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Welcome to We Present Our Case, a new feature in which we … well, present our case for a particular game that has perhaps been overlooked, overshadowed, or that we’re just especially fond of at the moment. For our first installment, we’ll be taking a look at Ninja Theory’s sadly under bought post-apocalyptic adventure title Enslaved: Odyssey to the West.
What You Might Have Heard:
Yeah. Yeah. “The game is too easy!” This is easily the biggest criticism brought against Enslaved, and I agree that the platforming and combat elements tend to be of the hand-holding variety. There’s typically only one way to progress from point to point, and traversing environments feels a bit like you’re on auto-pilot, plus there’s no real sense of exploration even though the way the settings are constructed suggests you should be able to go off the beaten path a bit before progressing onwards.
The game’s button-mashing combat also comes up in critiques, because, like the platforming, it poses no real challenge to the player. While there are tons of upgrades that can be made to your character and his electric staff, you can get by using the same combos and attacks for the entire game and be just fine. You might have to mix it up every once in a while, because some enemies have special defenses that must be broken before they can take damage, but, for the most part, you’re hitting the same two buttons the whole time. Traversing the environments also requires little to no thought since you know exactly where to go at all times, because there is only one path.
What You Need To Know:
Honestly, I find the “it’s too easy” argument, as it applies to both the combat and platforming in Enslaved, to be a bit of a copout. I mean, Bayonetta, a game with some of the most spectacular and viscerally thrilling action as you’ll ever see actually has a one-button control option. Yet, I bet if I told someone who loved Bayonetta that it wasn’t a good game because it was “too easy” (even if the standard mode isn’t one-button based), they would slap me in the face. Similarly, I would never dream of saying that something like the opening level of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves isn’t thrilling or enjoyable, even though you are guided to the points in the same way people complain about being funneled towards goals in Enslaved.
Another example would be Rock Band’s No Fail mode. I understand that, like Bayonetta, this is an option as opposed to an integral part of the game’s design, but it proves my point that not all games have to be super hard in order to be considered high quality experiences worthy of your time. As such, difficulty should not be a valid argument for why Enslaved isn’t “good.”
Enslaved’s success isn’t derived from the complexity (or lack their of) of its mechanics. It’s about the adventure that you embark upon, and watching the relationships develop between the wonderfully realized characters. The performances across the board are fantastic, and thankfully, the game’s tech is solid enough to allow every hint of emotion to show instantly in each character’s face. This not only makes you not want to skip a single cutscene for fear of missing some nuanced bit of character development, it makes you feel like you know these characters, which adds tremendously to the game’s overall effectiveness.
The game also features one of the most stunningly realized game worlds of any title released this year, and considering its high profile competition (Red Dead Redemption, Mass Effect 2, Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, Mafia II, etc.), that’s saying something. It would have been so easy to stick to the same old grey, browns, and all around muted tones found in other post-apocalyptic games, but the developers gave the game an identity all its own by ramping up the vibrancy and color and by transforming a familiar place like New York City into someplace that feels entirely different even though it’s instantly recognizable. Getting lost in the scenery and in the mystery surrounding the post-apocalyptic narrative is something you will not be able to avoid, and you will love every second of it.
The Bottom Line:
If you’ve been turned off from checking out Enslaved, either because someone told you it’s “too easy,” or because you’re hesitant about what the game is or whether it’s a story you’ll want to invest in, I urge you to reconsider, because there’s a great game waiting for you if you do. Besides Ninja Theory working on this title, the story was written by Alex Garland (who wrote the excellent novel The Beach, ignore the DiCaprio movie) and was directed by Andy Serkis, Gollum himself, who also performed some of the motion capture.
The game already has one released DLC pack, "Pigsy's Perfect 10," and if the game continues to get enough second wind support, and Ninja Theory is given a much deserved chance to develop a sequel, we could witness something similar to the jump that Naughty Dog made between Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune and Uncharted 2. You heard it here first.
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Comments
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DLW32
I agree with G4's statement. Alot of times reviewers and even some gamers want to compare a certain game to another without giving it a chance or if it is not a huge game they don't want it. Besides Vanquish and this game Wet is another one. If you don't take the game so serious it is really a fun game to relieve some stress and the car jumping was fun
G4marks
After reading --We present our case-- I went and checked out the review on the G4 web site and as stated here in WSOC the game reviewer does state that the game is really easy. So if I am going to spend money on a game I need some gaming not just a visual ride through an environment -no matter how beautiful that environment might be. The core reason for me to play a game is to be challenged and to have a sense of achievement. Everything and anything else comes second but not separate. The price is getting closer to considering a purchase though.
jdizzle1234
calm down... you look foolish
Sharoa
What's with these websites and typos?!!!
"This is easily the biggest criticism brought against Enslaved, and while I agree that the platforming and combat elements are of the hand-holding variety".
Don't these people proofread their work?!!!
It's not just G4 though. Kotaku, IGN and some mainstream news sites as well have started having stupid typos in their writing.
