IGN US reviews Heavenly Sword

IGN US reviews Heavenly Sword and gives it a 7.

[Maddens Raiders]

Gamepro gave it a 4/5.

Based on my hands-on I give it a 85/100

Wonder which review, the never-playing PS3 mob who will flock here to post pure nonsense, will choose? Hmmm......

In the words of Galvatron: "This is bad comedy"

[ktchong]

Head over to MetaCritic and look at the aggregate score. (or GameRanking, but MetaCritic includes more reviews than GameRanking - every review that GameRanking includes in its average is also in MetaCritic.)

When you look at one or few review scores, then they are just individual opinions. However, if you look at MANY, MANY of different reviews and average out their scores, then they become a CONSENSUS.

[Maddens Raiders]

I am objective about this game and am not drinking all of the"kool-aid" here if you know what I mean. Look, this game is going to appeal to some people more than others, but I surely don't believe it's AAA masterial at this point. I think the PS3 is still several months away from a game like that (a defining mammoth) and when it comes we'll all know. I'm a big fan of the game Motorstorm and to me it's truly a PS3 "greatest hit". It appeals to so many people and the fun + graphics factor is top notch. HS is in a tough position after the legendary Kratos and co. have already laid the groundwork, but Team Ninja's effort is not in vain. It's just a game that shows what the PS3 is capable of with "their vision." I'm not sure they were prepeared to invest what it takes to make a "world-shocker" ala KZII, but it'll be a decent game nonetheless. Not exactly my full cup of tea, but I will take sips.

[cookiemonster]

guess what gamepro is sh!t. ign isn't that great either, but more credible than gamepro.

[ShiftyLookingCow]

Motorstorm may not be AAA but it was so much fun, I did want throw my controller straight at the screen when it was Buggy time but it was still pure fun

[Gizmo_Logix]

9.0 Presentation
9.0 Graphics
9.0 Sound
7.0 Gameplay
5.0 Lasting Appeal

Yet, they subjectively give it a 7.0? Hmmmm. Why not just put 1 for "Lasting Appeal" and then they could have matched their target 7.0? Yeah, I know they didn't use "average." But why not? That would have been a 7.8. Guess that was too high and they didn't want to subjectively round up .2 points instead of rounding down .8 points! :P

[WaggleLOL]

This is the clown who "reviewed" Heavenly Sword:

Chris Roper

God Hand (PS2) - 3.0

Credibility ZERO. Sorry Chrissyboy, you fail.

[larry007]

get your facts right

HS got 9 from 4 sites
and 10 from 1 site

and 8 from 2 sites as well

[Xbox is the BEST]

You are speaking the truth

[Xbox is the BEST]

exclusives last gen sucked and they continuing than trend. Enjoy

[TheSadTruth]

hey retards, the gameplay is boring and repetitive, what more justification do you need then that for it to be rated a 7.0? Shut the hell up with your fanboy crap

[leon76]

I don't need IGN or other site to tell me if any game is good or not. I follow my judgement. I will play the demo and then, if i have a good impression, i'll buy it. And after I played it, i will say if the game is good or not. that's the right thing to do. but i admit that this reviews influence the general oppinion of the gamers, and the sales... and i see an almost general tendence of certain sites for bringing down all new games (specially first party) to come out for the ps3...Motorstorm, a spectacular game had reviews of 7... that's insane, because i have the game and i love it. ninja gaiden sigma is another game fantastic (that was consider by many the best games ever when launch in xbox) and too whith poor reviews...that make me think...

[supnub5]

i think all people who reviewed either warhawk lair heavenly sword bad got paid by ms, because ms is afraid of these titles.

[Omegasyde]

The game deserves a 7.

(before the Playstation protection group attacks me, hear me out.)

How long is the game to beat according to IGN?
6-7 hours.

difficulty? Average

Online? Nope.

Gameplay? Innovative but tiring after repeated areana battles over and over.

I think 7 was abit harsh and a 7.5 would be a better due to the story and amazing graphics. This game did receive alot of hype but isn't worth purchase if I can beat it in 7 hours.

$60 for 6~7 hours worth of play? vs. ~8$ to rent the game.

This one is definitely a rental unless Sony lets the PS3 users with info that there will future downloadable content/add-ons.

[tonsoffun]

while I don't generally agree with what you say - bubbles for the transformers: the animated movie quote.

KUDOS MADDENS...

[ktchong]

that's what I've been reading.

Unfortunately for Heavenly Sword, gameplay is more important than graphic, sound, and flashing cutscenes.

[bluegoblin]

if you play the demo you know what im talking about, i really cant believe that they are giving this games scores below 9.I've been saying this for a long time GOW hype is killing this game.To me this game is better than previous GOWs(not including GOW3 so dont start complaining)and just that makes it top of the list.First day buy.

[ElementX]

@2.1
You can't judge gameplay by a 3 minute demo.

[ArmrdChaos]

Or 10gigs of space...I guess all that space didn't really make that much of a difference.

[DrPirate]

9.0 Presentation
The cutscene work is fantastic, as are the extras (even though you can get most of them freely online).
9.0 Graphics
Beautiful in every respect. Character models are great, and the vistas are a-plenty.
9.0 Sound
Sound effects are fantastic as is the music and voice work.
7.0 Gameplay
The combat system is mostly very good, though the battles get repetitive very quickly and some of the extra stuff (like the button matching mini-games) needed more polish.
5.0 Lasting Appeal
The experience is over fairly quickly. There are a number of really good unlockables to go back and earn, though you can already get them online right now.
7.0
Decent OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)

That, is not a 7. Sounds more like a 7.5 or 8.

Also Heavenly Sword has the Trophy system and they confirmed DLC for November. I don't want to accuse them of bias, I just wonder if they have the whole picture.

At least it's graphically and aurally stunning :P.

[ktchong]

Gameplay is the most important thing in a game. Graphic and sound are secondary. That has already been established.

[DrPirate]

Thing is, I was really enamoured with Heavenly Sword's fighting mechanics in the demo.

However, I am unable to say if this holds up for the entirety of the game.

Guess if I liked the demo's gameplay, I'll find an appreciation for the entire game. 7 doesn't mean a game is terrible, it just means fans of the genre would like it.

Also, I like the fact that it's short. I have an 8 class schedule this semester. I don't have the time for a 60 hour epic :P. If I can enjoy this game like a movie, guess that means it's perfect for me. I can happily justify the cost.

Edit: Do keep in mind: I have this game pre-Bought. I just go there, show a slip and I pick it up. My opinion may be biased.

[ktchong]

You know, BioShock lasted a good 20 hour on the first run.

I'm not getting my money worth unless it's over 12-15 hour, depending on the quality (if it has only single-player campaign.)

[DrPirate]

What's the deal? I've payed 50 for God of War and God of War 2, 7 hour and 8 hour gameplay respectively. I don't regret it in the least.

