E4G: Enslaved demo impressions

E4G: Enslaved is an action-adventure game being developed by UK developer Ninja Theory, whose last game was the PS3 exclusive Heavenly Sword and have most recently been tied with the reboot of the Devil May Cry series, simply titled DMC.

[Chefooba]

Could well be a sleeper hit this one. Haven't heard a think about it until a few weeks ago. Looks quite cool.

[mmoracerules]

AFter I personally played the demo the game is actually looking fun so far.

[dkblackhawk50]

The demo is quite fun indeed, offers something unique

[TOO PAWNED]

something unique?
Game is major Uncharted ripoff + there are obvious elements from other games, like Infamous, Dead Space (every door on that ship open like in Dead Space), and there were couple of more games that came to my mind while playing Enslaved demo. Sure it is seems fun, but lets not call it unique lol.Whats next? IT'S ORIGINAL!

[A Cupcake for Gabe]

Relax, the game needs support not stupid ridicule. PS3 fanboys call it a UC clone cause it's multiplat, 360 fans can manage to take a break from a FPS. Ninja Theory is a very good company and I want to see them do well.

[ChineseDemocracy]

I'll probably pick this one up. I really enjoyed heavenly sword (even if Ninja Theory seems to hate it), and Enslaved really seems like an interesting concept.

[jessupj]

All I wanna know is if I can stab that stupid Trip woman in the face as hard as I can. She needs some serious payback.

[Triella]

I agree with Too Pawned, I wasn't impressed by the demo.

There are definitely too many elements from other games, although I wouldn't call it an Uncharted 1 ripoff, the title was the first to pop up in my head while I was playing the demo especially because of similar character movements.

Speeking of platforming I find it very dull and too forgiving, all you have to do is press repeadly jump while moving the analogue stick, you can't fall from ledges, you can't miss a jump, etc. and from what I saw in the trailer you will have a lot of similar platforming moments, I fear this could hinder the game in the long run.

The combat doesn't seem very interesting either, you can get away with just button mashing your way through ennemies and while in Heavenly Sword you had all sorts of blocks, attacks, counter attacks that you could use, there doesn't seem to be that much variety here and it doesn't even give you the satisfaction of triggering a finishing move.

The overboard thing (from the trailer) is definitely something we've already seen countless of times, so I don't expect anything from it.

Visually it's very colored but not very compelling compared to recent released games. Other thing that displeased me is the voice acting oh and the moment Monkey (by the way that's not a very charismatic name) gets his gear back, it looked rdiculous, like he was a knights of the zodiac putting on his armor.

And the game doesn't even try to hide it was inspired by Xī Yóu Jì (Journey to the West) the classical chinese novels, so if you have read them you pretty much know what to expect from the story.

[SilentNegotiator]

Typical combat. Tired "Jump to the flashy object" platforming. Hideous audio.

I'll pass, and take my disagrees with a side of flapjacks.

[Bathyj]

Gee Triella, with your amazing foresight into the future, I'm surprised you play any games at all, since you can guess the whole story, combat mechanics, and outcome of every senario just from a short demo which was basically just to introduce you to the charactors, and the game itself.

Now tat I'm done disagreeing with you, in the nicest possible way of course, I think the game has great potential.

For starters its gorgeous. Yeah the art direction made me think of Uncharted right away but thats not a bad thing. Its high praise to be included in such company.
The charactor models arent as smooth, nor is the animation or the textures as sharp but its still a great looking game and Ninja Theory really have this facial mo-cap down. I still think Heavanly Sword is better in that regard than any game, (although I havent played it in a while, I could be wrong) be none the less, they look to display alot of emotion just through expression.

I agree the platforming is very, very, VERY easy. Like you said, you cant miss. This might turn some off, but I figured, the game is more about the combat, the platforming is there to break up the gameplay abit, so lets not make the game about that.
No instant deaths off a ledge, no repeating a tricky jump over and over. I was just running and "Leap of Faithing" practically the whole way and I thought, if anyone was watching it would look like I was a veteran at this game. I guess thats what they were going for, and I dont mind it in this sort of game.

The one thing that does worry me is the combat. Any you're right, it was simple 1 2 3 tapping, the difference with me is I dont think thats the only combo in the game and havent written in off yet. The demo shouldnt have been so rigid and let you see more of that aspect.

Not a must buy for me yet, but now its definately on my radar.

PS
When I first saw the guy I hate his design, but once I put a voice to the face I actually really like him. Charactor seems to have a lot to do with NT games. And the chick is hot. Maybe even Rebecca Chang hot. (Is that her name? The reporter in Dead Rising 2?)

[Gothdom]

what killed it was the way it's done. First room, a jump, second room, 2 jumps, third room, easy platforming, fourth room: a monster, then another, then 2 at a time (OMG! /s).

It's like NT thinks we're stupid or something. And the title reeks of "look! we're brilliant! it's called enslaved not because you we're a prisoner, but because you still are"

And the whole thing about the girl. She didn't help you at all then she forces you to help... and Monkey just don't even point this out.

The story feels uninspired, gameplay is so-so and the visuals... that stupid engine always has a gray shadow effect on textures. Sure, the animations are well done when you don't play, but for the rest, very sub-par.

It's more of a POP rip-off than a UC2 rip-off. But I think nobody should buy that over 20$. I had high hopes for this game, because it was developped by Ninja Theory, but this is not good.

[DORMIN]

Whoa Whoa Whoa

Uncharted 2 is CLEARLY an influence on this game, anyone saying otherwise didn't play it. Doesn't necessarily mean a bad thing, but they should give credit where its due.

