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Available on: Xbox 360, PS3

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West super review

Storytelling, characters, and a world like no other

Words: on September 30, 2010
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73 comments

  • GamesRadarMatthewKeast - September 30, 2010 9:29 p.m.

    The two versions were nearly identical from what I could see. However, note the bugs I mentioned - since they don't happen every time you play, it's possible some rare serious stuff could crop up on the PS3 version. The shadows looked a bit jaggy on PS3 but it was pretty minor and just slightly distracting. If you have the option, I'd suggest going for 360 to be safe.

  • KaiokenKid - September 30, 2010 9:37 p.m.

    @GamesRadarMatthewKeast: Matt, in your opinon, do you think most multiplatform games still outperform their PS3 counterparts?, or is this game just a rare case where the PS3 version might be a bit worse? Im really curious if I should just continue to get my multiplatform on 360 as opposed to start getting them on PS3. I know the differences usualy arent big, but differences are differences arent they not? And im a bit of a graphics whore, and I do notice that alot of times the 360 version of a game is less washed out and less blurry then the PS3 version.

  • Doctalen - September 30, 2010 9:47 p.m.

    Who doesn't like red heads?

  • batmanboy11 - September 30, 2010 9:56 p.m.

    Maybe I'll check this out.

  • KaiokenKid - September 30, 2010 10:20 p.m.

    @GamesradarMatthewKeast: Made a typo. meant to say: " Matt, in your opinon, do you think most multiplatform games on 360 still outperform their PS3 counterparts, or is this game just a rare case where the PS3 version might be a bit worse? Im really curious if I should just continue to get my multiplatform on 360 as opposed to start getting them on PS3. I know the differences usualy arent big, but differences are differences arent they not? And im a bit of a graphics whore, and I do notice that alot of times the 360 version of a game is less washed out and less blurry then the PS3 version."

  • Not Snake - September 30, 2010 10:37 p.m.

    This sounds pretty amazing. I'll have to try the demo at the very least.

  • Mamudo - September 30, 2010 11:13 p.m.

    The demo was great and I was considering this game, now I'm sold.

  • BishopofHippo93 - October 1, 2010 12:02 a.m.

    I really wish I was excited for this game, I've heard and read all kind of good about it. Unfortunately, I hated Heavenly Sword, it just did't do it for me. For me, there's no question that I'll be getting Castlevania instead. I hope everybody else enjoys it.

  • NightCrawler_358 - October 1, 2010 2:25 a.m.

    Wow! this is already out, and with a great score! To me this looked similar to Dark Void, even though its not... it has that vibe. But i'll definitely have to rent. Great Review!

  • AlpineGuy - October 1, 2010 3:09 a.m.

    Looks pretty interesting. I might end up getting it once I get access to a TV. Too bad it's probably going to get bumped out by the other big releases of this month...

  • Furyspittles - October 1, 2010 3:55 a.m.

    THIS GAME IS AS GOOD AS HALO REACH!?!?!?!?! Ha, no, I kid. Someone had to say it. Good on you for having the balls and reason to say it's better than Ico though, I didn't expect that. I've never played Ico, but a lot of people would swear their nuts by it.

  • FauxFurry - October 1, 2010 4:11 a.m.

    I'm pretty sure that this isn't what Ninja Theory intended, but Monkey and Trip's relationship from what I've seen seems less like the one between Sun Wukong/The Money King/Son Goku and Tripitaka but more like that of Inuyasha and Kagome (except that Trip isn't a school girl with spiritual purification powers and Monkey isn't some pretty boy with dog-ears and they're in post-cataclysmic America,not Feudal Japan. Okay,I'll stop there.). The only thing Trip didn't do in the demo is yell out "Sit,Boy!" to make the restraining device put Monkey in his place. Thinking of pointless comparissons,why should anyone compare games like this to God of War at all? It's an action adventure in the vein of Prince of Persia. God of War wasn't the first game of its type or even the first with its theme or basic gameplay. It just refined those things. It's nice to see a game maker put some care into crafting a story,but it looks a bit like one of those games where the main replay value is in wanting to experience the story again rather than new gameplay opportunities (like ICO or Shadow of the Colossus). Can't we get story and genuine replay value in more than Mass Effect 1&2?!

