Developer: genDESIGN,
SIE Japan Studio
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platform: PS4
Tested on: PS4
The Last Guardian – Review
Friendship and trust is important in life and having someone by your side during tough moments is a gift. This is something you’ll encounter when playing The Last Guardian, as you will need to find a way out a rather tricky situation with your friend Trico. The development of this game started almost ten years ago and finally we have the chance to experience this special game, so let’s go on a wondrous trip.
Story
You’re greeted by quite a cryptic scene, as you can see an old relic lying in some dirt. The playing children don’t really seem to notice this lost treasure, although one shadow creeps closer by. Afterwards, you wake up in a strange and unknown location, with a new set of tattoos next to a gigantic animal. He seems fast asleep, giving you the opportunity to take a better look. It seems that your feathered friend is a man-eater, albeit he doesn’t make a move to munch you after waking up. The dog-like mammal seems to be hurt and is in need of some help. You try to look around and find some food for your locked friend so he can regain his strength. When he finally gets up, it is clear he has been in a fight. As you try to help him, your bond with one another seems to grow stronger and releasing him from his chains surely grants a boost to your unlikely friendship. It is your task and destiny to move forward together with Trico and find a way home.
The Last Guardian mostly revolves around the story and although there isn’t that much dialogue during your playthrough, the feelings and understanding conveys so well by the actions that unfold while finding a way out. If you want lengthy conversations, then you’ll be a bit disappointed, but the special way how the story unfolds is surely something to look forward to.
Graphics
The game has been released on the PS4 and it surely shows. The surroundings are breath-taking and will keep you busy for a few moments to take it all in. On the other hand, there aren’t that many different environments for you to explore as you’ll be venturing in a lot of destroyed or decayed buildings, while also strolling in the luscious greenery. This isn’t a bad thing though, as you stay in the same, glum setting which helps immersion.
If you think you’re all alone with Trico, with no other living soul around, you’re in for quite a surprise. Some statues will try and take you away, while subduing you by casting strange spells which react with the pattern on your body. This is quite a spectacle, although it might be a good idea to get away in time. These guards look a lot like the environments: ancient and corroded but still with a lot of power.
Trico’s design is probably one of the eye-catchers of the game, as it is a combination of several animals and fantasy elements. The developers tried to make it as lifelike as possible, providing all of the details and giving several emotions to your newest friend. In comparison to the other characters in the game, our protagonist surely stands out due to the fact that he isn’t that detailed, thus making him a bit out of place compared to the rest of the environment(s). Overall, everything blends well and gives it a special experience although there is one downside, namely when our little boy grabs on to Trico or falls, the body is changed to a ragdoll version which doesn’t fit the setting at all.
Sound
To make the game more immersive, the music and sound effects are actually reduced to a minimum. For instance, you will only be hearing some faint music now and then which intensifies when you encounter some enemies or at other times during the cinematics. To create the atmosphere, there are more than enough sound effects present. For instance, when you get outside and can take a stroll in the greenery, the birds will be chirping happily, while the weeping wind will actually sounds so real you will get chills down your spine. If that isn’t enough, the low growling of Trico, the forceful swipes or the grunting while moving crates are just some extras of what you can expect. One other aspect is the voice acting, of which there isn’t that much available due to the fact man and beast can’t communicate properly anyway. In some cases, less is more and the developers have discovered that this is also the best route to take for The Last Guardian.
Gameplay
The Last Guardian is best described as an action/adventure game, seasoned with puzzle elements but with quite a profound storyline. The bond between the two allies is one of the most important aspects of the game and together with your new friend, you will have to work together to find your way home. To do so, you’ll need some of skills of your gigantic buddy. For instance, getting to a small platform with a switch above a closed door is one of the aspects where Trico comes in handy. Also, there are some soldiers scattered across the place and their goal is to capture you and kill your huge friend. He is the only one that can actually do something about these big meanies so if he’s not with you, it might be a good idea to run. When Trico is nearby, he’ll go in frenzy mode and destroy each and every one of them. The downside is that, even when they’re all exterminated, he keeps this mood going so you’ll need to calm him down.
Due to all the fighting, climbing and just adventuring in general, Trico needs some food to regain strength. If this is the case, there surely are some glowing blue barrels nearby which will do the trick just fine. His fascination by this type of food will also come in handy to solve puzzles. You will need to find a way to continue, with your huge pal by your side. This surely is a challenge at times, but you two are the best combination. His size and strength are necessary at times, while your small posture and agility are also a bonus during certain events. The puzzles you’ll encounter can vary as well. Sometimes, you’ll need to open the blocking door, while at other times you need to get rid of some obstacles that terrify Trico.
During your adventures, you’ll find a mirror that has the power to redirect light in a beam towards items. This will cause Trico to target and attack this area. This is handy to get rid of some debris and create a passageway. Later in the game, you can also give direct commands to Trico, making it easier to get something specific done. On the other hand, this doesn’t seem to work flawlessly and can take a while before you’re actually performing the action you were going for. This can bring a lot of frustration as you want to continue but you’re stuck due to bad controls. Next to these hindrances, the same occurs when you try and control the protagonist. When the camera turns, the controls change as well. For instance, if you’re climbing on Trico’s back and you switch the camera angle, it could be that you’ll go to the left side instead of going to same direction you initially started. As some of the rooms are quite small, the camera changes on its own at times which can lead to you just going in all the directions you except the one you were going for.
Conclusion
The Last Guardian is certainly a game that will take you on a roller coaster journey. Next to the great surroundings and the spot-on highlighting of music and sound effects, it gives quite a special feeling as well. This first steps of development were 10 years ago and a lot of people were happy that it finally was going to be released, but there are a few elements that could have been better, like the controlling system (in combination with the camera angle) and the ragdoll effect that pops up now and then. At any rate, the story surely makes up for it, but be ready get some frustrations now and then.
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