came out last spring. The games did not release very far apart.

If I was looking at this irrespective of time and place, then I would not be complaining about a 7.9 review of the original Gran Turismo from back in the 90s, now would I? :P

The man just isn't a quality reviewer, which has been shown time and time again. His reviews rarely jibe with the rest of the industry, and the point of a review is to show what the general populace would enjoy and why the would enjoy it, not to show the unusual interests of the lone Jeff Gerstmann.

I dont know about the other games you listed, but Perfect Dark Zero deserved a 9.0 IMO. If it werent for the rugged/choppy movement in that game and the "floaty" feel, I think it would have deserved a 9.5+. I do agree though that IGN usually gives pretty honest, unbiased reviews. I cant wait to see what Heavenly Sword and Lair get rated at.


I would have liked PD0 a lot more if the game wasen't so buggy.

The Warioware review is for the Wii version which came out last spring. The games did not release very far apart.

If I was looking at this irrespective of time and place, then I would not be complaining about a 7.9 review of the original Gran Turismo from back in the 90s, now would I? :P

The man just isn't a quality reviewer, which has been shown time and time again. His reviews rarely jibe with the rest of the industry, and the point of a review is to show what the general populace would enjoy and why the would enjoy it, not to show the unusual interests of the lone Jeff Gerstmann.

I agree. Jeff seems to give out odd ratings for games just to create controversy and buzz for Gamespot. I mean, look at what happened after the Bioshock review was posted. People started to flock to GS to see why it got one of the worst ratings for the title so far.

For bigger titles like Bioshock, MGS series, GT series, Zelda series, Halo series, etc. I think that all websites/magazines should have 3 people review it and then average the 3 scores to give a broader perspective.

I agree. Jeff seems to give out odd ratings for games just to create controversy and buzz for Gamespot. I mean, look at what happened after the Bioshock review was posted. People started to flock to GS to see why it got one of the worst ratings for the title so far.

For bigger titles like Bioshock, MGS series, GT series, Zelda series, Halo series, etc. I think that all websites/magazines should have 3 people review it and then average the 3 scores to give a broader perspective.

I agree. That way, one oddball review won't ruin the overall score. That's the main reason I go to Gamerankings now (though I use IGN for the in-depth review).

All I know is that if Jeff gave Bioshock a 9, what's he going to do if he rates Halo 3 or Metroid Prime Corruption? He has become the main person for shooters once Grag Kasavin left, so this is very likely to occur. I can imagine some very angry GS users.

I agree. That way, one oddball review won't ruin the overall score. That's the main reason I go to Gamerankings now (though I use IGN for the in-depth review).

All I know is that if Jeff gave Bioshock a 9, what's he going to do if he rates Halo 3 or Metroid Prime Corruption? He has become the main person for shooters once Grag Kasavin left, so this is very likely to occur. I can imagine some very angry GS users.

There's never anyone on the GS forums that is happy with the games' scores. I've learned to stay away from GS especially System Wars, hahaha

There's never anyone on the GS forums that is happy with the games' scores. I've learned to stay away from GS especially System Wars, hahaha

When I was still on the site, I wasn't able to stay away from SW. All the idiocy, the misinformation, the twisted facts, I just had to intervene and set the record straight. Again. And again. It was neverending, and in many ways it was good that I got banned, haha.

I still think my ban was a bit unjust. I had over 12,000 posts over a period of 4 years and only 12 moderations between them, and I got banned because I posted in a thread concerning Harry Potter spoilers. :| GS has some insane mods, imo.

Damn your really trying to find them. Who the hell has heard of Next Gen Ireland

Heavenly Sword is being developed in the UK. Kinda makes sense that early reviews are coming from across the pond. Troll less and go back to taking pictures of yourself in your 300C.

The only reviews that I trust are from Edge. Period.

MeelaPo has pointed out this UK ign review (http://ps3.ign.com/articles/815/815031p1.html). Great graphics, but they didn't care too much for some of the gameplay it seems (7.0 out of 10.0). It'll be interesting to see what the U.S. ign thinks of the game. The two different editorial staffs were split on Motorstorm if I recall.

IGN tends to have have the most spot on reviews, imo.

Why would anybody trust GameSpot? Their reviews can be completely off the wall at times. How is it that Warioware and PD0 get rated above a 9 and THPS3 a perfect 10, yet LoZ: TP, Shadow of the Colossus, MGS1&3, and Gran Turismo all score in the 8s? The original review for Gran Turismo gave it a 7.9, but it was re-reviewed out of protest and given an 8.6, still far from the 9+ most other sites gave it (and what it deserved).

Even worse are their ratings for strategy games. Supreme Commander was rated in the 8s, yet C&C3 got a 9.0 (C&C3 was a step up from C&C: Generals, yes, but not near as good as previous C&C games). At least they changed their Company of Heroes review from an 8.x to a 9.0 after much protest from RTS fans such as myself. But still, the fact that it was rated below a 9 in the first place irks me. Both SupCom and CoH are far better than C&C3.

I used to be an avid poster on the GS forums, actually, but I lost all respect for them after a time, partly because of their reviews, and partly because I was banned from their forums for discussing Harry Potter (a haneous crime, I know).

Review numbers are pointless, since there is no universally agreed upon rating system and scores are super inflated. Just read the reviews.

I think that there are two good ways to do scores though, not that I could see a website ever doing something like this. The first is to norm scores so that the mean rating is five and the ratings are (approximately) normally distributed. The second is to do numerical reviews like they've always done, but display the percent rank overall and within the genre. This is the system that used on ratebeer.com and IMO it works very well.

Since there is a demo, I'll base my own opinion on what I saw in the demo and what I expect.

Just based on the demo this is a must buy for me.

Some of the things these reviewers say and drop scores does not matter to me. Length 6hrs, the way I play games this will turn into a month long gameplay session.

The combat being repetitive for a 6hr game when folks play the demo so many times trying new combos appears to be a weak argument.

So, since there is a demo, I base my own decisions on that.

Speng.

ign uk posted the review...they gave it a 7.0! ouch.

These early reviews for these sony flagship titles aren't looking so hot.

I find it amusing that so many people here pump the quality of IGN's reviews and dump on Gamespot's, when I think it should be just the opposite. IGN gave God Hand a friggin' 3.0, which is beyond absurd for any beat-em-up fan who actually played that game. Their reviewer for Guitar Hero Rocks The '80s said that the idea of a guitar-centric hit from the '80s seemed like an oxymoron, when anyone with the slightest gleam of pop culture awareness knows that the '80s was the absolute height of guitar wankery being shoveled into pop music. They're also guilty of boosting scores for weak games with shiny graphics, or buying into pre-release hype for big titles that don't deliver the goods in the end (MGS2, anyone?).

