12.12.2016

At a glance the last guardian is a 3rd person platform puzzle adventure game. You have to use your brain to complete each section. You play as a young boy and you will have a companion called Trico. This is not a game that you can rush through, be prepared to work with Trico, take time to take in all the sights, patience is required, nerves of steel and a heart of absolute titanium (which will get broken several times in this game).This is a team effort and that is what I love about this game. You have to look after Trico just as much as he will look after you and you both have to help each other get out of the ruins. The bond you form by the end of the game is something to behold.If there are not in tears during or after this game then there is something seriously wrong with you. If you dont want to know anything about Trico then stop reading this review because I am about to GUSH about him and it might take away some of the surprises in the game so for a totally blind game play I would encourage you to stop reading the rest of this review. No story spoilers just Trico's mannerisms that are fun to find out as you go..............................................................................................................................................................................................................First of all Trico is the main star of this game as far as I am concerned and he is a big boy, seriously I think your character comes up to his shin/ankle. You can feel how big he is when he is jumping around platforms with you because they will literally shake and sometimes crumble under his weight. It gave me such an immense buzz just sitting in between his ears, holding on for dear life as he leaps up on ridiculously thin pillars, thousands of feet in the air. Most puzzles are VERY high up in the air for a lot of the game and will test your fear of heights to the extreme.This truly is a game for animal lovers. If you don’t care for animals Trico will make you absolutely crazy (not as crazy as he made his poor development team!) He is not your pet and should be treated as a feral/wild animal while you two get used to each other. You must have patience with him and give him some time to figure out where he is, where to go next or what you want him to do. Jumping on his head and yelling at him wont help. I know it sounds crazy but Trico will react to you better if you show more respect. Trico is not stupid either so there is no need to try and rush him into anything. He is aware of his surrounding environment and will actively search for the next path if you give him a second.Sometimes he doesn’t get it straight away and because he is so big he needs to actually line himself up for jumps or to eat food, especially in tight narrow places. If he seems to be toying with a barrel he is not playing with it. He is trying to get it away from the wall so he can eat it. Trico is very BIG and needs lots of space!But above all of this list, Trico has this overwhelming desire to protect you, just like a mother. He will try to follow you EVERYWHERE like a lost puppy, even if he is physically not able to. Watch him, he will check you are on him before leaping around. He also squeals and becomes very agitated if he is physically separated from you, which broke my heart several times in the game. He is always aware of where you are and will always keep an eye on you. You can press L1 to rotate the camera back to Trico and he will almost always be looking to see where you are.His ears will swivel and twitch around when you talk to him, they will be pinned backwards when he is scared. His feathers will rise up off his back like cats fur when threatened. He needs to be petted when he is distressed (I have found in between the wings to be the best spot he really likes that). Anyone who is familiar with animal behavior will understand how Trico feels very easily.My best advice for Trico is to pay attention to him, WATCH his movement, to the things he is looking at (especially if he seems to be downright staring in a direction) his body language, temperament and his eye colour. If I was to be totally honest I loved spending most of the game leaning down looking for a pet on the nose, he will actually lean his head against your petting palm and close his eyes!!The developers who designed Trico must have spent 90% researching the movements of all sorts of animals. Trico moves like a cat (extending flexible neck, long tail for balance and amazing jump ability), has the behaviour or a dog (howls, squeals when in pain, cowers when scared, tilts his head when listening to you, loves a bally rub etc) but has wings (sadly broken), bird talons and is covered in feathers. He really is a mythical creature. They even gave him two glowing horns.You have to be ready to put up with Trico’s lack of urgency in many parts and it will get beyond frustrating for some players who are already getting rightly pissed at the camera going AWOL at the worst of times. If you can get past those problems you will really love this game, though it’s not all roses and i knew this by seeing the trailer.When Trico gets hurt he will cry out and I found it extremely hard to keep it together without getting upset hearing him getting speared or attacked when you are trying to run around and help him. It tore me to shreds every time my little baby got hurt, finding myself screaming at the enemy to stop hurting him (as if they could actually hear me). I became extremely protective over Trico from the very start and felt pure frantic panic when he was in danger (the music really gets going when you are in an actions/battle scene). But this will tell you how real Trico feels in the game, which is an extraordinary accomplishment for the development team. Again Trico is not a robot he feels very organic that is very much a part of the environment around him.This is not a game for anyone who hates animals or doesn't want to use your brain to any extent. Seriously just stay away from this one because it will make you batty and you won’t enjoy it at all. Go back to your shooter games and you will be fine.For anyone who loves animals and a good puzzle platform game with a magical twist to it I ORDER you to add this to your library. I guarantee you it will go down in history for being so unique (just like Journey) and you will want to team up with Trico over and over again. I for one can’t wait to see my nieces react to him, they LOVE my 3 dogs and will no doubt fall in love with Trico right from the start like I did. He is an absolute joy to behold and will be come legendary like he deserves.Buy this game!!!!