I usually beat the game on all difficulty levels and sometimes go back to enjoy the story. I don't mind replaying a game that has great production values just to enjoy it. I can say I've put 50 hours into God of War 1 and 2 because I just felt like replaying it for story (and because no game lets you unleash your aggression better :P)

I don't know why you're attempting to talk me out of it, I have 60 Hours of school a week, this game seems perfect for me to enjoy over a weekend... Also, I understand if you're worried about me. Don't be worried, I have more then enough money from my job, buying this game is like throwing down some pennies for me. I appreciate your concern :)

Also. I own Bioshock.

It's more like 12-13 hours :P (I didn't go back and do Hard Mode yet which I intend to do very soon though.)

[MarioFromTexas]

I didn't see anyone take points off bioshock being only single player. I'm pretty sure bioshock is a great game and I played the demo but it's not for me. It's funny when it comes to FPS they don't have to have multiplayer but action/adventures games all of a sudden have to have multiplayer or they lose 5 points. If a game is strictly single player it should be rated that way, other wise it's just end up being a bias reveiw when a game on another console didn't lose points for the same flaw. Am I wrong for bringing this up, or have FPS PC gamers taken over the gaming site and we can expect for every action/adventure to get 7/10 while FPS get the benifit of the doubt 9/10. That's why i like gamer reveiws more than journalist PC gaming backgrounds.

[B3YOND]

that's if you only follow the main storyline and don't explore everything.

Lair is 6-8 hour long and has no online/multiplayer. Heavenly Sword is about 6-8 hour long and has no online/multiplayer.

Gears of War is about 10 hour long... but it has online/multiplayer in addition to the short campaign.

The game is bloody $60, man; and they keep getting shorter and shorter. What's next? 3-4 hour gameplay with no online/multiplayer for $60? Am I paying for a live opera or broadway?

Short campaign + no online/multiplayer = unacceptable.

[apoc06]

10 hours?

gears of war was more like 6 hours. increasing the difficulty helps, but its still a ridiculously short single player game. honestly, that is my only problem with the single player campaign; its too short.

the god of war games were longer than gears IMHO. but i acknowledge that may just be my playstyle. i think its easier to flank and shoot enemies, especially when you dont have to worry about puzzles, interactive action sequences or intricate boss battles. reloading/ shooting and finding cover is a completely different beast than building combos to take out swarms of enemies. i think that gears could have used a few more bosses, or bosses that required a little more "direct" weapon damage to pad its length.

[Sayai jin]

Well, the reviews for this game have been very high and then some average. It will be up to the gamer to decide if they like it or not.

Edit: Ha ha, I got a disagree for a fact and also for leaving it up to the gamer to decide if the game is good or bad instead of a critic. You people crack me up.

[ktchong]

There are people who do not own a PS3 but will buy one if PS3 has a lot of great games. They will buy a PS3 only if they keep reading reviews of a lot, a lot of great PS3 exclusives that score 9s and 10s all the way.

They don't have a PS3 to "try the demo and decide for themselves" if a game is worth it. They read the rewiews, and if there's a tsunami of reviews that say the games are perfect (like BioShock and Gears of War), then they will go buy the console to play the perfect games.

And games like Lair and Heavenly Sword, which are getting mixed reviews, are NOT going to sell PS3 to people who are not diehard Sony fans.

Sony *needs* to sell PS3 to gamers who care more about games than a brand name or Blu-ray. Sony *needs* Heavenly Sword and Lair to be great, not just good. Sony *needs* Heavenly Sword and Lair to keep getting scores of 9s and 10s. But it's not happening.

Edit: Sayai jin, NO, I did not vote "disagree" for your last message. Someone else did. Although obviously I disagree with you here.

[Sayai jin]

@ Round Peg, are you the one who disagreed with me. Anyways, I agree, it would help if the recent or soon to be releases get killer app or stellar reviews, becuase PS3 owners want no just more game, but some actual AAA quality games (me being on of them). Those people who currently own a PS3 will make up there mine if they like a game or not. In this age (PS3 and 360 both) games are expensive and some may be weary of getting a game with mixed reviews, unless it is a marquee game (Halo, MGS, etc).

[Loudninja]

Still 7/10 is NOT bad

[Sayai jin]

Your right it is not bad and I think those who like it will really like it (9 or 10) and others will think it is average. I will most likely get it. I may play it at a colleagues house first :D before I decide. Some will ridicule this story because HS has been touted as a killer app.

[jodonn08]

all i can say is that im very surprised, it seems like the playstation ign team, doesnt want the ps3 to do well

[Sayai jin]

I doubt that, they are just giving it the honest opinion. You and other s who buy games will make or break the PS3 and the same for the other consoles. If you like the demo then get it, do not let the mixed reviews fool you.

[ParaDise_LosT]

Ohhh Crystal ball...
Tell me teh fuuuture........
~runs crystal ball~
Crystal Ball: Larry07 will say MS payed off IGN.....
me:....oh...Well I knew that...
Crystal Ball:...ohh.....okay...how about..umm
Nasim will say this review is biased.....
me:.....I knew that too...
Crystal Ball:.....damn....really...How about this...
Xboxfanboys will make fun of this game to no end...
Me:Well duh! I'm doing that right now!

[VirusE]

Larry007, nasim and stuntman are all nasim.

[ParaDise_LosT]

are you serious?...........

[VirusE]

Yes 100% look at the english, posting habits and things said and its very obvious. "halo cartoonish xbox game have no good graphics next to photo realism of the lair". I know for sure I am not the only one who thinks this.

[ParaDise_LosT]

wow, I never noticed that till now.
Well it looks like Larry/Nasim just reached a new lvl of fanboism....

[fopums]

well poo......sorry ninja theory but your games a rental now! that moneys going to warhawk :)

[Meus Renaissance]

I'm buying it. End of.

[Covenant]

Pretty mixed reviews, but I don't think that will stop the game from selling.

[Takumi86]

ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS I PLAYED THE DEMO ITS AWSOME I WILL BUY DEH GAME PERIOD. END DISCUSSION FOR THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE PS3 AND HAVE 360 JUST STF^ PLAY YOUR BIOSHOCK END PERIOD.

KILLZONED !!!

[blackmagic]

hmm...

[JokesOnYou]

OK this is IGN and they do really good reviews and from reading that review I think a 7 was nice of them.=

JOY

[heroman711]

gamespot gave it a 4.5 out of 5 so fukc u then. + 7 / 10 aint that bad

[Anything but Cute]

seems unfair that they get two count their review as 2 different ones. I mean it's both IGN. We should care about IGN US and let the Euro's care about IGN UK.

Play Magazine 10/10
IGN UK 7/10
IGN 7/10
GamePro 9/10
Edge 6/10 but also keep in mind they gave Bioshock 8/10

[AkUmAzRaGe lRl]

you sony fangirls better hope this doesn't happen to borezone 2.... I bet it will :)............CHEERS!

EDIT:@LeonSKennedy4Life WELL HOW YOU TAKE THAT RED RAG SHOVE IT UP YOUR ASS AND PULL OUT A BETTER SCORE FOR THIS GAME.

