* While the gameplay and any shared graphics are from my own play through, all credit for this game goes to developers Japan Studio & GenDesign and publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment. Go show them some love!
Released in 2016 as a PS exclusive, The Last Guardian is the latest creation from game designer Fumito Ueda, whose previous releases include Ico & Shadow of the Collosus. This 3rd person, single player game has been on my wish list since release. Picked up during one of the holiday sales, it’s been sitting in my game library for years. It was finally time to play it and I was excited!
As a long time gamer, I understand there is an adjustment period at the start of each new game, where I need to adapt to new controls.
My muscle memory is still trying to play the last game I played. I push the wrong buttons, in the wrong sequence, with the wrong timing. Everything is wrong and awkward. I call this the grace period. In most cases, it should be a short lived period of frustrated stumbling. I walk into walls, off ledges, miss my jumps and have no way to hide my potato aim. All I can do is embrace the awkwardness until I adjust. Then my muscles and brain sort their shit out. They start working together and the mechanics fade into the background.
That’s the point where I relax into a game and the fun begins. That’s when I git gud and enjoy the world I’ve dropped into.
At least that’s the goal and what should happen. You should not have to fight with the controls for very long. Certainly not for the entire game. I was sad to discover this time, I never made it past the grace period. Instead I fumbled and struggled with the controls throughout the entire playthrough.
I’m not going to say it completely destroyed my love of this game… but… it basically destroyed a huge chunk of my love for this game. It definitely took away any replay value and that is the biggest shame of all. I would love to replay this game and spend more time with my buddy Trico. Unfortunately the thought of fighting with the controls for another 12-15 hours stops me in my tracks.
Everything else about this game was spot on. As with it’s predecessors, Ico (which I haven’t played), and Shadow of the Colossus (which I have played) the story has a depth and richness to it. The Last Guardian isn’t afraid to take its time to unfold and share its story with you. Right until after the end credits. And while it is a story of discovery and bonding between a boy and a beast, there is so much more going on. The budding relationship between the two main characters is worth fighting with the controls. At least for one playthrough.
As a single player game it is very linear, without much exploring. However, the path is full & captivating. The graphics are stunning. The soundtrack is peaceful and calm. Even the boy’s made up language, and the physical cues of the beast, are easy to understand and endearing in their unique way.
Shadow of the Colossus was a very enjoyable game but there were parts of it that never sat well with me.
You won’t find any spoilers here, but if you played it, you know. If you haven’t played it… well… go play it! Those parts, while integral to the game, left me wanting a game where the player could befriend a colossus. From the moment the trailer for The Last Guardian was released, I felt this game could fulfill that longing. And it did, despite the movement issues.
Maybe my experience with the controls was a one-off. Maybe it was totally user error on my end, and I just struggled with how these controls were. Either way, The Last Guardian was an emotional and fun journey. Bonding with Trico and escaping The Nest was a hell of a ride!
Spoiler warning! The following album and videos have spoilers. If you haven’t played the game you might not want to see this!