Gamespot isn't perfect either, but of the major U.S. game review sites they seem the least susceptible to hype boosting, and their reviewers usually have some understanding of the historical context of gaming genres and how new titles fit into that picture. They also try to keep the scoring more realistic, with solid games scoring in the 7.0-8.0 range, good games in 8.0-9.0 range, and only the truly excellent games scoring in the 9.0-10.0 range. While I certainly have some disagreements with their reviewers, I find their scores and comments coming closer to my own feelings more of the time than with any other major U.S. game review site.

That said, the first place I stop to look at game reviews is Metacritic (http://www.metacritic.com/games/), because they offer links and scores for all of the available reviews from their core group of sites, plus they apply weighted averaging of those review scores to give a pretty solid at-a-glance impression of a game's quality. I think this gives them more accurate metascoring than GameRankings or other aggregation sites. It also allows you to read a couple of positive reviews and a couple of negative reviews so you can decide for yourself how the reviewers' pluses and minuses might jibe with your own tastes. That's what works best for me.

- Jer

I maybe the oddball here - I trust IGN's high scores, but not the low ones.
IGN's PoV varies from reviewer to reviwer, and they don't always buy into good graphics.
I did remember they gave Kingdom Hearts 2 a low score and the reviewer got flamed badly...even ended up in the weekly editor's rant. I enjoyed the game none the less.

Took a look at the the UK review, and honestly, I don't think the weak points mentioned by the reviewer is going to destroy a bit of my fun playing that game...they maybe valid, but lowering to a 6-7 is overdone.

I like Game Rankings.com best since it averages out all scores, but U.S. ign is still solid IMHO. I haven't read much from the U.K. ign though to make an opinion.

If someone has time can they please post some cliffs from the IGN review for those of us without access to gaming sites at work?


EDT: Never mind I saw the first post updated.

6hours is waaaaay too short for single player only game.

"For instance, it's a serious misstep when the strongest aspect of your game - sword play - is sidelined for almost 50 percent of its runtime. The very first level employs a massively hobbled version of the combat system which simply has none of the visceral thrill or satisfaction of the fully-fledged engine. Throw in the decision to completely remove sword fighting again in chapter three (of six, one of which is simply a boss fight), replaced by some over-egged archery, then cripple it later still with some pretty but soulless silliness, and it adds up to maybe three to four hours of decent combat in a game which takes a rather embarrassing, and distinctly un-epic, six or seven hours to beat."

6hours is waaaaay too short for single player only game.



4+7 = 11

still very short...but read into the details, please.

Heavenly Sword is being developed in the UK. Kinda makes sense that early reviews are coming from across the pond. Troll less and go back to taking pictures of yourself in your 300C.

BUt yet you took the time to go look at them. Whatever Sparky get it out your system.

6hours is waaaaay too short for single player only game.

Agreed. The length they cite in that review concerns me. This is going to be the first game I've bought since...well, Resistance...and less than a dozen hours for this flagship game is a disappointment to me personally.

lol. You don't add those numbers up, son. The reviewer was stating that out of the 6 or 7 hours of total play time, only 3 or 4 of which are sword fighting.

That was cute though.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/235/551098307_af57eab6de.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/208/551098071_fa53094045.jpg

http://is.rely.net/1-85-79061-l-nYsqvshCXjIyWiB4g7PhuA.gif

http://img470.imageshack.us/img470/9222/1659480690lyxk5nn662ca5dt2.gif

"When I Pull Up To Club All The Shawties Be Like Damnnnnnnnnnnn 22's!"

4+7 = 11

still very short...but read into the details, please.

I did read into the details.

" and it adds up to maybe three to four hours of decent combat in a game which takes a rather embarrassing, and distinctly un-epic, six or seven hours to beat."

3-4 of actual action the rest is CG. Thus 6-7hours.

it adds up to maybe three to four hours of decent combat in a game which takes a rather embarrassing, and distinctly un-epic, six or seven hours to beat.
4+7 = 11

still very short...but read into the details, please.
Er, reading the details suggests to me that the entire game takes 6-7 hours to beat, and only 3-4 of those hours are filled with decent combat. I don't see where you're getting the "4+7". :confused:

- Jer

That's some hardcore gangsta sh*t right there, yo.....

It's good to know you kids still wear your seatbelt though. Drive safe.

3-4 of actual action the rest is CG. Thus 6-7hours.

No, I don't think he was saying that. I think he was saying the actual beat'em up stages were of that length, but he didn't care for some of the other gaming action that takes up most of the rest of the game time. No where is it suggested that there is 3-4 hours of "CG" (there is no CG in the game BTW).

Other reviews say the game lasts longer, but Gears of War was pretty short so that's not always a doomsday factor. In any case, we now have three reviews with high praise and one with a mild recommendation. I'll post more reviews as they come.

I did read into the details.

" and it adds up to maybe three to four hours of decent combat in a game which takes a rather embarrassing, and distinctly un-epic, six or seven hours to beat."

3-4 of actual action the rest is CG. Thus 6-7hours.

Throw in the decision to completely remove sword fighting again in chapter three (of six, one of which is simply a boss fight), replaced by some over-egged archery, then cripple it later still with some pretty but soulless silliness, and it adds up to maybe three to four hours of decent combat in a game which takes a rather embarrassing, and distinctly un-epic, six or seven hours to beat."

Yeah, you read into the details, just skipped half of the sentence.
He was saying Archery lasted quite a long time, and that and CG added up the playing time.

He hated the archery part, so that is where he comes from.

"six or seven hours to beat"

Throw in the decision to completely remove sword fighting again in chapter three (of six, one of which is simply a boss fight), replaced by some over-egged archery, then cripple it later still with some pretty but soulless silliness, and it adds up to maybe three to four hours of decent combat in a game which takes a rather embarrassing, and distinctly un-epic, six or seven hours to beat."

Yeah, you read into the details, just skipped half of the sentence.
He was saying Archery lasted quite a long time, and that and CG added up the playing time.

He hated the archery part, so that is where he comes from.

Think a little harder. You'll come around eventually.

"six or seven hours to beat"

You will know when you get to play the game, along with that "un-epic" and "embarrassing" comment.

the whole experience is 12-15 hours. both God of War games were 7-8 hours (for me anyway) including the cutscenes and they were both great games. i played DMC3 for over 200 hours even though the game is only 8-10 hours. i think as long as the replayability and the game is good, then who cares?

I'm buying it regardless. I enjoyed the hell out of the demo and the full game will be worth the price of admission, even at 7 hours. This review goes against other reviews posted in the game time department so I'll continue to look to see what other reviewers say - but it isn't stopping me from owning this one.

I'm not sure how to judge IGN's review. They gave three games in the same genre very high scores.