31.12.2016

If this game was meant to be a work of art, then they succeeded. This is coming from someone who has never played Ico or Shadow of the colossus - so I went into this un-swayed by previous titles by the developers.Initially what drew me to the last Guardian was the beast companion ‘Trico’, I have a thing for magical animal companions and was eagerly awaiting this game ever since I saw the trailer 2 – 3 years ago? It seemed like this game was going to be delayed forever – so you can imagine my delight when its release was announced this year.Was it worth the wait? Well...Let’s start with where this game excels. The graphics are gorgeous – it really takes the ps4 engine and uses it for all it’s worth.I barely, if ever, noticed a drop in FPS and elements like smoke and water are done beautifully. There are a few clipping issues with the fur/feather effects on Trico, biting into the environment and even the main character, though that is a bit nit-picky (and not uncommon with these new gen games.)The storyline is engaging, hinting from the start the mysterious link between the boy and his beast companion, but giving very little away as the player progresses through their world. The relationship between the main characters – Trico and the boy – feels very genuine and it’s very easy to end up becoming attached to that loveable feathery beast, especially further on in the game.Alas, the game is not without its faults – which I come to now...The controls. Good lord, they are just plain awful sometimes. From the beginning they were overly sensitive, but hey, I highly doubted we’d be getting fancy next gen controls in what was clearly an artsy game.You have no idea how many times I died by unwillingly leaping off a platform, or slipping from some stupid little ledge when I barely pushed towards it. Some controls feel broken, others are frustrating beyond belief especially when you’re called upon to do quick-time platforming or hanging by your fingernails off a thousand foot drop.That said, I was pleasantly surprised by the controls when dealing with commanding Trico. I inwardly cringed when first coming across the ‘command’ menu that lets you tell the beast what to do (you’ll know it when you see it). Typically a system like that is only as good as the AI that uses it and if you’ve had experience of silly AI characters running into walls and dragging hordes of enemies to your location, then you’ll know what I mean.Trico is a fairly smart beast and at times will automatically aid the player forward without much prompting (or by spamming the command menu – that works too.) Other times he seems to be as dumb as a sack of potatoes– but I’ll get to that later.Second problem – the puzzles. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of the puzzles in this game are ‘fun’ if you like a bit of a challenge – others are so unintuitive I thought my game was busted and ended up searching forums for answers. This is a great shame. A lot, if not all, of the last Guardian’s gameplay is puzzles. The whole point is to utilize the boy and Trico’s different abilities to work together to clear obstacles in their journey. Some puzzles make no sense at all – or require you to do some new thing that was never properly explained before.Third – the environment, which while beautiful, can be awkward as heck. Obviously scaleable ledges that you can’t climb? Overhanging beams that cause collision errors? Yup. Part of the fun of this game is finding the way forward from all the ‘red herring’ solutions, but in a fully interactive environment if I see a ledge that looks scaleable, then I want to be able to bloody climb it. (Or at least have a good reason why I can’t.)Trico’s tail can also be finicky at times. He’s basically a portable jungle-gym, meaning you can climb every inch of this fuzzy beast – which leads to some hilariously awkward imagery as you hang upside down with your face in his butt. That said, do not be surprised if he decides to suddenly scrape you off on a wall or ceiling to your doom. In all seriousness, it’s a surprise he hasn’t ended up crushing the kid yet...So, conclusions?It’s good – not great, but good. In an age where half the ps4 titles are remixed shooters, this is a welcome change. If you go into a game wanting a decent story with some puzzles and don’t mind things being more artsy then gameplay, then this is a nice title.If you’re expecting action around every corner or want the controls to be state of the art, then look elsewhere.Replay value? Eh... Typically with story based games, one playthrough is pretty much all you’re going to get – unless of course the game deals with multiple endings, or has alternative routes. If you’re like me who likes to dig out a game for a second playthough a few years down the line, then I suppose you’d get a bit more enjoyment out of the last Guardian. Though don’t expect to want to play it all three or four times in a row.I wouldn’t pay full price again for this. It feels like something that should be picked up in the bargain sales once the hype has died down.TLDR;Pros--Engaging story.-Beautiful, immersive environment.-Plenty of challenging and fun puzzles.Cons--Controls can be dodgy.-Collision detection is dodgy at times.- Environment can be awkward.-Some unintuitive puzzles will make you tear your hair out.