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

Borezone? That's all you got?

You're serious?

You know, I could bash Halo all I want for being the mediocre/lackluster title it is...but, I won't. I do it on a daily basis...but only when someone can fight back and with someone of intelligence.

Are you saying the original Killzone was as bad as the original Halo? If you think for ONE second that ANY human being can like Halo's single-player campaign as much as Killzone's...you're sadly mistaken. It's only the "tribes-ripped" multi-player that people like!

[DrPirate]

Gotta love that ignore button...

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

This is just getting ridiculous! Never have games gotten such mixed reviews as Lair, Warhawk, and Heavenly Sword!

There is SOMETHING going on here and it probably has something to do with MS.

Does no one else see this?

[sjappie]

I think you got that thing tied around your head too tight, it's cutting of the blood circulation to your brain.

How bout just admitting ps3 games can't match 360 games, not this year anyway, and get it over with.

[FreedomReign]

Crackdown, Shadowrun, Dead Rising, Lost Planet, Chromehounds, Just Cause, GUN, Perfect Dark (Zero), Saint's ROw, Pariah, UC2... I can keep going.

[MoonDust]

"It has do something with MS" LMAO! You are retarded.

[Thursday]

So why shouldn't reviews differ? As said before, HS has gotten some great reviews earlier, and of course the game isn't for everyone. No game ever is.

Ultimately, if the game is as good as it seems, it will sell rather well, regardless what any review says. I've already pre-ordered it, and friends will play it at my place, and probably get it themselves.

[heroman711]

still pretty decent. ill give it a 8.5

[heroman711]

i dont think it will be that bad. not like lair

[ngg12345]

I always love those articles gives me a good laugh.

[Clinton514]

I'm looking forward to playing it. The demo was short but cool.

[AkUmAzRaGe lRl]

This is just getting ridiculous! Never have games gotten such mixed reviews as Lair, Warhawk, and Heavenly Sword!

There is SOMETHING going on here and it probably has something to do with MS.

Does no one else see this? NO...WAIT...HELL NO.......come up with something new buddy

[Nervsys]

"There is SOMETHING going on here and it probably has something to do with MS"

Oh come on.

[Thursday]

It's not very probable, and I'd be surprised if it turned out to be the case, but are you saying it's impossible? Really? Cause then you're as much of a blind fanboy as anyone, really.

Try to be at least a little unbiased, it helps everyone in the long run.

[B3YOND]

However, those scores are not going to convince me to go out to buy a PS3 in order to play those exclusives (Lair + Heavenly Sword.) I am still waiting for Sony to give me reasons (= exclusive GAMES that keep on getting earth shattering review scores; don't care for Blu-ray or any other reason) to buy a PS3.

Games that get mixed reviews are not "system sellers", and right now PS3 really needs system sellers.

If only BioShock was a Sony exclusive instead of Microsoft...

[MarioFromTexas]

it's not a system seller. How many AAA FPS titles did the PS2 have and yet it's still out selling the 360, I wonder why? How many xbox1 are sold each month 64 and it has the mighty Halo1 and Halo2. Bioshock can be the greatest FPS of all time and wouldn't matter to PS fans because it's just another FPS in PS eyes. So 360 better come out with some AAA action/adventure games if it wants to make the PS fans envy

[apoc06]

well, if i listened to the mixed reviews, i would have never bothered with motorstorm.

i think reviewers are trying to be careful not to paint themselves into a corner with their reviews. the bar for ps3 games is much higher than xbox360 games. they dont want to give too high scores to a game when potentially better games are shortly coming down the pipe.

ie: you cant give heavenly sword a 10 in graphics because UT3 and killzone will be coming out in a few months and then you have no choice but to award 10s if they look even slightly better than HS.

[sandip787]

wow im shocked. this was touted as a AAA game and i was looking forward to the ps3 getting some high scored games.
what are the upcoming exclusive games to look forward to except for warhawk and lair? this is an honest question, many of you know i am pro PS, its just i cant keep up with the dates.
the biggest game for me are UT3 and haze, but i dont know when theyre being relased

[ngg12345]

Is mgs4, uncharted, adn R&C TOD. Most of the other stuff in the next couple months will be junk.

[jodonn08]

i think both of them are coming in early november

[heroman711]

still is a good game. gamespot ( a reliable source ) gave it a 4.5 / 5 .
plus 7/ 10 ain that bad, better than most of the other ps3 game reviews

[sandip787]

im right with u there on mgs and ratchet. its just mgs is coming out in march and i dont know when ratchet is. im sure uncharted is coming out soon, i hope anyway.
by UT3 and haze i meant within the next few months. but who knows, maybe theres a biggy im forgetting. because im sure this autumn was gonna be a massive hit for ps3.
fingers crossed anyway

[UltramanJ]

I was hoping for better scores. A score of "7" certainly isn't bad, but some of the other scores I've seen haven't really instilled me with confidence in the final Heavenly Sword product. At $60 a pop I'm not going to take chances so this will now have to be a "rental" game, and I'll use the preorder money towards Ratchet, Drake, or something on another system. A shame as this was the PS3 game I wanted most.

[The Karate Kid]

Yeah right so you mean to tell me that this game is a little better than pirates? LOL get out of here, and you also mean to tell me that Crackdown is better than this game lol. Please sounds like microsoft have paid off all the internet sites its just terrible.......

They gave the lasting appeal a 5 just so they could not give the game a ***GREAT SCORE***. This is just terrible, **IT IS TRULY OBVIOUS WHY THE LASTING APPEAL WAS SOOOOO LOW** how many games that gets reviewed scores a 5 on lasting appeal???????? i truly hope that the PS3 DESTROY the 360...I'm really at a point where i HATE microsoft I hate the 360...Im sure IGN is paid off to ensure PS3 gets bad press. There has never been so many mixed reviews ***EVER*** in game history. Im sure if this game was coming out exclusivley for 360 it would get a 9 or 9.8 but since it is a PS3 title it gets a freaking 7. Suck my balls IGN, Im buying this game im buying LAIR im buying Warhawk and the rest of the PS3 games this holiday season. IGNORE THIS DUMB STUPID REVIEW lasting appeal is a 5 lol.................

OH AND TO ALL YOU DUMB RETARDED XBOT STUPID FRAG BOYS, DON"T SAY A GOD DAMN THING!!!!!!!!!! IM IRRITATED!!!!

[bung tickler]

lol, that rant is so dumb i thought you were being sarcastic... but then i saw you have only 2 bubbles which means you are just a dumb fanboy. get a life.

[MarioFromTexas]

IGN gave it a 7.6, but it was the funest game I played on the xbox1. Did the 7.6 stop it from being a great game, Hell no. It's Halo2 worth a 9.6, no because the single player sux. I think we all fall into the hype especially journalist and while they try to be professional you can always see their fanboish

[Rageanitus]

i liked the demo even though i was pissed it was super short.

It dont feel like a genji.