God of War: 9.8
God of War II: 9.7
Ninja Gaiden Sigma: 9.3

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/235/551098307_af57eab6de.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/208/551098071_fa53094045.jpg

http://is.rely.net/1-85-79061-l-nYsqvshCXjIyWiB4g7PhuA.gif

http://img470.imageshack.us/img470/9222/1659480690lyxk5nn662ca5dt2.gif

"When I Pull Up To Club All The Shawties Be Like Damnnnnnnnnnnn 22's!"


Goatse you just hhaaaaaaddd to do it huh :D:cool:

I'm not sure how to judge IGN's review. They gave three games in the same genre very high scores.

God of War: 9.8
God of War II: 9.7
Ninja Gaiden Sigma: 9.3
IGN UK is separate from IGN.

That's some hardcore gangsta sh*t right there, yo.....

It's good to know you kids still wear your seatbelt though. Drive safe.

Just to clarify I am active duty Air Force no gangsta stat quo here. :D

I just enjoy alot of things. My job is computers my job is military and I get to travel around the world for free. Nothing better than protecting this country where ever I am needed.

I find it amusing that so many people here pump the quality of IGN's reviews and dump on Gamespot's, when I think it should be just the opposite. IGN gave God Hand a friggin' 3.0, which is beyond absurd for any beat-em-up fan who actually played that game. Their reviewer for Guitar Hero Rocks The '80s said that the idea of a guitar-centric hit from the '80s seemed like an oxymoron, when anyone with the slightest gleam of pop culture awareness knows that the '80s was the absolute height of guitar wankery being shoveled into pop music. They're also guilty of boosting scores for weak games with shiny graphics, or buying into pre-release hype for big titles that don't deliver the goods in the end (MGS2, anyone?).

Gamespot isn't perfect either, but of the major U.S. game review sites they seem the least susceptible to hype boosting, and their reviewers usually have some understanding of the historical context of gaming genres and how new titles fit into that picture. They also try to keep the scoring more realistic, with solid games scoring in the 7.0-8.0 range, good games in 8.0-9.0 range, and only the truly excellent games scoring in the 9.0-10.0 range. While I certainly have some disagreements with their reviewers, I find their scores and comments coming closer to my own feelings more of the time than with any other major U.S. game review site.

That said, the first place I stop to look at game reviews is Metacritic (http://www.metacritic.com/games/), because they offer links and scores for all of the available reviews from their core group of sites, plus they apply weighted averaging of those review scores to give a pretty solid at-a-glance impression of a game's quality. I think this gives them more accurate metascoring than GameRankings or other aggregation sites. It also allows you to read a couple of positive reviews and a couple of negative reviews so you can decide for yourself how the reviewers' pluses and minuses might jibe with your own tastes. That's what works best for me.

- Jer

You specifically point out IGN's "buying into [the] pre-release hype" of MGS2. GameSpot gave the game a 9.6, you know. ;)

Also, I think the game was excellent, and quite deserving of it's 9.7 score (the one IGN gave it).

IGN UK is separate from IGN.
- True, but their scores are usually within a point of each other.

sometimes, but not always. their reviews differ just as much as any other review site. for example, Resistance got a 9.1 from IGN but an 8 from IGN UK and an 8.4 from IGN AU. i was expecting more of an 8 from IGN so hopefully this is the case. even if the actual gameplay is 6-7 hours (most reviews go by the experience, not the actual gameplay), god of war was about the same but it got 9's or 10's from most review sites and length seems to be the biggest complaint of the game.

I can't decide if people on the internet are even real.
LOL
exacty why every forum will have the numbers/letters combo you have to type to prove you're human

You specifically point out IGN's "buying into [the] pre-release hype" of MGS2. GameSpot gave the game a 9.6, you know. ;)
Yes, which is why my very next line began with "Gamespot isn't perfect either".

Also, I think the game was excellent, and quite deserving of it's 9.7 score (the one IGN gave it).
And I think it was wildly overrated. The tanker mission was neat, but the plant was extremely uneven, and the never-ending pseudo-philosophical prattling really did the game in for me. MGS2 isn't fit to lick the boots of MGS or MGS3, IMO.

- Jer

Yes, which is why my very next line began with "Gamespot isn't perfect either".


And I think it was wildly overrated. The tanker mission was neat, but the plant was extremely uneven, and the never-ending pseudo-philosophical prattling really did the game in for me. MGS2 isn't fit to lick the boots of MGS or MGS3, IMO.

- Jer
Well, I hadn't finished MGS2 when I made that comment (I had just gotten to the part where Raiden had been captured by Ocelot and Solidus), but having just completed the game, I must say I somewhat agree. The story was absolutely insane, in a good way, but it didn't really end with much of a bang. It just left a bunch of unanswered questions. :( Hopefully MGS4 will rectify all that. :)

It was quite apparent that Kojima's directing skills were improving with each game he worked on. The story of MGS1 was great, but the lines tended to be somewhat cheesy. 2's story was much more interesting, but the ending was quite lacking. 3, however, was a masterpiece. It is the only game I've ever played that almost made me cry. The way he portrayed the tale of the Boss...so amazing.

For all those who haven't played the series, I must say that starting with 3 like I did is definately the way to go. It really helps explain the story, and it left me with a hell of a lot of questions at the end of 2 that I'm sure I wouldn't have thought of otherwise.

Looks like HS pulled another crappy score...6 from edge magazine. BTW warhawk got a 8 from them. Looks like a rental for me. The game doesn't appear to much reply. Oh well.

Yep. Still waiting for a game to own on the PS3. Maybe Lair - but I have a feeling that one is going to disappoint as well. My best hope is Folklore.

you guys focus on scores too much. while it is good to see many different people and magazines enjoying the game, they are not the end all. for instance, IGN gave parasite eve a 7.4. that is one of my favorite RPG i have ever played. this goes to show you not to judge a game based on someone else's opinion. play the game, at least rent it to see if its for you.

there are some disappointing aspects of the game that have been bothering me for a while, but not enough to warrant a no purchase. No game is perfect.

you guys focus on scores too much. while it is good to see many different people and magazines enjoying the game, they are not the end all. for instance, IGN gave parasite eve a 7.4. that is one of my favorite RPG i have ever played. this goes to show you not to judge a game based on someone else's opinion. play the game, at least rent it to see if its for you.

there are some disappointing aspects of the game that have been bothering me for a while, but not enough to warrant a no purchase. No game is perfect.

Nor do I depend on other peoples reviews to make my decision...but it surely helps curve it when spending $60. Honestly the demo just didnt pull me in. Sure, graphics and sound were great, but gameplay was repetitious. Honestly I had more fun with the stranglehold demo. "Fun" being the key word.