Back on topic: I really enjoyed the demo. The story and setting were really interesting.

[AKS]

NT did cite Uncharted 2 as a key influence.

In fact, NT seemed practically in awe of Naughty Dog's work.

Tameem Antoniades:

"It's never good to be compared with something that's already the pinnacle of its genre," said Antoniades at Develop last week. "It makes you slightly uneasy. I'm okay with people comparing it to Uncharted[2] because it's in the same genre. But, bloody hell, that's a lot to live up to."

http://www.qj.net/qjnet/new...

[Triella]

@Bathyj

Well to be honest I've never had to play a game to know if it's gonna be good. Just watching some videos gives me a clear insight of what to expect but again I've been gaming for more than 25 years.

I had my doubts on Enslaved prior to playing the demo and they've just been confirmed. As for the story if you've seen the late 70's japanese TV series called Saiyuki (not the anime, even if it's also loosely based on the novels) you pretty much know what it is all about.

In the novels the main character Monkey is freed by and has to accompany and protect the monk Tripitaka a fearful human, concerned with his own survival who has been orderd to do a pilgrimage from China to India to fetch some holy scriptures. But Monkey is restless and impulsive and has to be kept under control so the Buddha put on him a “tight fillet spell” where a band around his forehead tightens when he doesn’t control his mind. They are joined by two other members Sandy a water monster and Pigsy a pig-like gluttony creature. Monkey uses a magic staff he can shrink and grow at will, and has some magic powers, including shapeshifting and summoning a cloud upon which he can fly (that will probably also remind you of Dragon ball which is also inspired/based on the chinese novels). The group will have to face many battles with demons and what not, Triptaka always advocates peace over violence and is easily deceived and does not see through the "demons" disguises. bla bla bla

Afer reading the novels, seeing countless of series and anime based on them I don't think this one game can really surprise me anymore.

[matrix201]

Hmm sound intresting, I just tried the game, doesn't look too bad.

[shepowy]

Super excited for this game, i expect to it to be so much better than Ninja Theory's Heavenly Sword, and from what i have played of the demo this could well be one of the best action-adventure games released this year! That good.

[Rrobba]

On one hand I'm really excited for this, but on the other I think it might not live up to expectations. But, I'll be getting it anyway (for PS3).

[mmoracerules]

You never know :P, it just might live up to your expectations.

[NastyLeftHook1]

i found it pretty fun

[despair]

I'm seeing a lot of 8.5 scores and a lot of comparisons to UC2 and Heavenly Sword.

[dkblackhawk50]

8.5 score compared to Uncharted 2? I think it would be in terms of gameplay and not quality, from my experience.

Edit: Gained a bubble :D

[shepowy]

The platforming definately reminded me of Uncharted, especially when the ship starts breaking apart.

[shepowy]

The only thing i didn't like about the demo was Monkey's voice, it was so annoying! As long as the game doesn't have an unhappy ending where one of the two protagonists dies then that'll be cool.

[prankster]

still uncertain about this one. for some reason i wasn't too impressed with the demo. not sure what it was but i thought it felt a bit off. maybe i was spoiled by the uncharted series or expecting too much? i'll hold judgment until i get to play the final game.

[Mac is OK]

Agreed, the demo was disappointing. The climbing was way too simple and guided, you just had to hold the stick in the direction of the next shiny thing and press x to go trhrough most of the level. The combat was easy, maybe because it's the beggining of the game and you don't have many abilities, and there were few enemies. And the gameplay kept being interrupted by short sequences. It tlooked good pretty though.

[jjank11]

I was also not all that impressed with the Demo. It certainly did not get me any more excited for the game. It seems like more of a rental for me. I'm still dumbfounded why they did not continue the Heavenly Sword story, I absolutely loved that game.

[Fred_C_Dobbs]

i didn't like the jumping mechanic, it didn't feel smooth as well as the movement animations,and when i rotated the camera around monkey it has a kind of smearing blurry effect i dint like either.

i also didnt like how the character was close to the screen, i like to see the environments that character inhabits...camera should have been a few more feet away form monkey.
The game just doesnt feel smooth. i guess im spoiled from uncharted.
But i was really excited about this game as great adventure game but now im just not sure.
Still the interactions with the girl was wonderful and probably the redeeming factor about the whole game.

[DOOMZ]

I will be getting Enslaved eventually though!

[Grimhammer00]

You guys do realize that after you beat the demo, a short foreshadowing trailer shows skill trees. So combat isn't all it is at the begining of a demo duh!

Auto-climbing ala unch? Well, I'd say pop2008 has that...it was a good narrative. Mostly due to the character interaction. I see enslaved the same way.

The biggest question is why release your game beside castlevania? It's revered and getting great hype. If I was Ninja Theory I'd have released it in September.

Regardless, I'm getting both.

[Hades1337]

I personally thought the demo was fantastic. I know the rest of the game might not be as exciting, but for a demo it definitely serves its purpose. It has certainly convinced me to buy it.

[ironcreed]

I have been really lukewarm towards this game and did not really know quite what to make of it. Now that I have played the demo all I have to say is that it feels like it is going to be quite a unique ride with two likable characters, high production value and a nice variety of gameplay. I think it is being seriously overlooked and has sleeper written all over it.

[DarkFantasy]

i loved the demo i can tell this is going to be a great game,maybe not some thing for everyone but it was really cool i loved the concept,i cant wait to play it gonna get it for Christmas.