  • minimaxi - October 1, 2010 4:19 a.m.

    I played the demo and I saw a 7 game so this is pretty close. Some things that pop off my mind while playing: -seeing current iteration of UE3 in action gives me high hope for Gears 3 in graphical department -Trip is so hot, as in, humanly-possible hot, which makes her twice as hot, not saying I'm against unrealistically hot virtual women ;) -Monkey is an EXCELLENT re-imagining of Sun Go Kong/SonGoku, makes me wonder what Ninja Theory were smoking when they re-imagined Dante :(

  • Mar27w - October 1, 2010 5:21 a.m.

    what a shame,the one thing that worried me about the demo was that the combat looked far too simplistic with a few cool finishing moves happeneing automatically(which i hate)and was hoping in the full title you would unlock flashy combos and finishing moves to perform yourself but in an interview the devs said gamers prefer it simple,what load of pish,having lots of cool looking moves to learn is what keeps games like this fresh and worth replaying,now i know thats the case i"ll be picking up Castlevania instead

  • elpurplemonkey - October 1, 2010 6:08 a.m.

    Good review, you've managed to convince me to play this. And I'd love to show solidarity and buy this- but I don't have the money so I'll have to rent it. But that's better than nothing. It's funny, this game went from 'ugh, another ad on gamesradar showing a video of this lame enslaved game,' to 'hmm, this actually looks good.'

  • philipshaw - October 1, 2010 11:55 a.m.

    I played the demo and thought it would get this score because the story and world was really cool despite my problems with the platforming being too easy and the combat feeling a bit loose. But this game being better than Ico, bullshit

  • oryandymackie - October 1, 2010 3:51 p.m.

    I might actually pick this up - I like the art setting.

  • Ravenbom - October 1, 2010 4:54 p.m.

    I might have to pick this one up, though it is tough to hear criticism of Ico. I played Ico well after the fact, after Shadow of the Colossus in fact and loved it so I don't think it's as overrated as Okami, for instance.

  • GamesRadarMatthewKeast - October 1, 2010 8:23 p.m.

    The combat is not at all just button mashing. You have to block, counter attack, dodge, use charged stun attacks against shielded enemies, know when to release a focus attack, decide when to use your ranged plasma blasts, and certain enemies have a weakness to exploit or an extra danger - like a timer that counts down and if you don't kill them in time they call for reinforcements. The combat never got old for me. Monkey's moves are plenty flashy and the weight of the staff as it busts open mech heads is very satisfying. The combat proably seems too simple in the demo because it doesn't involve all the elements you unlock or all the enemies you encounter. And to comment on 360 vs PS3 versions. I like to play games on both consoles, so I don't favor one over the other, but yes, PS3 versions do seem to often still be inferior to 360 versions. In the case of Castlevania, though, the PS3 is easily as good as 360, and might even perform slightly better than the 360 version. Like I said, with Enslaved, if you have the option go 360. But if all you own is a PS3, don't let that stop you from getting it. Both versions are a bit rough around the edges, so it's the world and characters that really matters, and the version won't affect that.

  • crumbdunky - October 1, 2010 10:01 p.m.

    It's a good game but is NOTHING like Ico and I just wonder if the comparison was put in purely to have a pop at TI. Seriously, just cos there's Yorda they're comparable? Gameplay is almost entirely different in every sense and Enslaved can never come close to evoking the loneliness and creepiness Ico does. Like comparing fish and trampolines. It'll have to go some to beat HS in my books too(liked the dem,o though) as it's possible the most underrated game I've ever played with miles more depth and options to combat than pretty much anything else this gen as it wasn't just memorise these combos.

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Great
YOU'LL LOVE
  • Unparalleled storytelling
  • Original, wondrous world
  • Climbing and fighting like a monkey
YOU'LL HATE
  • Some less-than-polished graphics
  • A few irritating bugs
  • It may not get a sequel
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More Info

Release date: US
Oct 05 2010 (Xbox 360, PS3)
UK
Oct 08 2010 (Xbox 360, PS3)
Available Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3
Genre: Action
Published by: Namco Bandai
Developed by: Ninja Theory
ESRB Rating:
Teen: Blood, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
PEGI Rating:
16+
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