Wha... Stranglehold demo? Where?

you guys focus on scores too much. while it is good to see many different people and magazines enjoying the game, they are not the end all... there are some disappointing aspects of the game that have been bothering me for a while, but not enough to warrant a no purchase. No game is perfect.
- Erratic scores is a strong indicator of "rent" to me. The only way I'll blind buy a game with low scores is if I have played a previous game in a series.

My best hope is Folklore.

Eww, ouch. Bad choice I think, my friend. Early reviews don't look promising.

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=80402

Eurogamer's scores are across the board horrendously low (Ninja Gaiden Sigma a 7?).

Wha... Stranglehold demo? Where?

XBox360.

Eww, ouch. Bad choice I think, my friend. Early reviews don't look promising.

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=80402

I liked the demo level that I played so far. The graphics are nice, and I think they did a great job with the implementation of the six axis.

Eurogamer's scores are across the board horrendously low (Ninja Gaiden Sigma a 7?).

I don't think it's so much they score "low", but more that they score accurately. They tend to make use of their entire score range, rather than using a skewed and bloated system like Gamespot (etc.), that people seem so used to. At least, those people fixated on the numbers. Eurogamer has awesome writing for those that read the reviews.

That said, I would still have given Ninja Gaiden at least an 8. So agreed there.

I liked the demo level that I played so far. The graphics are nice, and I think they did a great job with the implementation of the six axis.

Yeah, I think I'm going to try it too when the game comes out. If for at least just to power up my PS3 again. =P

IGN UK reviews are notoriously lower than their American counterparts (not really sure why).

Lost Planet UK: 7.1 US: 8.5
Resistance UK: 8.0 US: 9.1

are some pretty extreme examples.

EDGE gave Heavenly Sword only 6/10 =(

Eww, ouch. Bad choice I think, my friend. Early reviews don't look promising.

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=80402

Crap!

In that case... MGS4? White Knight Story? Well, that's enough thread hijacking from me!

Some of my favorite games have routinely received 6's and 7's from reviewers. Frankly, I'm not concerned that HS got such a low score from IGN UK. I already knew it looked like a single play-through (rental) game. If it's a fun play-through, I may purchase it down the road to play through it again. I'm not the sort of person who will buy a game sight unseen (or unplayed) unless it's from a proven IP and a proven developer.

But I do think it's unfair that IGN UK scored the game so low seemingly for its short length. If it seems too short, play it again. Ico and Sands of Time are both around 5hrs, but I still love playing through those games. They both feel much more "epic" than games clocking in at 20-30 hrs. Super Paper Mario or Metroid don't feel "epic" in the slightest. "Epic" is a feeling and an experience, not a length.

The only effect review scores have on me these days is in seeing how well a game might sell. If it's well reviewed, that'll probably help sales and ensure that the developer and IP will survive to produce another title (though not always: see Clover Studios). Otherwise, it's pretty meaningless. Regardless of the score that the US reviewers give the game, I'll be playing it.

EDGE gave Heavenly Sword only 6/10 =(

The same idiots gave fatal inertia a 6 as well. There went their credibility. :(

EDGE gave Heavenly Sword only 6/10 =(
you'd be lucky to get anything above 6 from EDGE. they're known to be consistently tough on games.

Bioshock and Warhawk but got 8's.....MotoGP 07 got a 7.

Yeah, EDGE is tough, which is why I usually like their reviews. They don't seem to be swayed by other scores and hype that surrounds game releases sometimes.

What are games that have gotten 9s or 10s from Edge?

Bioshock gets an 8, same as Warhawk? Sounds like a freaking winner to me. I could care less about the number - it's the consistency from game to game that's important - and it sounds like they are consistent.

http://www.gamepro.com/sony/ps3/games/reviews/130968.shtml
4.5/5 from GP (9/10).

Thanks rahzel (they call it literally a "Triple AAA" title). I'll add it to the first post with credit.

Overall the game seems definitely above average from these reviews so far. Many agree the visuals and presentation are top notch, making it a worthy PS3 tech demo for your buddies.

Questions have been raised about its length (7-10 hours by most accounts), but any beat 'em up fan knows that a good game has replayability to lengthen the "real" playtime. Also, not all are into the non-fighting portions, but at least it adds variety. It looks like it'll be worth the nickles and dimes for fans of the genre.

God of War is a similar length so i don't understand why it gets such great reviews while HS gets knocked for its length. i think reviewers are just comparing it to God of War which is not fair. ill probably be picking this game up regardless of the reviews (good or bad).

How many games of this type are 20 hour games?Anywhere from 7-10 hours is about average.I'd rather a game hold my attention for 7-8 hours then drag on for 15,and I've played lots of games like that.

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/815/815721p1.html

9.0 Presentation
The cutscene work is fantastic, as are the extras (even though you can get most of them freely online).
9.0 Graphics
Beautiful in every respect. Character models are great, and the vistas are a-plenty.
9.0 Sound
Sound effects are fantastic as is the music and voice work.
7.0 Gameplay
The combat system is mostly very good, though the battles get repetitive very quickly and some of the extra stuff (like the button matching mini-games) needed more polish.
5.0 Lasting Appeal
The experience is over fairly quickly. There are a number of really good unlockables to go back and earn, though you can already get them online right now.
7.0
Decent OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)

Told you guys this would only get a 7-7.5. Heavenly Sword isn't all it's cracked up to be.

another less than stellar anticipated release for PS3. Who would have thunk it?!?!

In this case it's nice to have a decent PC setup as there are plenty of good PC games coming.

At least they (probably) can't do anything to screw UT3 up at this point.

The roller coaster reviews keep coming.... the game scores a perfect 10 from Finland's #1 gaming media company Tilt.tv (http://www.tilt.tv/?cm=games&aid=13694):

Heavenly Sword on kaikin puolin liki täyden kympin arvoinen peli. Sen teräksinen ja moneen taipuva pelimoottori häviää ainoastaan laittoman hyvälle grafiikalle ja animaatiolle. Vain surkeat heittoaseiden kimmokkeilla tehtävät puzzlet pilaavat pelin rytmiä, muuten teosta ei voi päästää käsistään ennen kuin kaikki on ohitse. Loppu lähestyykin aivan liian pian, sillä pelattavaa piisaa vain viideksi tunniksi. Se on kuitenkin henkeäsalpaavin paketti, mitä pelimaailmasta tällä hetkellä löytyy.

You know, they actually make a good point right there ;). Overall it seems some of us will really like the final game, and some will not be too impressed if the wide range of reviews is any indication.

OK everyone, I am now continually updating the first post of this thread to track the average score overall for this title based on reviews. So far, despite two extremely favorable reviews not providing a final score, Heavenly Sword has an 8.8 out of 10.0 overall rating at this time. That's a big thumbs up in my book despite the mentioned quirks.