[JokesOnYou]

why are you so angry, what did I say? come on my comment was totally innocent everybody knows I would never be enjoying laughing at you sony kids, you guys are the greatest, so please dont curse at me, just wait til the Mart see's this news and that his prediction was correct= then you will definitely have someone to scream at=

JOY

ooooops Rio, I'm sorry I didnt see your post before I made this one, my apologies dude.

[The Karate Kid]

Atleast TRY to disguise the PAY OFF. DONT NO GAME GET A LASTING APPEAL OF 5 lol

GRAPHICS 9

SOUND 9

PRESENTATION 9

GAME PLAY 7

LASTING APPEAL 5????????????????????????????? ?

SOUNDS LIKE A SOLID 8.0 if you ask me....How in the hell does it scores a 7 lol This is a freaking JOKE!!!!!!!!!

THIS IS A TRIPLE AAA GAME FOR PS3 THIS GAME AND LAIR DO NOT BELIEVE THIS BS FROM THE PAID OFF PRESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BloodySinner]

You could always stick with Ninja Gaiden Sigma, which is the REAL triple-A title. I guess Itagaki was right, Heavenly Sword IS half-assed.

[tatotiburon]

hahaha the sony 2007 lineup is so dead

[heroman711]

still gonna be decent in my opinion but i guess ill jut get warhawk

[Rageanitus]

Bare it mind different genres tend to have different game time. Its like gears of war, I cant picture myself playing a campaign for 15 hours. Or games like gradius they are like under 40 minutes.

As for gameplay that is pure subjectiveness also. I enjoyed doom 3 ALOT yet ppl bashed it cuz it did not have so called gameplay. IMO it was gr8 gameplay. Hell alot of ppl complained about vegas being too short. Imo it was PERFECT length, the story flowed well from start till end without any slowdowns.

But bare in mind I find ign and gamespot tend to be bias towards xbox, it just simply seems they like shooters. Not blaming them but I guess the reviewers are in their own demographic.

[Rageanitus]

Bare it mind different genres tend to have different game time. Its like gears of war, I cant picture myself playing a campaign for 15 hours. Or games like gradius they are like under 40 minutes.

As for gameplay that is pure subjectiveness also. I enjoyed doom 3 ALOT yet ppl bashed it cuz it did not have so called gameplay. IMO it was gr8 gameplay. Hell alot of ppl complained about vegas being too short. Imo it was PERFECT length, the story flowed well from start till end without any slowdowns.

But bare in mind I find ign and gamespot tend to be bias towards xbox, it just simply seems they like shooters. Not blaming them but I guess the reviewers are in their own demographic.

[sjappie]

BRAINWASHED SONY FANBOYS!!!!!!!

[tfur]

The "5" for Lasting Appeal is a little silly... heck a 5... I "might" finish it... I'll put the disk in, but I certainly will not put it in twice...

I would of loved to hear the conference call between ign uk and us before these reviews came out...

disingenuous...

[UltramanJ]

Not when you've got proven developers like Naughty Dog, Insomniac, Polyphony Digital, The Ico team, Sucker Punch, etc making games for your system. Outside of Bungie and Lionhead the 360's got nothing developerwise.

[bung tickler]

Ensemble, Rare, Turn 10, plus they got rights to alot of great IP's like PGR, Mass Effect, Jade Empire, Gears of War.... just to name a few. dont be a tool.

[ParaDise_LosT]

Took long enough for someone to acuse MS of paying off IGN...
seriously....
can't you take a hit?
Look at us...Blue Dragon got a 6.5 from 1up...
you see us b*tching about it?...no..

Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance.....

[FreedomReign]

is usually a one way street, on N4G sadly.

[Staircase]

Sad to see so many games I was looking forward to getting mediocre reviews. Oh well, still getting Warhawk, Uncharted, and Ratchet this year!

[BulletToothtony]

went out of their way to say that lasting appeal was bad.. saying that you can download it online already??? are you serious?? so this makes it bad??

if the lasting appeal would've been at least 6 (which i truly think i'll play this game at least 3 times which is something i NEVER do, except RFOM then it would make the lasting appeal an 8) this game would've been an 8 or a 9 (final score) but since they came up with a lame excuse to bring one of the scores to the floor,

then the whole game becomes a crappy game.. it's just a little too obvious to me that some people are trying to give a bad name to this game.. i'm not being a fanboy but sayint that lasting appeal is 5 it's definetly wrong

[Figboy]

i'm going to compare their final scores to what they *ACTUALLY SAID in the body of the review:

Presentation 9 - "The presentation is great from top to bottom, with fantastic voice acting that supports absolutely stellar motion capture performances. Characters display a very wide amount of emotion thanks to facial animation that covers not only their eyes and mouth but eyebrows, forehead, cheeks and pretty much every other part of their entire body. It rivals and perhaps even surpasses what Valve did with Half-Life 2 in this regard, though in the case of Heavenly Sword all of these animations are delegated to cutscenes (not to take anything away from it)."

*the 9 seems warranted here.

Graphics 9 - "Beautiful in every respect. Character models are great, and the vistas are a-plenty."

*no problems with the visuals.

Sound 9 - "Sound effects are fantastic as is the music and voice work."

Gameplay 7 - *now this is where things don't begin to add up. in the body of the review: "The three stances work very well in that they can be combined mid-combo to create some useful and visually impressive attack maneuvers. More so, they're actually useful in different situations, depending on who you're up against, and how many there are. The ranged attack is great against a number of weaker enemies, but the bigger guys will almost always block it. In this manner the system works well to keep you changing up styles and tactics during combat."

*their major complaint about the combat is that there is no block button, and the battles can get repetitive. as for the blocking, i admit, it *WAS odd at first, to not have a designated block button, but after playing the demo over and over again, i didn't even *NOTICE. this seems like a very, *VERY subjective thing.

then the repetitive battles. well, aren't *ALL games repetitive in that respect? i mean, a game like Gears and Resistance is: enter area, kill bad guys, explore, go to new area, kill bad guys, explore, go to new area, kill bad guys.

i just don't see how the lack of a block button, and the fact that you are generally doing the same thing over and over again worthy of dropping it down 3 *WHOLE POINTS. maybe one, even 2 at the max, but *THREE? it just doesn't make sense to me.

they also complain that you can just rely on the Triangle button. well, that's not necessarily a fault of the game. i relied on the slicing dash attack in Ninja Gaiden for the duration of my game, but is that a fault of the game? *NO. *I'M the one limiting myself of the deep combat system by sticking to one move. just about any combo-based action/adventure game has a move that you can rely on almost all the time. Prince of Persia, God of War, they had these flaws too. did that drop their scores down 3 points? no.*

Replayability 5 - "The experience is over fairly quickly. There are a number of really good unlockables to go back and earn, though you can already get them online right now."

