The Last Guardian Review
Alex the Kidd, Gamers of the Round Table
From the makers of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus comes a new adventure from the team at JAPAN Studio. The Last Guardian, a title under development for the better part of a decade, arrives to the PS4 an entire console generation later than anticipated. The question is whether this title lives up to its long anticipated release.
The Good
The Last Guardian is a beautiful game. The details put into Trico, the large feathered beast, clearly show the dedication that went into this project. The environment is massive in scale to both characters, and players can feel completely immersed in the world of the game. Each set piece requires the characters to work together to overcome the obstacles placed before the player; taking direct control of the young boy, players will attempt to guide Trico to progress through the game.
The bond between boy and beast develops through the player’s success, and communication improves between the two. The challenge in many parts of this game comes from communicating with Trico, and getting him to perform the tasks that need to be done. Players can feel a sense of accomplishment from achieving successful co-operation form the two characters.
The Bad
The challenge in this game stems more from the ability to guide Trico then the actual level maps; what was made to feel like a creature that had its own attitude and intelligence can come off as a broken game mechanic at times. This is especially true when you use all the methods to guide Trico, nothing happens, then you run around the area trying to figure something out, only to have Trico jump up onto the ledge you thought he couldn’t reach in the first place. The controls to guide Trico aren’t user friendly, and can be difficult to understand exactly what it is you’re trying to get Trico to do as the camera tends to pan to Trico as you give commands.
There isn’t much to do here except move from set piece to set piece, and while they are beautiful to experience, the game can feel less engaging at the beginning. There is little plot or drive in the game beyond working with Trico, and discovering more about the area where he dwells.
Rating
7/10 – This game isn’t for everyone, but it’s not a bad game. The Last Guardian is a well put together experience, with a few setbacks regarding Trico’s response to command. While epic in size, this isn’t the next big adventure game; Players need to try this game to decide for themselves if it’s a game they will love or not. At the end of the day, Trico is a welcome member to the PlayStation family, and The Last Guardian an overall success.