Even with the above average ratings I still don't think the game is worth a $69.99 investment (CDN) for a 7-8 hour game.

EDGE gave Heavenly Sword only 6/10 =(

What's EDGE?

Even with the above average ratings I still don't think the game is worth a $69.99 investment (CDN) for a 7-8 hour game.

DeanoC, one of the developers, says it took him 10 hours on Normal to play through the game. Granted that he has worked on the game for the past 3-4 years, you would think he has a pretty good idea on how to beat it quickly.

So, either he is a liar, which is possible, or the IGN guys lost track of time.

DeanoC, one of the developers, says it took him 10 hours on Normal to play through the game. Granted that he has worked on the game for the past 3-4 years, you would think he has a pretty good idea on how to beat it quickly.

So, either he is a liar, which is possible, or the IGN guys lost track of time.

Fair enough, though when it comes to gameplay hours I would tend to believe a reviewer rather than an actual developer of a game who's longevity has come into question.

I'll wait for the Gamespot review to come out before I make a decision. I already spent the Heavenly Sword money on Ninja Gaiden anyways.

Lol, Heavenly Sword isn't an RPG so 7-19 hours of gameplay is fine. The best part of beat 'em ups is going through it again and again on the toughest difficulty, mastering your techniques. If one is buying this primarily for the story, I guess it might not be worth it. I plan to start it on at least one difficulty above normal since I'm pretty good at this genre.

The game is reviewed by three editors at EGM:

8, 8, 9

That brings the total average score for all reviews in so far to 8.7 out of 10.

small translation of summary from tilt.tv's review:
+Very beautiful and good acting
+Very capable combat engine
-Far too short
-Stubid ricochet puzzles
10/10

More on negatives(not straight translation from review):
They wrote playtime is about five hours. Ricochet puzzles take away rythm of game according to them.
But overal it takes your breath away.

Personally i would have taken a point away for short playtime.(it still costs same as 10 hour game)

Ok, I just watched this video. Pretty amazing IMO. Yea, this game is a 6. Riiiiigggght.

http://www.gamespot.com/video/928391/6177725/videoplayerpop?

The video was described as "Incredible HS Video: 1000 enemies on screen". That alone warrants another review point, dammit! ;)

Thanks Raitzi, I'll add the snippet to the first post.

Here's a great 8/10 review coming in from Game Daily (http://www.gamedaily.com/games/heavenly-sword/playstation-3/game-reviews/review/4858/1728/):


This epic story unfolds with the help of true next-gen visuals and excellent voice acting, courtesy of Andy Serkis (as King Bohan) and a cast of semi-known Brits. Looks-wise, Heavenly Sword presents one of the most eye-appealing games to appear on the PS3 – each level is filled with gorgeous vistas, and the characters, down to detailed facial expressions, give an something that might even be called an emotional performance.


The total average for this game is now a highly respectable 8.6 out of 10. There's not reason to worry if this is a bad game anymore IMHO. Almost all of the reviews say it is really good despite a few issues here and there.

1000 enemies on screen. nuff said. ;)

1000 enemies on screen. nuff said. ;)

I beileve kingdom hearts 2 was capable of the same feat. which has no bearing on the fact that it was a great game.

http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ps3/heavenlysword

Game Informer (http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200710/R07.0828.1537.05368.htm) loves the game enough to give it two scores of 9 and 8.75:

It may not realize its full potential, but the combat in Heavenly Sword is frenzied and entertaining – more than enough to justify giving the game a try. 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. It may invite comparisons to other action titles, but I can safely say that Heavenly Sword is a unique and captivating adventure with a style all its own.

I know many of you won’t agree with this next point, but part of this game’s charm is how short and compact it is. It throws you right into the fire, doesn’t bog down the quest with random events, and just keeps rolling with the intensity high. Many believe that games will deliver the same cinematic punch as movies. Heavenly Sword shows us just how close this union is.

Total average score remains 8.6 out of 10 for all reviews listed in this thread.

From PSU


Heavenly Sword:
Play Magazine 10/10
Tilt.TV 10/10
gamedaily 8/10
PSXtreme Magazine 9/10
Doupe.cz: 9/10
EGM:Heavenly Sword 8, 8, 9
Gamepro 4.5/5
The Officiel Playstation Magazine 89%
PSW*Uk mag*8/10
IGN US 7/10
Edge 6/10





Lair:
Play Magazine 9/10
PSW*UK mag* 8/10
Game Informer 7.25 & 8
Gamepro 3.75/5
Gamer TV: 3/5
EGM 5.5
PSM: 5.0/10

Warhawk:

PSM3 90/100
Yahoo Games 4/5
IGN 8.8
Ripten 8.7
Game Informer 8.25
GamePro 4/5
EGM 8.5, 7, 8.5
Edge 8/10
Gamereactor 7/10
PSM 6.5/10

I beileve kingdom hearts 2 was capable of the same feat. which has no bearing on the fact that it was a great game.

Well in this type of game it does indeed have bearing.

Some really solid reviews on this game. I loved the Demo, but am hoping the official version will allow for button remapping? For some reason I do not like the stance buttons as L1 and R1. For me it would feel better as the L2 and R2 triggers. I can not wait for this game next week.

Gametrailers Review: 7.9 (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/24686.html), although the actual video commentary sounds alot higher. And I have no idea how they arrived at a 6.5 for design :rolleyes:

Anyways, I've had this game preordered for months now and I simply can't wait. I have a feeling that I'm going to fall into the category of absolutely loving this title based soley on its cinematic presentation and acting (yes, this is probably the first game that we can actually say "acting" :) ). I couldn't care less if it's only 7 hours of single player--the amount of care that went into making this game is more than the price of admission.

Actually, the claims that this game "is not a revelation" are starting to get underneath my skin. This game IS a revelation based solely on the motion capture and acting...it is EXACTLY what next gen needs--not just shiny graphics like most devs seem to think.

1000 enemies on screen. nuff said. ;)

Thaty was pretty cool in Kameo so should be in HS as well.

New PS3 owner here. Can somebody please explain how to play this game? I die after about five seconds in the demo. I keep falling off the rope. I can't figure out how to jump.

New PS3 owner here. Can somebody please explain how to play this game? I die after about five seconds in the demo. I keep falling off the rope. I can't figure out how to jump.

Once you see the button symbol showing up, continuously pressing that button for many times and Nariko will jump according to the command. It is not about when you press, but how consistently you press. :)

OK, thanks. Does this game use the six-axis motion sensing feature?

OK, thanks. Does this game use the six-axis motion sensing feature?Yes. Check the move list and look at the different combos that you can do. Go to air combos and I believe the description tells you how to use it.

If you also hold down X when throwing something, you can steer the thrown item.