* the length of the game is a valid complaint, but if there are "a number of really good unlockables to go back to and earn," isn't that pretty good. sure, you can get the behind the scenes vids that are available on the PSN, but you can also play through the whole game as an upgraded Nariko and Heavenly Sword.

at the least, replayability should have gotten a 6 or 7.

also, ign's final score just *DOESN'T add up to 7. they don't use an average based system because, well, that would be *FAIR to the games they review.

if they did, HS would have gotten a 7.8 out of 10, which is close to an 8, and is a fair score for the game.

i mean, as it stands, the game is only 1 point above Spider-Man 3 for the PS3(which got a 6), and we all know that game *BLEW.

considering that every review praises the combat and fighting, which is the whole *POINT of the game, i just don't see how a 7 is warranted.

an 8, or 8.5, based off of my experiences with the game, but a 7? makes *NO sense at all.

i guess i'll know for sure when i get the game in my hands on the 12/13th, but it simply seems that *ALL of the anticipated PS3 games are getting mixed reviews (Lair has *ALSO gotten it's fair share of 7's and 9's, along with Heavenly Sword, which is getting the same).

i think *SOME reviewers are grading on quite the high curve for PS3 games, considering that >insert popular shooter here< games tend to get higher scores than games that are at least *TRYING to do something different.

there just doesn't seem to be any *FAIRNESS going on in reviews lately.

i think i'll stick to the once source of reviews i can always count on: *ME.

[BulletToothtony]

it's truly not fair that they give transformers and harry potter an 7 or 8 and then a game like this also a 7..

i mean it would be nice if they had like some standards to always measure each game, but i believe they review according to the expectations they had in their minds..

if they expect each ps3 game to be the best game ever made, we're only gonna see 10 like 4 years from now.. which in my opinion they should really review compare to what's out and to previews reviews.. not to what they thought it should've been.. oh well i'm still buying and i know that i'll like it..

it's too sad that people are *saying* that they won't buy it because of reviews.. they're gonna miss out..

[Frulond]

bubble for you
I totally agree with you, and this is once again another proof IGN sell themselves for points. It's not the first review they do they throw crap on some game that ends up being great or overhype a piece of .... oh well you know what.
I tried the demo and as i've done before i will buy it day 1, cause i liked it and that is why i love playing demos, those 5-30min sometimes more make you want or leave the game.
Sadly there seem to be no more reliable sources now =(

[Zhuk]

Heavenly Sword just isnt that good, it's a solid game but not a great game, it deserves a 7 suck it up fandroids

[khellendros1]

Whatever man, these guy can say what they want I'm getting this game. I've played the demo and have enjoyed it. Yes it was short but I really liked what I played. Plus, you have too many discrepancies in the reviews. you have people giving it 9's or higher and others like this. I say if you like what you see then get the game. This game is better than a 7

[akaFullMetal]

i still really want to get this game, and warhawk, i mean i still get games that get 7 and 8's but yea i thought this would get an 8.5 at least on most of the reviews

[Figboy]

represent an *AVERAGE, which i've always found unfair, for reviews of *ALL GAMES on *ALL SYSTEMS.

i mean, i thought the reason why we use averages was to give a general idea of something. if they're just going to throw out averages for the hell of it, well, i just don't know.

i guess i shouldn't find it surprising that if you look up the reviews of practically *EVERY SHOOTER on the PS3 released so far, you'll find a bunch of high scores.

it's as if they have a thing against swords or something.

Ninja Gaiden Sigma got a high score (8.3), but that's a well regarded X Box game. anything less than an 8 would have been questionable.

i've never liked ign's reviews because of their bizarre averaging, and this doesn't change my mind at all.

what i find really, *REALLY funny, is that dissenters dismiss Gamepro's 4.5/5 score as bullsh*t, and accept ign's 7 as gospel truth, even though, in the body of their reviews, they say practically the *EXACT SAME THING about the game. they even seem to have some of the same issues with the game (ie, the block button issue, and somewhat repetitive battles), and yet they give the game a 4.5/5 (which is, roughly, the equivalent of an 8 or 8.5/10 in my opinion).

amazing.

[sandip787]

i suppose they dont use averages because it could mess up a review, i mean imagine if spiderman 3 has epic graphics, and they gave it a 10, it would increase the rating dramatically, even though its still a poor game

[Figboy]

even if the game has epic graphics, this is how it *SHOULD rate out:

Spider-Man 3:

Presentation - 5 - though the graphics are great, the overall presentation of this game is poor. the user interface is generic, the cutscenes are terribly shot, and it has a very, very loose tie to the movie it's supposed to be following.

Graphics - 10 - this game has epic graphics!

Sound - 4 - stock sound effects, bland, uninspired voice-acting, and a soundtrack that sounds like it stepped out of a low-budget television show. turning down your speakers wouldn't hurt at all.

Gameplay - 5 - aside from the excellent swinging, the missions are boring, the timed button presses are *HORRID, and the game can be beaten within 5 hours.

Replayability - 3 - after the credits roll, you have *NOTHING to do in the city but swing around. you have no incentive to collect the various tokens scattered about, as they don't unlock *ANYTHING. not even clearing the map, 100% of crime gives you any rewards. the weak story mode is all you get here.

Overall (this *IS the average) - 5.4

see, even with the stellar graphics score, if they are truly honest and fair with their ratings for the other categories, a poor game will average out to a poor score.

as it stands, i rate Spider-Man 3's visuals at a 7, which would drop that averaged score down to somewhere around 5, which is fitting.

(as a note, i rated the various categories off of *MY personal view of the game; yes, i actually *OWN it, and yes, it *IS disappointing. the swinging is fun for a few minutes, but after clearing the game, you don't get *ANYTHING but, guess what? more swingin! and i bought the "Collector's/Special/What ever" Edition of the game. i'm a diehard Spider-Man fan, i loved the 3rd movie, and this game was sh*t on a stick. even worse than Spider-Man 2, and i actually *TESTED Spider-Man 2 for Activision back before it came out!)

[sandip787]

i do agree with you on that, but if a game got 10 for graphics, and 10 for sound, but got 5s for the gameplay, replayablity and presentation, it would average at 7, which it wouldnt deserve because its still a rubbish at the core. HS however, is not a rubbish game at core, which is where i agree with you, they should either use the average score, or at least a much fairer score.
i know there arent many games like this, and i agree with you that the overall score should reflect somewhat on the individual scores, but sometimes it gives an unfair review
HS however, is not a rubbish game at core, which is where i agree with you, they should either use the average score, or at least a much fairer score.

[Shaka2K6]

I dont care now, im buying this game day one.

LMAO and whats with the new reviews trend now, 1st it was all about sales specially in Japan and now its reviews, damn you anti-Sony force you will just do and look for anything to make Sony and the PS3 or PSP look bad LMAO poor guys.

[ErcsYou]

...im growing tired of these so called "reviews"aka other peoples opinions about games that i thought were great games..i use to play bloody roar 3 for ps2 and i loved that game...ign thought tekken was better which made me laugh..i hate tekken....so the moral of the story is that REVIEWS DONT MEAN SH!T to "real" hardcore gamers....as for the heavenly sword review....its crap....how many of you still play the demo daily??? now thats repetitive....but i still play and i love every second of it.....as long as ther game is longer than the demo, most gamers will be happy with HS...