5.8.2017

Ico is one of my all time favourite games. I love the puzzling of it and the emotion and stripped down basics of the control and gamplay syle. SoTC is also a great game, the scope is fantastic and the size of the colossi is something to behold. I don't rate that quite as highly as Ico as the gameplay is just slightly too samey. Now why say so much about these two games when I'm reviewing TLG? Well refer back to my review title! This game is a combination of both.It offers the platforming of Ico with the scope and scale of Colossus and does it beautifully. Trico is your (nearly) constant companion As Yorda was and he / she (it?) becomes a moveable platform and is basically a colossus companion.The bond you feel to the creature as the game progresses is incredible and my initial concerns (after years of development) that the game would, in reality, just be a glorified tech demo, were quickly allayed once I got into it.At one point at thought the game had come full circle and ended and was very disappointed as a) the journey was over and b) it hadn't lasted as long as I thouht it should. I was thnakfully wrong though and there was plenty of game left. Having now completed it I feel the game was a satisfactory length and any longer it may have outstayed its welcome. Ueda has done it again. He and his team have created a beautiful game, story and relationship which, in the climate of shooters and racers and party games, stands out arguably as not just an interactive story of depth and emotion but a work of art. Buy this game and support those who dare to be different and dare to swim against the tide. TLG is a pearl before swine and should be cherished as a classic for this and any other console generation past and future.Some misc comments which could be seen as positives or negatives but in my mind they're both and neither!- Camera - this has been the subject of some criticism and it's not perfect but given the scale of the game and indeed Trico and what you're trying to achieve in some sections of the game, I thinks it's basically as good as it can be. Few issues during play but nothing that reduced my enjoyment.- The game area / locations - sometime I felt that the architecture of the game and layout was just designed like it was to guide you from the start of the game to the end and served less purpose narratively. I don't take too much issue with this as it is ultimately a platform game and probably was designed this was as not doing so would lead to too much confusion. The slight tinge of disappointment merely comes from comparing it to the casle of Ico which felt like it was a home to someone and the architecture / design brodly made sense irrespective of the game's goal. Still, like Ico, the graphics here are beautiful and Ueda certainly has a unique style that I appreciate. There were hundreds of scenes.in the game where I wiuld have happily taken a screengrab and used it as art on my lounge wall such is the pleasure I get from the art style.- Trico - now we can't forget the title character (or is Trico the last guardian?). Some complain that he's difficult to control / handle. He is a hude wild beast who, in the story, is not designed to be used as he is. You tame him to a degree but the frustrations of control are, I feel, part of the design. When he acts like you want him to it is all the more satisfying and as I said you do not control him per se but use your character to encourage and try to direct him and hopefully he'll do as you ask. He's a mixture of characters but most reminded me of my own cat in movement and attitude. You can't (easily) train a cat, they are independent beasts with attitude and moods and I feel Trico is a masterclass in AI.- Make sure you watch beyond the end credits. Anyone who knows Ueda should know to do this but just a tip for those who don't.- The story - I'll be honest, I'm not sure I understood all the themes and reasons or what was always happening but this didn't really detract from my overall enjoyment and some mysteries are best left with parts to the imagination / interpretation. After completion of the game you can scour the internet for some wonderful fan theories and see if they help you.- Finally there's one truly wonderful logic puzzle that a famous Greek mathmetician would have been delighted by. I won't spoil this further but when I completed that puzzle I ran downstairs and had to explain it to my wife such was my joy at how clever I thought it was. You'll know it when you get to it. Also I plead you not to use a guide / walkthrough for the game at all. Logic can usually solve most of the barriers in the game and remember to look up, look down and look all around before you leap and that a well fed Trico seems to be a happy Trico.Caveat! I memtioned earlier about the gender of Trico being unclear but then noticed I started referring to it as a 'he'. This was just me and how I came to see the beast as the game went on.Enjoy......