This is turning out to be a really nice time for gamers, First we got Bioshock and Blue Dragon, then Lair which I enjoyed, followed by the soon to be released Heavenly Sword and Eternal Sonata both of which I am really looking forward too, all capped off by Halo 3. Awesome time to be a multi console owner.

This is turning out to be a really nice time for gamers, First we got Bioshock and Blue Dragon, then Lair which I enjoyed, followed by the soon to be released Heavenly Sword and Eternal Sonata both of which I am really looking forward too, all capped off by Halo 3. Awesome time to be a multi console owner.

Capped off? Don't forget Oct, Nov and Dec!

True true

http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ps3/heavenlyswordIf this game hasn't been released yet (that link says Wednesday), how can 208 users rate the game an 8.9? Or did this game have an advanced release date a la Bioshock/Toys-R-Us?

Hm... Mixed reviews. Rent or buy?!?!

If it has as much replay value as NGS I will buy. That game rocks.

I wouldn't bank on replay value. General consensus from reviewers say that the only thing to unlock is making of videos.

Hm... Mixed reviews. Rent or buy?!?!

If it has as much replay value as NGS I will buy. That game rocks.

From the demo it seems a lot more God of War than Ninja gaiden Sigma.

From the demo it seems a lot more God of War than Ninja gaiden Sigma.

I agree 100% after playing all three - which is a GOOD thing IMO. NGS was an exercise in freaking frustration for me...

Personally, I didn't like Ninja Gaiden and after a few chapters decided it wasn't my type of game. Part of the problem is that I only have limited time for gaming, so spending time learning the controls and everything else was just frustrating.

Anyways, after playing the demo for HS, it seemed a little like NG. I know that no one has really played it yet, but do you think it is more like Heavenly Sword is more like NG? I am hoping not, as I would love to pick up this game, but don't want to spend my time learning too many fancy moves.

I love story based games and given the work with actors and so on, it seems that this game could be the perfect compliment of gaming/watching a movie. I heard it is short and that is fine, but if it has a good story with excellent cinemetics, then I would love to give this a try.

Any ideas.

Personally, I didn't like Ninja Gaiden and after a few chapters decided it wasn't my type of game. Part of the problem is that I only have limited time for gaming, so spending time learning the controls and everything else was just frustrating.

Anyways, after playing the demo for HS, it seemed a little like NG. I know that no one has really played it yet, but do you think it is more like Heavenly Sword is more like NG? I am hoping not, as I would love to pick up this game, but don't want to spend my time learning too many fancy moves.

I love story based games and given the work with actors and so on, it seems that this game could be the perfect compliment of gaming/watching a movie. I heard it is short and that is fine, but if it has a good story with excellent cinemetics, then I would love to give this a try.

Any ideas.You don't have to pull off fancy combos. Just do whatever to kill them. And really, if you learn how to do counters, the demo is a cake walk. Practice killing everyone with just a single counter each.

^^

I dont think it'll be that simple if they mix in hard attacks with weak with unblockables.

All the enemies in the demo used weak attacks, so you could block it with the speed stance (with the exception of the axe guy)

This game is first in my queue on Gamefly. I just sent back a game today, so I'm hoping that they'll get it on wednesday and ship out HS. That's assuming they have it by then. My hopes are up because Bioshock shipped on 8/20, which was before the release date.

From the demo it seems a lot more God of War than Ninja gaiden Sigma.
from the demo maybe, but im guessing the actual game will be more like NGS. the demo was just the second level, the game will most likely require you to block and counter a lot. GoW is pretty much just a hack and slash.

^^

I dont think it'll be that simple if they mix in hard attacks with weak with unblockables.

All the enemies in the demo used weak attacks, so you could block it with the speed stance (with the exception of the axe guy)
I don't think it would be too bad. Just learn to roll away when 2 different attacks are coming at you.

Usually, the ones that come running at you with weak attacks are the only ones that will follow you longer distances. In which case, you can pick them off one by one.

Or, you can throw a sword into their face. Either works, I'm sure.

don't Heavenly Sword come out this week?

Gametrailers Review: 7.9 (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/24686.html), although the actual video commentary sounds alot higher. And I have no idea how they arrived at a 6.5 for design :rolleyes:

Anyways, I've had this game preordered for months now and I simply can't wait. I have a feeling that I'm going to fall into the category of absolutely loving this title based soley on its cinematic presentation and acting (yes, this is probably the first game that we can actually say "acting" :) ). I couldn't care less if it's only 7 hours of single player--the amount of care that went into making this game is more than the price of admission.

Actually, the claims that this game "is not a revelation" are starting to get underneath my skin. This game IS a revelation based solely on the motion capture and acting...it is EXACTLY what next gen needs--not just shiny graphics like most devs seem to think.
Most likely because it is really short. That's a design flaw if I ever heard one.

GameSpot (http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/action/heavenlysword/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=tabs&tag=tabs;reviews) gave the game an 8.0, btw. It's very rare for GS to review a game higher than IGN. A whole point, no less!

I'll probably pick this game up after Christmas sometime. The demo was very fun, and from all accounts the game is superb, but I can't justify spending $60 for a 6 hour game. I'm broke as it is.

don't Heavenly Sword come out this week?

Tomorrow. :D

A perfect 10 on a game with limited appeal is still a problem.

I hope though that it is true, because I really hope the PS3 can have a resurgence and be known as something other than a force-fed Blu-ray machine.

Tomorrow. :D

It actually ships on Wednesday, so you probably won't find it in stores until the end of the work week. :)

This game is first in my queue on Gamefly. I just sent back a game today, so I'm hoping that they'll get it on wednesday and ship out HS. That's assuming they have it by then. My hopes are up because Bioshock shipped on 8/20, which was before the release date.

its on yours, mine, and about 10,000 others first queue. :eek: Its a definite keeper imo if its anything like GoW but at $45.00, not 60.

its on yours, mine, and about 10,000 others first queue. :eek: Its a definite keeper imo if its anything like GoW but at $45.00, not 60.

Skate is second, and releases at about the same time, so if not HS, then I hope I get that. :)

No chance in hell of getting the Wii games I want.

I'm trying to figure out who the hell is right when it comes to length on Heavenly Sword. Just watched the Gamespot review, they said 6.5 hours long. Others say 8 and others still say 10-14. I'm beginning to think people are just trying to find something wrong with it. Everything I've seen so far screams definite buy for my gaming tastes.

Hopefully the 1000 enemies on HS wont look like the 1000 troops on LAIR. Or should I say 1000 legos.

Has anyone seen the commercial for HS on TV? I saw it Sunday night during the Giants/Cowboys game, all I can say is WOW, everything shown was in game. There was one part where they showed a close up of the woman that plays the lead character and I SWORE it was the actual woman instead of in game.

I will be buying the game myself, but I will wait a few weeks and pick it up used.