[sjappie]

anything to make Sony/ps3 look bad. They are quite capable themselves, we just respond to the news.

[larry007]

so definitely his review carries no weight.

I am not saying that IGN is biased but some of their reviewers are just too erratic

GOD HAND review by Chris Roper ----a 3/10

http://ps2.ign.com/articles...

HS review by Chris Rper ---a 7/10

http://ps2.ign.com/articles...

CONCLUSION :- Chris Roper's review is pretty much worthless.

when GAMEPRO and some other websites have given HS a 9/9+ this review will end up like PSM's reviews of LAIR and WARHAWK / EGM's review of LAIR

ps3 owners and HS fans rejoice!!!

[fopums]

hmmm...I should have read further, I didnt know he did the review thanks for that, Im still going to rent it, but it could lead to a purchase :)

@edit and he apprently did GOW2....eh Im in the same boat I guess on HS

[WilliamRLBaker]

It looked like goddess of war, and still does, I'll still play it when it comes out, but like god of war and those games its a rental at best.

[junk56]

oh well the only games i really were gonna buy were

ratchet and clank
uncharted
warhawk

from trusted companies. these new exclusives have a chance of wooing fans into buying a ps3 but when 08 comes in, ps3s will be flying off shelves for MGS4 and GT5. trust me on that

[BADBOYEK4]

Gabe Newell Smack Talks the PC, PS3, Xbox 360 (And your Mother). http://kotaku.com/gaming/gc...

[ShiftyLookingCow]

Gabe should talk smack about PETA while munching on KFC chicken leg, I will give $30 to see that

[sandip787]

oh and what was god of war?
oh yeh an EPIC game that got super ratings on all reviews.
you cant degrade a game simply because its like another.
hell its like knocking down GT5 or forza because theyre racing games with souped up graphics. its ridiculous. im really starting to doubt internet reviews now. i have NEVER seen scores that were so far accross the board than with HS lair and warhawk.
im not saying its a conspiracy, but it does seem a little odd

[JokesOnYou]

I played God Hand and thats a bad example to pick out, many other sites rated it low also,(a few 6's and 5's) it just so happens he thought that game sucked more than they did.

you also forgot to mention that he also gave God of War 2 a 9.7
http://ps2.ign.com/articles...

so I guess he's only biased sometimes= pathetic sony kids attacking the messenger again=

360 fans not so great reviews for BD= "oh well"

sonykids not so great reviews for ____ ="OMG micro paid off pro sony mags, the entire media, and sony devs themelves to underdeliver"

JOY

[tfur]

FYI...

The constant use of terms like "sony kids" is really gay...

You gotta a pretty mouth... Now wipe that lipstick off your face...

[JokesOnYou]

but I'm not into that kind of stuff, this pretty mouth and lipstick is just my avatar of the Joker= its not really me, cool huh? but I'm a straight male so please stop coming on to me, OK. hey I appreciate your heart felt advice and I got nothing against you, but I'm just not into that sony kid. NO thankyou=

JOY

[tfur]

Whatever JOY the xboy... constantly calling people kids, exposes your own immaturity. Almost as much as your high brow use of the term "pooray."

hehe...

[Figboy]

has being compared to a stellar game like God of War been a bad thing? especially if, for the most part, you deliver a worthy experience.

this isn't like, say, Cold Fear (or whatever that one Resident Evil knock-off was called, the one with the zombies on the boat), and Resident Evil.

this is more like, well, Resident Evil and Silent Hill; similar, but different, yet both are satisfying in their own ways.

i just don't understand how it's suddenly *BAD to compare a promising game with *ANOTHER promising game in the same genre.

Halo - cool sci fi FPS with great multi-player.

Resistance - cool sci fi FPS with great multi-player, but still *NOTHING LIKE Halo.

yet people take comparisons of the title to mean war.

Heavenly Sword, God of War, Devil May Cry, Prince of Persia, and Ninja Gaiden are all in the same genre. *ALL FIVE of these games do justice for that genre. they have some similarities (God of War was simply refining what DMC had done before it. Ninja Gaiden was also refining what DMC had done, but taking it into a more depth-filled and precise direction. Heavenly Sword is taking what God of War evolved into, and adding more Ninja Gaiden like depth, but not it's insane, and generally non-average gamer difficulty, and coupling it with high production values and art design) but overall, they were different and unique enough to warrant their existence. Heavenly Sword is the same.

like the Gamepro guy said (and i'm generally loathe to agree with the Gamepro crew), Heavenly Sword is simply an appetizer for what God of War 3 will ultimately be.

as a first attempt at a PS3 game, i think Ninja Theory did a great job, and i imagine that a Heavenly Sword sequel will have addressed a lot of the issues reviewers have had (tedious combat, no block button).

[PS3Rebel]

are u ppl complaining about???

because ppl like urselves gave it a 7 lol so it automatically shows that the game lacks...so if i saw ur girlfriend and i gave her a 5/10 ud break up with her - even tho she cooks/cleans/and gives u bj on demand...please

the scores they gave 9,9,9,7,5 = 7? its more of a 8 then anything and according 2 me graphics/gameplay are most important and it rocked on that scale

HS isnt suppose to be a long game that takes u hrs and hrs...its a story that u play threw it..it will be amazing..and leave it at that

so please....just save ur replying and go on the KZ2 posts - because anything on that game cast a shadow over any other game out there

this is a day 1 purchase no questions asked

[ShiftyLookingCow]

".so if i saw ur girlfriend and i gave her a 5/10 ud break up with her - even tho she cooks/cleans/and gives u bj on demand...please"

lame example

[jwatt]

They gave a good explanation of why the gameplay scored so low. There is not a variety of enemies, and you fight in sections, Thats totally understandable why the gameplay is so low. I actually like the gameplay in the demos, and if my ps3 kept track I think I played that demo like 12 times. I'm going to still pick up this game but I do understand why it got this score.

[Batman77]

Even if there isn't a variety of enemies, you still get to fight thousands of enemies. Ninja Gaiden Sigma doesn't have a variety but that doesn't stop it from being a good game.

[GoLeafsGo]

..but gameplay deserves better than 7. I don't know why I'm constantly reading that the game gets repetitive. Heck, even if it does, you know what? A LOT of PS3 owners that downloaded the demo have put in upwards of 12-20 playthroughs on the demo, and they're still anxiously awaiting the game.

Whatever, though.
Oh, and IIRC, IGN scores games the same, regardless of territory.

[Violater]

I want to see who is going to stop me and a lot of other people from buying it.

[SlappyMcTaint]

IGN reviews your momma, gives her a 3.

These xbot-generated "news items" are getting flippin old.

And btw, if Halo 3 or Ass Effect get anything under an 8, i'll post it here as news so we can all shart all over it.

[eagle21]

I trust Game Informer. Game Informer made the Lair reviews final for me. A solid game, with appeal that might not be for everyone (7.25/8). But good none the less. I want to see what Heavenly Sword gets (even thogh I am picking it up)....Does anybody trust Game Informer like me? The editors are not biased, look at the section of what games they are currently playing. Each editor is always currently playing multiple console games that span across PS3,360, PS2, PSP, DS...I love that magazine!!!