10.12.2016

I purchased this via the Playstation Store as a download (which cost me £5 more than the physical disk version!! What a swizz!) which is why my review does not show a "verified purchase."Apparently, this game first started development some years ago, as a PS3 game, and in some respects the graphics show this to be true. The graphics are not as good as, say, Skyrim. There is, for example, no real level of detail on the character of the boy whose face appears quite bland graphically. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that the graphics are poop, they are not and in some areas, they are pretty good. But it does show a certain PS3ness about it.Some have complained about the camera being a bit of a handful to deal with,and yes, it is to a degree, though nothing you can't get used to. For example, I send my boy off to a spot ahead and he rushes off faster than the camera can follow him. You have to wait until the camera catches up with him, or you can manually guide it there quicker with one of the stick levers on the controller. This can make the trickier situations a little trickier.The thing that steals the show is the giant flying cat/bird-like creature, Trico. He is so adorable. He looks at everything around him as an inquisitive cat would. It sniffs things, paws at things or just stares at them. If your boy rushes off into another room and then you quickly pan the camera round to face the way you just came, you'll see the Trico emerge into your arena cautiously, looking all around him, again just as a cat would when entering an unfamiliar room. Trico acts just like a cat in that he doesn’t always do what it is told and prefers to do its own thing. It has a face that reminds me of a cheetah but it seems to whine like a dog. It has a four-legged body with feathers and tiny ineffective wings. But it’s the little things about Trico that make it awesome. Just take a minute or two to watch him. He moves above, examines things, paws at things, watches what the boy is doing, assesses if he can jump to another point and then backs away if it feels it can’t. There is one scene near the beginning where the boy jumps off a ledge into some water below. Trico stares down at him whimpering and looking as if he wants to jump down but hesitates before scrabbling back from the ledge. You can really see that he wants to be where the body is but is too frightened to make the jump. Watch his body feathers when he’s in a wind-swept area; the reapplying and movement of them is fantastic.You get guidance on which buttons to press to do certain things as the game commences. If you get stuck on what to do next just watch Trico. He will give you gentle clues by looking at or approaching and sniffing/pawing objects or certain hidden doorways. The narrator (who speaks in what I assume to be Japanese - but with English subtitles at the bottom of the screen) will also give you subtle hints if you don't seem to be doing the right thing.The vary start confused me where you appear to be underwater looking up at a sun but nothing is happening and you get no clues other than a controller icon on the upper right hand of the screen with all the buttons lit up yellow. I just randomly pressed the buttons and as I did so I noticed the sun getting larger until I emerged into the game itself.So, this is a really good game. It may not satisfy those who like it fast and furious, but if you want a more experiential type of game then I believe this could do it for you.Why have I given it only 4 stars? Well I felt that more could have been done to make full use of the PS4 graphics capabilities, and because of the slightly frustrating camera movement at times. But other than that, I love this game.