The TV spot is NOT in game, that is QUITE obvious. Anyone who's played the demo can point that out just by looking at her hair.

Assuming you're talking about this spot: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/24727.html

I wish she could look like that in game...
The TV spot is pre-rendered and everything looks better.

I wish she could look like that in game...
The TV spot is pre-rendered and everything looks better.

Indeed it looks better, but that's not to say the actual game is any type of slouch. I was very impressed with the visuals in the demo. Would have looked a lot better were it not for the tearing, but Ninja Theory has said that has been addressed. I hope they are right. I haven't seen a review state otherwise yet.

I wish she could look like that in game...
The TV spot is pre-rendered and everything looks better.Maybe not everything. I like the Nariko from the game better than the actress in the commercial.

Maybe not everything. I like the Nariko from the game better than the actress in the commercial.

Actual look is up to personal preference. But the commercial indeed has better rendering color and details on hair and facial features.

I was talking about the close-up at the end. It seems odd that they would switch to live action for that one little bit when the CG model of Nariko looks so good.

I was talking about the close-up at the end. It seems odd that they would switch to live action for that one little bit when the CG model of Nariko looks so good.

live action? I am pretty sure it was pre-rendered CG, not real actress's face.
If it fooled you on TV, that means they did a very good job.

But on the DLP theater screen where I saw the commercial, it was quite clear the ending scene is CG.

Certainly possible given the state of CG today, but I'm 99% certain that's live action. Since they already have a very high quailty Nariko model I don't think they'd create an entirely new face just for the commercial.

Commercial
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/oddbodyAS2/ps3/Narikob.jpg


In-game CG
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/oddbodyAS2/ps3/narikoa.jpg

That last bit where they showed the face was CG. While somewhat similar to "nariko's" face, the real actress does look quite a bit different.

It was CG, the lighting is artificial, plus when she turned her face to us, the perspective on facial features does not match with the up-down angle. Even in the screen showing above, the jawline shadow is off and the eyebrow is textured.

It may be hard for some people to tell if they are not familiar with art theory or the way CG is rendered. Anyway, thumb up for whoever rendered the commercial :)

That last bit where they showed the face was CG. While somewhat similar to "nariko's" face, the real actress does look quite a bit different.Agreed. If you watch the making of videos that were released with the backstory animation, you could see they took the motion capture model and changed it a bit (slanted the eyes and adjusted the nose).

I'm going with Occam's razor on this one. I still say it's live action with heavy post processing. But no it's definitely not the mo-cap actress. I'd imagine Ninja Theory didn't have much, if anything, to do with making the commercial.

Certainly possible given the state of CG today, but I'm 99% certain that's live action. Since they already have a very high quailty Nariko model I don't think they'd create an entirely new face just for the commercial.

Commercial
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/oddbodyAS2/ps3/Narikob.jpg


In-game CG
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/oddbodyAS2/ps3/narikoa.jpg

Commercial is definitely pre-rendered CG. The in-game cutscenes use the game engine and are not pre-rendered, hence the difference between these two pictures. Again, the hair is the dead give-away in the commercial. Not sure where the debate lies or exists here.

Commercial is definitely pre-rendered CG. The in-game cutscenes use the game engine and are not pre-rendered, hence the difference between these two pictures. Again, the hair is the dead give-away in the commercial. Not sure where the debate lies or exists here.Heh, this is getting into whole new topic. The game's cut scenes are pre-rendered. They're used to mask the loading. It's been mentioned in several articles/interviews about the game.

About the commercial, obviously all the action stuff is CG. If you look closely the Nariko model's face looks pretty much exactly like the game. It's just the close-up at the end that I'm saying is live action. Her face and hair here are quite different from both the game and the action scenes of the commercial.

I still liked the commercial ;)

Heh, this is getting into whole new topic. The game's cut scenes are pre-rendered. They're used to mask the loading. It's been mentioned in several articles/interviews about the game.

About the commercial, obviously all the action stuff is CG. If you look closely the Nariko model's face looks pretty much exactly like the game. It's just the close-up at the end that I'm saying is live action. Her face and hair here are quite different from both the game and the action scenes of the commercial.

Whether the in-game cutscenes are pre-rendered or not I guess wasn't really my point. My point was that they use the in-game character models in them, clearly evidenced in the demo.

I can 100% tell you that the face at the end of the commercial is CG. I converted it to a desktop from the HD version of the commercial. Definitely not a real person. One good look at her ears will tell you that.

I guess this is what all that uncanny valley talk is about, huh? ;)

I just watched the review on gametrailers and it looks like it should be a good title besides its short length.

If I see one more comment on Heavenly Sword's length, I'm gonna scream. Seriously. I don't think anyone really knows how long HS is because every review is different. 6-14 hours is quite the range if you ask me.

Sorry, had a fanboy moment there.

If I see one more comment on Heavenly Sword's length, I'm gonna scream. Seriously. I don't think anyone really knows how long HS is because every review is different. 6-14 hours is quite the range if you ask me.

Sorry, had a fanboy moment there.

Let us know how long it really is. I'm going to wait and rent it later.

Not to throw instantpop over the edge,but here is another review claiming 6 - 8 hours. Granted it's CNET, so take that with the proverbial grain of salt.

http://reviews.cnet.com/playstation-3-games/heavenly-sword-playstation-3/4505-9992_7-31414824.html?tag=cnetfd.mt

I could care less on the length - it needs to be a quality gaming experience in that time period however. It seems everyone agrees it's a quality experience, albeit short (in their opinions). Given that, it's a must buy. I'd spend twice the price of admission for 4 hours of entertainment at an OU football game for the wife and I - I'd say it meets my threshold given that thought process....

There are 3 types of cutscenes in Heavenly Sword that I know of:

1. Entirely ingame

2. Entirely ingame put to video, so the game can load

3. Entirely CG

3. Entirely CG Really? I never saw any thing that indicates there is CG in the game...

Is there a demo out for this title? If not, WHY?!

Really? I never saw any thing that indicates there is CG in the game...

Unless my memory is wrong, I remember a developer stating those 3 types on Ninja Theory Forum. Don't remember what thread it was though.

Yeah, thats diff CG...she sure looks good though...http://www.drunkendonkey.net/eng/html/emoticons/dribble.gif

Is there a demo out for this title? If not, WHY?!

yup, check the PS store. Though it is very short and IMO just whets the appetite for more! :)

So whats up, who has the game? Im about to go buy it tonight. I'll post up my review tomarrow.

So whats up, who has the game? Im about to go buy it tonight. I'll post up my review tomarrow.Isn't it shipped from today for online stores, and available in-store tomorrow?