[Gamingskills]

If this game is what having blu-ray is about I'll stick to my Xbox 360. All this hype about all the data blu-ray can hold and all i get for 60 bucks is a six hour long game. I'm impressed! NOT!!!!!!!! What a shame. I guess all you PS3 Fanboys are going to have to wait until next year maybe for your first great game that yall can all brag about. For now PS3 is 0 for 2, first Lair now Heavenly Sword. Us 360 Fanboys have nothing to worry about, with each Sony exclusive release they put their foot further into their mouths. Im still waiting for them to convince me I need a PS3 so far they are just making me happy I have a 360. LOL LOL LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Wii60_FTW]

Honestly, what moron would think any of these PS3 games would be good anyway? LMAO. This whole thing is truly hilarious.

And then you have all these "I pledge allegiance" fanboys claiming they will buy it anyway!! LOL. fanboys FTL.

[darkvenom]

have never let a review stop me from buying a game,because in the end it all boils down to personal taste,weather you love or hate a game there is always someone out there spending their hard earned cash to buy said game. for example Halo3,and Killzone2 some people hate them some people love them,anyway my point is even if these games get bad reviews people will still buy them,hell i'm buying these two!.guys don't let these bad reviews bother you they're nothing but personal opinion.I can't wait to pick up my copy of Heavenly Sword.Just my two cents.
Edit: @ the dipshi@t below me STFU! What are you doing here you little troll?ohh...i get it you're to worried about the beast that is the PS3,or is your 360 broken? never mind you're probably just a 14 year old kid.shouldn't you be getting ready for night night,poor wittle boy you've had such a hard day trolling the PS3 news.Good night fanboy!

[Wii60_FTW]

FLOP.

ENJOY ;)

[Charlie2688]

After reading the whole review it sound more like a 8 or even a 8.5, that lasting appeal 5 seems a out of place and even forced specially if you compare it to other similar games IGN has reviewed

But coming from the guy that hated God Hand I didn't expected much, I wonder if he hates this games so much why does he continue reviewing them?

[Batman77]

Heavenly sword got more high reviews than low and a 7 is not bad. Unlike some people here, i'm not going to cancle my preorder just because IGN gave it a 7. Even if it was to get a 10/10, it is still someone elses opinion and I loved the demo so i'm going to buy this game on day one.

[P1MPDADDY]

Or is this site full of Sony PS3 hypocrites? IGN is a very respected reviewer in this industry. Not some damn European Sony fanboy website reviewing this game. It got a 7. Get over it. Heaven forbid a Sony exclusive game didnt live up to the hype. Wont be the first or last time that has happened. Also Gears of War got criticized for short gameplay, but you PS3 fanboys give Heavenly Flop a free pass? WTF? Can we have some consistency around here. Last but not least, give up your Microsoft Conspiracy Theories already. From all the reviews this game looks and sounds great, but the gameplay is lacking. Be happy it got a 7.

[wildcat]

.

[BISHOP-BRASIL]

Not that bad. The game real loose points only on replay factor. IGN give 9, 9, 9, 7 (gameplay) and 5 (replay) to this game, so, if you don't ming the replay factor, it's more like a 8.7/10.

I have nothing to complaim about this review and will buy the game, since I don't mind that much on the replay factor (I don't have that much time and will have Lair and Warhawk at full speed in the same month).

[Numark]

yea, folks. we all know IGN is very respected and they are pretty much unbiased. They said the game had average gameplay and very little lasting appeal. So they gave it an average score.

sounds fair to me.

[pshizle]

this was suppose to be one amazing game

i was watching the video review and the guys said it can be easly beaten in 6 hours...they seemed disappointed

but i never really minded a short game... =)

[7ero H3LL]

maybe if you just want to skip movies. (but thats definitely not necessary).

[icechai]

stop posting comments based on the scores (68 and many others) and read the review! IGN is the first to actually bring up actual valid grievances against the game, and also to show what we all know from the demo:

"Heavenly Sword comes very close to being great... The battles quickly become very repetitive due to a lack of interesting enemies and the "arena" battles that frequently pause your progress... we just wish that the same amount of care that went into these cutscenes were applied to the game's pacing"

These are all concerns people had with the demo, but we all loved the combat system. Sadly the game isn't GREAT, but by no means is it just "average." I am definitely going to get this to play it through, and probably enjoy it. Oh, and regards to the 5 in lasting appeal - "There are a number of really good unlockables to go back and earn, though you can already get them online right now." TOTALLY VALID. Why bother getting unlockables when we have seen them on PSN already? LAME. Hopefully they get enough sales to start on a 2nd one and improve on the key points pointed out by IGN.

Once again, IGN has proven itself to be one of the best video game publications on the internet.

[MK_Red]

Wow, IGN gave it a 7!? I think they are totally out of their minds.

[FirstknighT]

I'm starting to feel sorry for ps3 owners. Really I am. I used to have fun messing with you but now it's getting really bad. Ps3s big three: Heavenly Sword, Lair, Warhawk all FLOPPED BIG TIME! I know you guys don't respect these reviews opinion because that's all it is...just an opinion. But you have to remember that this is their profession...their career. This is what they get paid to do. They are not fanboys and they are not biased...their review is taken from careful notetaking. Their reviews are as honest as it can get.

Bottom line is that the ps3 is not doing what Sony and the sony fanboys said it will be doing by now. No AAA title. The big 3 flopped. Lair and Heavenly Sword are SHORTER than Gears of War.

It used to be..."Wait till the end of this year".........now it's "Wait till next year" I been playing next gen gaming for 2 years now...when will the ps3 start?

The debates are over. No more debating about who has the better games. It's already over. The 360 clearly destroys the ps3 in the gaming department. Sony fanboys wont agree with me....but most gamesites and gamemagazines do.

[icechai]

congratulations? Does it really matter? We still own a ps3. Its not like you will spend extra money to upgrade your PC or buy one so you can play better versions of your 360 games, and more variety of games like RTS and MMOs. We just make the most of what we have, and that means a fun multiplayer game like Warhawk, and some possibly interesting experiences with Heavenly Sword and Lair (heck, above average experiences definitely).

[SabreMan]

am i missing something here but doesn't a game thats deemed a "flop" have to actually be on sale for a while to reach such a status, it's how a game sells that will deem it a flop or a success not vastly different review opinions.

the developers can't go out and spend a review on the next project, it's called money thats the be all and end all in games development and software sales generates it

all three of the games you have listed will sell well and will generate more hardware sales, subjective opinion thats what a review is the thing that seems to be letting heavenly sword down is the longevity and replay value, with Lair it's getting to grips with the controls and Warhawk has been received very well in the context of reviews

your bold claim is somewhat early to predict, if in six months it turns out your claim is true then i commend you for foreseeing it however i shouldn't hold your breath

[Bolts]

Heavenly Sword probably deserved a 7. If the demo is any indication the game simply lack the shock and awe of a killer action game like God of War. A solid title but nothing ground breaking.