2.2.2017

Having been a Massive fan of Shadow of the Colossus this game was a MUST for me.Shadow of the Colossus is still an absolute masterpiece having played the HD version on PS4 after many years on the PS2 and it still holds up as in my top 3.Anyway you can see the similarities with this and that game.This is a wonderful experience from start to finish. - I would say the music score is nowhere near as impressive as in SOTC.At first it is a little confusing as to the what the hell you need to actually do like SOTC, however hints crop up over time.You awake with a beast who has been in the wars and is obvious very dubious about you.You feed and free the beast and start your epic journey to escape the outstanding hugely impressive temple.The game is a platform puzzler,it is not that difficult and is very logical when you play through but the experience is awe inspiring in part as the visuals are amazingI have to say I think this game has the most impressive level design ever created and I had moments just looking at the scenery..The graphics are immense although the boy compare to 'Trico' is very cartoonish.The game helps you at first with the controls and then suddenly it is amazing how much you pick up and just becomes natural but I guess this is like most games TBH.When you look at a certain puzzle you start to understand how you and 'Trico' work together sometimes it may take a few times as you might fall or he might go somewhere else or jump ahead of you but overtime you get to understand and he becomes more obedient and you can just call him over!There were a few moments I got stuck but persistence is the key and again LOGIC is needed - younger players might get frustrated with some parts of the game.The most impressive parts of the game is when you and Trico venture outside to scramble across the 'scaffolding' and see the massive towers above you. You have to clear the path for 'Trico' as he doesn't like certain obstacles and therefore you need to climb ahead of him to clear the path. The best moment in the whole game for me is when you basically have to high-wire to remove one of these further on I was truly nervous making each jump onto the cages - as the sense of height you get from the game is tremendous!.The game only falls short for me because of the ending (underwhelming boss), very odd story (missing explanations) and lack of variety (puzzles and enemies). When on the ground you look at this massive temple you will have to navigate, some places you will go, others you won't and I kind of felt that a few more enemy types (maybe flying or bigger) and a few more puzzles ( more chambers, caves Maze?) here and there, I would have given this 5 stars. The mirror element that the boy has adds to the simple gameplay but used as much as it could and should have been, it disappears for most of the game. I feel a few more special objects in the game wouldn't have gone a miss. In a very complex and beautiful world lies a very simple game. escape and don't get captured.I thoroughly enjoyed my play through just a shame it ended quite soon and left me scratching my head as to what was it actually about?

14.12.2016

I'm going to write this review in two parts. Not because it's going to be a big review, because it isn't. I'm writing in two parts because as yet I have not finished the game, but I'm so in love with it that I have to get it out there right away :-)For some perspective, I'm a 43 year-old gamer who, while still enjoying that as a hobby, is pretty jaded these days and very few games really grab me, least of all emotionally. But The Last Guardian is everything I had hoped it would be; especially as ICO and Shadow of the Colossus are two of my favorite games (ICO takes the top spot). Yes, there are issues with the camera. No question. But seeing as I have been playing games for some 33 years and have dealt with dodgy cameras my whole life,it's no issue. Should they have got the camera working better? Definitely. Does it bother me? Not at all. Same with the controls. I have had no issues with this. It's a blend of both previous games, and I actually like the fact that you don't always know if you will make a leap etc. Takes me back to the days of the original Tomb Raider where being up high seems fraught with danger. Unlike more modern games where you just run in one direction holding the climb button and never having to give it another thought. There is no peril or interest in that for me. So the controls and camera are soon acclimatized to, and the audio and visual just draw you in. It's beautiful and other-worldly.Add to this the very real bond that you get with Trico and you have a magical game. I have read reviews saying that the controls, or at least the way you interact with Trico sometimes seems broken. I have not felt that at all. He/she just seems to behave like a real animal. So much so that it's the best depiction of an AI character in a game I have ever seen. Sometimes I spend time to just stop and pet/watch him because I genuinely care. I did not expect to become so attached to a computer generated creature but I have.So, once I have finished the game I will give my final verdict, but for now it's one of the best, most magical games I have ever played.Update: Well I have now finished the game and I am now even more in love with it. It was the same with ICO and SotC in that it felt special. The world felt real and somewhere I have now really visited. Strange sensation that few games have ever achieved. To a large extent I forgot it was a game. That suspension of disbelief that you only tend to get with movies. I still enjoy gaming but I'm always very aware that they are just games. With this I just felt I wanted to go on this journey with Trico and I shall do so again.Also from a mechanics point of view, there were a few times when solving a puzzle (finding a way forward), seemed so natural. Not in a standard rule of gaming way, but in a logical real-world way. So much to praise. So please just play it and hope that this isn't the last of it's kind.

11.1.2017

I estimate to be near the end of my first play-through of Last Guardian and I don't want it to end (I've avoided spoilers but have a sense of foreboding). Ico is one of my favourite games and I have been anticipating the Last Guardian for almost a decade. I've not been disappointed!There are moments of beauty and joy in this game that transcend the medium of video games. The setting, the grandiose but crumbling ruins, is majestic. The sparse narrative feels weighted with a history only glimpsed and hinted at which creates mystery and wonder. It's also imbued with a sadness, a feeling that this adventure will not end well: Trico's mournful eyes, the howling wind through desolate corridors,