To writers for G4 and everywhere on the internet: You write for a living. Check your work so you don't look like an idiot.
queenofvulcans
Thank God. Someone actually agrees with me and is giving this game its due credit. I'm so tired of this game getting no recognition. It is such a fun and exciting game. It has a few glitches but generally, I've found it to be a very smooth, gaming experience. Unfortunately, like Heavenly Sword it is criticized and under appreciated. This game is so epic. It is so relaxing and yet exciting to play at the same time.
Is it perfect?
No.
But is it still awesome?
YES!
Should you buy it?
Yes. If you do buy it, you certainly won't regret it. Though, there is validity is waiting a few months so that it doesn't bust your wallet.
jdizzle1234
another game that is needed for "We Present our Case" is SHADOWRUN. It is one of the best fps ever made. If you like online FPS check out shadowrun. You won't regret it
elgranconde
This game is Awesome!, one of the biggest game's underrated this year, just like Castlevania Lords of Shadow
Dirtyj78
it was a great game to play because of the story elements / character interactions- was it shallow in gameplay, yes....but overall a fun and enjoyable game. I rented it and suggest the same to all.
MLoad
http://www.escapistmagazine.co m/videos/view/zero-punctuation /2409-Enslaved-Odyssey-to-the- West
I liked the story of this game and is the only reason i haven't traded it in yet BUT on the whole it seems kind of unimaginative and "kiddy." There is a lot of things that go unexplained and a lot of things that you have to overlook to enjoy it. The overall story is good but the little details that make it are DUMB.
And btw G4 the first Drakes Fortune was an amazing game with very few flaws were as Enslaved is a flawed game with very few good things going for it.
MAKE A HEAVENLY SWORD SEQUEL!!! Stop wasting my time ninja theory. I dont want to be an emo dante or a roid-freak named monkey.
SUNNYZATION
first of all,before playing enslaved,i think why capcom gave blockbuster like dmc series to ninja theory,but after playing game i am saying no one can reboot dmc better than them,if u don't play the game give it a try,itz really awesome,i juss wann a sequel.
pembo
One of the very few games where I stopped and took in the environment. I didn't push myself through the game. I simply enjoyed the experience and took my sweet time.
Hydrafiend
This game may be very good, I actually liked the Demo. The problem comes in the area of value. I just don't want to pay 60 bucks for a only a 7-10 hour single player campaign. Now that the price has dropped a bit, it might be worth giving this a shot.
Zzanzabar
Cliffy D once said (I think it was right on the G4 TV show) that all games should only cost $20. This is a case that proves his point. I wanted to buy this game but with all the other games available I just couldn't pull the trigger at $59, for the reasons that you stated in the article. I was intrigued buy the story and the characters (and their relationship to each other) which seemed to by unique to gaming, but the few flaws you mentioned where enough to make me pause.
When the game went on sale (I think it was Amazon) I found out about it too late and they were sold out.. Right now the gaming industry is 'stuck' on the artificial $59 price point and refuses to pull back to a more reasonable $29 figure (do not fall for the 'developmental cost' hype that the industry is pushing).
Games like this one will languish on the shelves unsold and then developers will say 'see this is what happens when you try something new'. It is a shame.
Malapropism
i'm actually not interested in enslaved because of its fantasy adventure elements, it seems to be just an action movie where you occasionally push buttons in order to beat up the monster then see a cut scene, i would've rather had this article concentrate on that instead of the too easy view which i hadn't really heard of until now
theantigzus
im sure the game is pretty good but i personally cant get over the main character looking like a monkey.
nCogNeato
Something is wrong with the comment word filter. I typed up a thoughtful, curse-free commentary on the article, but I keep getting a "Please don't use profanity" error message every time I try to post.
With that said, I'll just summarize that "We Present Our Case" is a great new feature. Keep them coming!
Isaac_Shepard
this game had such lush environments that it had to be linear. and it didnt matter, the story alone made it worth playing twice.
SUNNYZATION
first of all before playing enslaved,i think why capcom decided to give dmc5 to ninja theory,but after i played this game,i think they can handle dmc5 better than any one now,i just love this game more than any in 2010,if u don't play enslaved,pls give it a try,i juss wann a see sequel for this.
logdog200x
Jake. Today I've made you proud. I was interested in this game before its launch but played the underwhelming demo and listened to the critics and passed on it. But I have been listening to you over the months. Saturday I received a 25 dollar gift card to Best Buy. Today I walked in the store with nothing really catching my eye then I saw Enslaved for $29.99. I popped it in when I got home and Im currently in the middle of chapter three and Im pleasantly surprised. It is the game I wanted it to be. So your recommendations haven't fallen on deaf ears. The only reason I bought it was because of the Gaskill stamp of approval. So when I saw this article I felt compelled to share the story and give you thanks. Good on ya bro! Definately worth 30 bucks.
callofdutycrewmember
I agree completely that enslaved is a great game but I as much as every other ps3 owner would love a sequel to heavenly sword the game was to good not to have one or at least re-release it for all consoles I have a ps3 but I still would love for the XBOX and PC owners to get a chance to play it truly an awsome game.
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