Is there a demo out for this title? If not, WHY?!Demo came out July 26th. http://ps3.ign.com/articles/807/807651p1.html

Or, were you kidding?Unless my memory is wrong, I remember a developer stating those 3 types on Ninja Theory Forum. Don't remember what thread it was though.Ah. I just read threads on AVS and watched making of videos and didn't see anything that resembled CG footage.

Demo came out July 26th. http://ps3.ign.com/articles/807/807651p1.html

Or, were you kidding?Ah. I just read threads on AVS and watched making of videos and didn't see anything that resembled CG footage.

Ah...I just found it:

http://www.ninjatheory.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16128&postcount=466

Straight from one of the developers:

There are three types of 'cutscene' in the game.

Firstly - the big, expensive, full on, traditional style CG cutscene.

Second, there's stuff that's done using the game engine.

Thirdly, there's stuff like the the intro you saw to the demo last night - which is again produced by the engine cutscene, but then recorded into a movie so we can play it whilst something loads in the background.


Hope that clears it up.

Ah...I just found it:

http://www.ninjatheory.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16128&postcount=466

Straight from one of the developers:

There are three types of 'cutscene' in the game.

Firstly - the big, expensive, full on, traditional style CG cutscene.

Second, there's stuff that's done using the game engine.

Thirdly, there's stuff like the the intro you saw to the demo last night - which is again produced by the engine cutscene, but then recorded into a movie so we can play it whilst something loads in the background.


Hope that clears it up.Thanks for finding that quote. I wonder why they haven't shown any of this in their trailers and behind the scenes videos. Guess they aren't trying to show off stuff that isn't playable?

why does everybody mention the length? Geow is praised and it takes 6 hours to beat............

why does everybody mention the length? Geow is praised and it takes 6 hours to beat............

People were pretty critical of GeOW length too.

Is this in stores today? Does anyone know?

Is this in stores today? Does anyone know?

Should be on most shelves after 2:00 this afternoon. I hope it is!!

I called my buddy at Target about 30 mins ago...works in the electronics dept, said that they received an early shipment and that he's holding one for me!! Getting it on my lunch break!!!:eek:

Newest review from USA Today (http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2007-09-11-heavenly-sword_N.htm):

The comparisons to God of War couldn't have been more accurate.
PlayStation 3 release Heavenly Sword boasts a blade-wielding protagonist, gripping action and spectacular cinematography.

Created by game studio Ninja Theory, Heavenly Sword tells the tale of Nariko, a passionate heroine who brandishes the Heavenly Sword to protect it from an invading king.

Heavenly Sword is a rare game where cut scenes are welcome. Andy Serkis -– best known to Lord of the Rings fans as Gollum – lends his creative talents with impressive results. Facial animations are incredibly detailed and dripping with emotion, ranging from panic to elation to terror.

Once you wield the sword, the action is equally compelling. Nariko fights enemies in three separate stances: power, speed and range. In power mode, you'll swing a heavy blade dealing massive damage. Speed stance allows you to separate the sword into two weapons for quick strikes. In ranged stance, you'll twirl your swords in a blinding fury at opponents from a distance.

Unlike most fighters, Heavenly Sword implements an auto-block feature. Before an enemy attacks, a colored aura appears denoting what type of attack. Orange signals a power strike, while blue represents a speed attack. If you maintain the right fighting stance, you can block and even counter.

Combat is gratifying, especially as enemies' attacks and blocks grow more advanced. Combos and counter attacks flow effortlessly, as bodies flail and fly about with each slash.

The game's contextual elements keep you on your toes at all times. They may involve keeping up with an agile boss character, or scaling a wall to reach your next destination.

Ninja Theory balances intense swordplay with Matrix-style controls called Aftertouch. When you toss an object or fire a ranged weapon, you can hold down a button to initiate a slow-motion effect. Using the Sixaxis motion controls, you manipulate the object to fly toward its target.

Aftertouch missions are a fantastic break from the up-close combat. In one mission, you must protect Nariko's wounded father as he crosses a bridge. As he slowly moves toward the gate, you must pick off approaching foes with a bow and arrow before they kill him.

Heavenly Sword's lone disappointment is the campaign's length. On a normal setting, an experienced player can zip through this game in roughly 6-8 hours.

PlayStation 3 fans hungry for more satisfying first-party content from Sony will be satiated with the feverish pace Heavenly Sword provides.

Score: 9 stars (out of 10)

why does everybody mention the length? Geow is praised and it takes 6 hours to beat............

If you're talking about gears of war, it also has co-op and competitive multiplayer (I'm still playing it a couple of times a week).

I have it....


This day can't go by any slower....:mad:

I have it....


This day can't go by any slower....:mad:


I'm jealous. My HT room is still a few weeks away from completion, so the shrink wrap won't be coming off mine for a while when it finally arrives.

I have it....


This day can't go by any slower....:mad:

You have it??? How UNFAIR is that!!! I have it on preorder and not a pipe from Gamestop. I'm going to go pout in my HT now and attempt to aleve my urge to cry with a round of Warhawk. :(:D

Its been sitting in my locked car since 12:15....

30 mins left, then my wife gets to watch me play a game for the rest of the evening!!

Where did you get it? I heard most stores don't get them until tomorrow right?

There's a really fantastic new trailer at the PS blog.

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2007/09/12/heavenly-sword-arrives/

Very cinematic. But of course the whole game is.

I called my buddy at Target about 30 mins ago...works in the electronics dept, said that they received an early shipment and that he's holding one for me!! Getting it on my lunch break!!!:eek:

bastard

I'm calling every Houston area Target in...

3...

2...

1...

HAHA!!!

Funny story to add to this today..

I get home, after having opened it while driving in traffic with one hand, I put it in...and my wife walks around the corner...hands on hips..."I don't want to watch you play a game tonight, please turn it off.."
After being married for 12 years, I know how to read her...she was serious.

I did make it to the title screen, though...it was pretty...http://www.schildersmilies.de/schilder/ohmann.gif

HAHA!!!

Funny story to add to this today..

I get home, after having opened it while driving in traffic with one hand, I put it in...and my wife walks around the corner...hands on hips..."I don't want to watch you play a game tonight, please turn it off.."
After being married for 12 years, I know how to read her...she was serious.

I did make it to the title screen, though...it was pretty...http://www.schildersmilies.de/schilder/ohmann.gif

Ugly....but understood. Let us know when you get some time as I'm really interested in some AVS first impressions...

You guys do know that there's been a lot of recent controversy over review sites being allowed to publish early reviews of games in exchange for an agreement to award it a certain (high) score? Thus, all the "We have it here first, exclusive!" reviews published a month ago may tend to skew somewhat high. Not that I'm saying it's necessarily a bad game (since I obviously haven't played it), just that these things should be taken with a grain of salt.

Picked up my copy at lunch today and will post my thoughts tomorrow on the game.