24.3.2017

It's a passable product, but not as good compared to the studio's previous games, ICO and Shadow of the Colossus. There is a tangible sense of mystery surrounding the game-world, the protagonists, and your purpose in the game, which I truly appreciated. The sound and visuals are more than decent as well.However, the frame-rate can get really low in some instances when a lot is happening on-screen. This has happened more than once and in varying degrees of gravity. I find this unacceptable for a game that has been in development for so long and should be able to utilize the PS4 firepower more efficiently.Moreover, controlling your character feels oftentimes clunky. It's difficult to gauge speed and momentum at times,

24.12.2017

The Last Guardian is certainly buried among many other games and with it's history and the many development problems it had to the changing of studios. It has a complicated and bitter history and development, you almost don't want to say the worst because of the challenges they undertook to make this game happen.So, I finally took the time to complete the game after many breaks and pauses. It was a game that certainly tested my patience, and even after understanding how the game works and getting in the flow, certain areas were such a drag and took away from the overall experience of the story, which I think in the end was their main concern despite being a puzzle platformer.As many have noted,

30.12.2016

The last Guardian is the tale of a boy who wakes up in a cave next to a strange creature which has been bound and wounded. The boy most form a bond with this creature and work with it if they are both to escape their confines and return home. This game is the tale of that escape and the bonds they form along the way.I have been a huge fan of the previous games by Ueda and consider Shadow of the Colossus one of the greatest games ever. I had been keen to get this but waited until now as I had been very busy but also seen various concerns about how it ran on a vanilla PS4 so wanted to see what friends had to say about it.After the usual media stuff had died down I heard more people saying that it was fine,

5.11.2018

My feelings towards the Last Guardian is kinda mixed. On one hand is an absolutely gorgeous setting, with a deep and emotional storyline added with it. On the other, the gameplay is frustrating to the point where I feel it lets the game down.The game's main selling point and where it thrives at are the puzzles, the atmosphere and the connection between the boy and Trico. The story isn't told to you straight away, basically you will have to progress in the story in order for you to find out how you ended up there in the first place.However despite these good moments their were some bad moments which overshadowed my experience playing the game. The main negative was the controls,

10.12.2016

Control issue aside this is a conceptually beautiful title realized to its fullest by developers who set high standards for this title as they did their former releases. There are few games these days that require logical thinking rather than shooting and violence. This world is stunning and sometimes just to stop stand a look at the work the developers created gives you a sense of wonder, scale and a feeling of beauty/loneliness that the old tomb raider games used to inspire. Added into that is the concept of caring for and nurturing an animal which in real life brings so much joy to those who can appreciate them. It's a conceptual combination unique to this title.The game development however was fraught and in places the scars show.

26.1.2017

Firstly i have to admit i had no expectations from this game, i did not follow its development or wait eagerly for its release. It was only until i saw a review that it peaked my interest.Now ive completed it i was absolutely blown away, especially towards the second half. I absolutely adore this game now on so many levels. Its an emotional journey that will stick with you well after the credits roll, so much so that i played it a second time just because i hated to part with the experience so soon. Not that its too short, as there is much to gain playing it again with a greater knowledge of the story and game. The last guardian is not perfect however as many have mentioned the camera can be a pain and trico also,

4.1.2017

I have just finished The Last Guardian and I have to say I was blown away. I played and loved Ico many years ago when it was originally released on the PS2 but The Last Guardian beats it for me. This game takes you in and makes you care so much about a relationship between a boy and a huge animal called Trico. You care for their wellbeing and you help each other through all of the puzzles trying to escape and find a way out. I've never played a game where another character follows you, but as an individual. You will hold your breath when you think you're going to die falling from a huge height but then suddenly you are caught and saved by your animal friend. I know there are many people complaining about the AI of Trico.

19.4.2017

This was the game I had hoped it would be, beautifully designed, puzzle levels and holy hell run levels. This is one of the best story led games I have played in a long time, very creative, there is literally nothing else quite like it.The story feels very much like 2 friends, getting to know and trust one another and then helping each other get out of where ever they are. You climb on and give commands to Toriko (the giant dog, chicken, eagle thing) to go somewhere with you on, usually jumps that you would never be able to make, or you go around and open up a larger entrance for Toriko to get to you.There are 1 or 2 niggles I have with the games, and they are niggles.

The Last Guardian (PS4) - Reviews

Info

Analysis

Detail