Speaking of not ground breaking...WTF is up with all the Bioshock reviews? No mulitplayer and a single player campaign that quickly fades after a while.

[cloud360]

They gave it a 7 coz its no longs. bioshock is 20 hours... and heavenly sword is 40

[PS360PCROCKS]

Wtf are you talking about, Heavenly Sword is like 6-8 hours.

[CRIMS0N_W0LF]

BS reviews. www.gamerankings.com FTW!

[codeazrael]

What ever is going on??? Seriously though, Sony has managed to hit a trifecta with their first 3 "AAA" titles scoring mediocre. Now I hope people will see that after all of the gigs of bluray space, all of the computing the Cell made, and all the hype that came out of the Sony camp, that a true AAA title is going to not come from the most "powerful" system because a system is powerful, but it is going to come from a dev team's dedication to their work, and the dedication to spending as much time as needed to create their masterpiece instead of being intimidated into rush releasing a title for the sake of a little silver and gold. Why settle for anything less than the original vision you had for your game. I mean if the cell processor is truly capable of doing whatever a dev need it to do, then devs need to take their time and not only create a good looking game, but one that possess substance, and also one that lasts more than a few hours. It's something how we talk about graphics so much, but has anyone noticed that with greater graphics games all around are becoming shorter and shorter? And with titles costing $10 extra now because of extra dev costs, you would think that we would be getting more for our money. But I'm 100% sure that when HS2 hits store shelves, it will more than likely get AAA status...even if it does take till 2012 to develop it. J/k, but if Sony would've given these guys, as well as the warhawk and lair guys breathing room instead of breathing down their necks trying to get games released in time for this holiday season, maybe these games if released next holiday season would be scoring alot better. But really, Sony couldnt go another holiday season leaving the Xbox unopposed as far as hardcore gamers go. But then again, by rush releasing these games, maybe Sony just may have done that anyway???

[DaEnforcer]

I'm a little disappointed with IGN, normally I agree with their scores. NG Sigma better than HS? No way

[PS360PCROCKS]

Um...Ninja Gaiden one of the highest scores on the original Xbox, nice try though.

[Nervsys]

Would it really be such a surprise that a particular PS3 game isn't really that good, when everyone thought it would be? You only have to remember the hype behind the original Killzone for a good example.

Its so amusing everyone saying they don't care about the scores they're going to buy the games anyway. Jeez, I wish I had some magic beans to sell. Looks like all I'd have to do is write "PS3 exclusive" on them.

All you're doing is telling sony that you'll buy a game on hype, when you should buy games that deliver the goods. If you keep it up, eventually they'll spend 90% of the budget on hype and 10% on the game.

[Imalwaysright]

Hmmm i played the demo... God of war pisses on HS from a great heigth ... in fact God of war pisses on any game of the same genre. This game just doesnt have the fun factor and intensity that God of War has. After playing God of War i would give HS an 5/10 and i feel that im being generous...

[The Swordsman]

IGN gave it a five for lasting appeal. They gave a game which lasts twelve to fifteen hours a five in lasting appeal. They gave Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time a nine for lasting appeal, and it only took me about four to six hours to get through that game. What hypocrites.

[Chriswsm]

I played the demo to this shortly after playing the demo to Ninja Gaiden. Methinks I will just get the cheapest of these two games via low bidding on Ebay as from the demos they seem very similar so no point in getting both.

Wouldn't dream of paying more than £20 for either of them so might take a while (I am a patient chap). It takes a lot for me to buy a game on the day of release although will probably do that with some of the forthcoming releases such as Pain and Assasins Creed.

[MoonDust]

Credible sites like IGN and Gametrailers always give fair reviews.

[PS360PCROCKS]

This is ridiculous, some of you are delusional...some interesting things said through the comments...

"7 is not THAT bad (That's your mindset now!?)"
"MS payed them"
"Biased score"
"Their lying"
"I played the demo I know this game is amazing"
"Who cares if it 's only 6-8 hours I always enjoyed a short game"
"Wtf? Their non-average score is not correctly averaged, it's more like a 8 (I love this one)"
"I'll still buy it anyway"

Do you people listen to yourselves? You knocked Gears of War because it was 10 hours and had no more than 4 guys on screen, but look at it's scores. I really don't get it, coming from people who owned the godliest of all consoles the almighty "PS2" your ready to lay down and allow this crap? Since when did a 7 become a GOOD score?? Instead of blaming Sony for not doing more for their developers your blaming Microsoft, lame reviews, biased reviews, biased sites, conspiracy theories against Sony and everything else under the son some of you can conjure up. It's pathetic really, you think anyone really gives a FUC* if Sony fails or succeeds? Their payed to play the game and score accordingly, and they did, accept it. I'm sorry to all the PS3 only owners who were anticipating this game being perfect but it's not, and the only person to blame is Sony. They give a team 50 Gig's and they make a 6-8 hour game? Ok HELLO development problems. You're only supporting mediocre/decent games if you blindly go buy this and pay Sony. Yes the games pretty but do you play your games staring at the scenery and not actually fighting?

[Violater]

http://www.gametrailers.com...

[jlemdon]

I'm still getting the damn game.:P

[silent ninja]

whether u agree with the review or not. you can go to gameranking and metacratic (sp) that gives u an idea how poeple feel about this game.

last but not least

ITGAKI WAS RIGHT! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA....half a$$ed game bi***s

[Funky Town_TX]

WTF, I'm not into hack and slash but I was going to try HS. By the time I get a PS3 this will be a cheap game so cool. I will try it for $30.

[spike]

WOW im psychic. I knew Heavenly Sword was going to suck. Just like Lair. Im psychic and Killzone 2 is also going to suck.

[Wii60_FTW]

Blew-Ray FTL! LMAO.

[roadkillers]

I loved the demo so im buying it. I dont care if IGN gave it a 3/10.

[FirstknighT]

Of course sony boys are gonna buy this game...they really don't have any choice considering the ps3 has a pathetic gaming library.

[Violater]

I don't see anywhere else I will get a game with this much hair raising action.
So its not AAA to the critics, suck it up its AAA to the fans.

http://www.gametrailers.com...

[junk56]

ok sure lair got bad reviews and heavenly sword got OK reviews.

but seriously, how the frickin hell do you guys come up that warhawk got bad reviews? HOW THE HELL DO YOU REVIEW AN ONLINE ONLY GAME WHEN THE GAME HASNT BEEN RELEASED YET.

idiots. im going to assume PGR4, Lost odyssey, mass effect will all flop. oh yea, blue dragon did already.

[Wii60_FTW]

Mass Effect a "flop"??LOL Fanboys......

Bioshock is already a masterpiece, Mass Effect will be too, then Halo, Then COD4 (on Live with rumble and achievements). PS3 is slowly dying with games like Lesbian Sword and Kiddy Big World LOL.