Heavenly Sword for PlayStation 3 Reviews by Gamers

All I kept hearing before renting Heavenly Sword from Gamefly was that it is "short." Took about 6 hours of gameplay for me to beat the normal mode. It does seem to pass quickly with the short segments per chapter, but this does have its advantage. You can go back and play the parts that you enjoyed most very easily, and go for that perfect rating.
The cinematics are great and do the console justice, I think.
The melee set up in this game is enjoyable and effective with easy switches between the stances, crossover combos are easy to engineer and make crowd control very managable. In one segment toward the end of the game, you are required to kill 500 enemy soldiers! RAWR! The full level superstyles are kind of overpowered and make this somewhat easy.
In comparison to God of War 2:
The action sequences that require directional or single button input seem faster and more difficult, though in the end there is only a simple 3 step sequence to kill the last boss. As a general rule I dont like these sequences because it makes it impossible to watch the beautiful video that corresponds, or the empowering and gruesome counterparts found in GoW2.
The puzzles in Heavenly Sword do not lay a finger on the God of War, with only a few deflected throws that implement the "after touch" feature this was an obvious dissapointment. Add puzzles or don't.

Overall, this game recieves a good (7) rating because it was fun to play and is quit beautiful. I am a big fan of the combo based melee system and the animation models are respectable. The only draw backs are: lack of content(no ungrading and only one unlockable gameplay mode similar to unlocking titan mode,) short game time left me wanting more, and I was not impressed by the lack of viewpoint manipulation there is with its follow the leader unidirectional design.
This would be a great game to rent off Gamefly (not buy) since you'll be done with it soon.
Can't wait for GoW3!

Heavenly Sword is a great game. The best part of this game is the relationships you have with all of the characters. Unlike other heroes and villains in most games, you get an attachment to the characters and their different personalities, and boy are they different. I actually love the main villain in this game, not because he slaughters your cannon fodder friends with laser-like precision, but because he's got charisma. There are very few characters that are focused on that you don't end up liking from purely a writing stand point and that is rare in action games. The game is off the charts when it comes to detail, which makes this one of the most graphically superior games to come out. The biggest problem with the game is the length because this game leaves you wanting more. This game is so much fun and deviates away from the norm enough to make it not repetitive. I'm just sad that the game is already done with and I have no further story to uncover.

well, i ordered this from gamefly, but for whatever reason, i guess it got lost in the mail, and it never arrived. being the impatient 19 year old boy that i am, i couldnt wait any longer, and i ran out and bought it. i must say that i do not regret the decision in any way, shape, or form, despite the fact that i finished it in 2 nights.

the graphics are incredibly beautiful, with every single texture, polygon, and particle effect placed lovingly in its rightful place to craft one of the most realistic looking games ive ever seen. its not just that everything looks shiny and pretty, its the way that everything moves exactly like it should (with the exception of a few wonky physics glitches that can be quite amusing)

the story is as good if not better than many of the best examples of the wuxia genre. its obvious right from the get-go that the developers spent a lot of time to get the mood just right.

the gameplay is top notch, with incredibly fluid and interesting combos thanks to the intuitive nature of the heavenly sword's stances. the QTE sequences aren't over used the way they are in some games like this, and Kai's crossbow sections break up Nariko's action sections very nicely.

the length is, IMO perfect for this type of game, and if it had been more than 2 or 3 hours longer, i would have actually probably rated the game down for dragging on too long. however, the only reason i didnt give the game a perfect 10 is because of a saddening lack of extra content and things to do once youve beaten the game. yes, theres some videos, but all of them can be downloaded on the PSN anyway, so thats sorta pointless, and everything else just seems like a tacked on DVD extra.

heavenly sword is a masterpiece of a video game, and i sincerely hope that more studios push the PS3, in game cinematics, and the action genre the way this game does.

this was a pretty good game its probably one of the top 3out for the ps3 so far the gameplays really good its pretty easy too play and using the bow and cannon a etc. is relly fun the graphics are great and the story line is pretty good although this game kinda felt like a little bit of a rip off of god of war both in the gameplay and story line the only complaints i have about this game is you can only use 1 weapon and its pretty shot it only took me 1 and a half days too beat and theres really no replay value

I enjoyed this game, and it would have gotten a higher rating if it had more content then it does. The entire game took less then 12 played hours to beat. I definitely wouldn't purchase this game because you'd never get your money's worth out of it. It was fun though. Similar to Conan / God of War but God of War still is easily the best of the bunch. Graphics were pretty "stellar" and the gameplay wasn't all that bad. The final battle is worth the wait though. No other game I've played so far for PS3 involves the Sixaxis? from the controllers as much. I liked that alot.

Pros:
Graphics were awesome on the 1080p HD
Gameplay kept me into it the whole time
Story line kept me interested
Battle scenes and objectives were very fun

Cons: little content (5 chapters : 1 1/2 hours - 2 hours per chapter)
and thats about it lol

Rent-able? yes, it's not like it'll delay your queue long. It's a week-end beat for sure.

Words cannot describe the beauty of this game. While the game is indeed short, the story is very well written and keeps you wanting more. The scenery in the game is absolutely breathtaking. The fighting style of Nariko is very fun to play and easy to get used to. Controls are absolutely perfect. Kai's gameplay brings some fresh air and great use of the sixaxis to guide her arrows. The voice acting is top notch and probably the best I have ever heard in a video game. While playing through the game for your first time there are plenty of things to unlock and view after you finish. The artwork and movies just add to the pure charisma of this game. Even when the story is over you will find yourself begging for more. While not the best due to lack of online play, the replay value in this game is very high. My only qualm with the entire game is the music volume that drowns out the voices during the cut scenes. Its true that this game only supports 720p but that did not take away from the vibrant beauty of this game. I have not noticed any glitches or hitching during the 5-6 hours it took to play the game through. This game is not only worth renting but its sheer beauty and perfection makes this game a must have for any gamers collection. To sum it all up...I heard the hype...I played the game...and I was utterly blown away by this masterpiece!

Not bad at all!
First off let me say that I thought this game was awesome... Unfortunately there were a few flaws.
As you have no doubt heard this game is absolutely beautiful. I won't spend too much time discussing this, but let's just say it's the best looking PS3 game to date.
In this game you play as Nariko, a female warrior up against and entire empire, and you will literally fight the empire in this game! Only the PS3 can handle the incredible fight scenes, and the sheer number of characters on screen at once (over 100 at times!). Although the fights are fun to watch, because they are repetitive and the sheer amount of button-mashing makes them more fun to watch than actually play.
On the upside the story line is good (albeit short clocking in at about 8-10 hours), and the characters are pretty well animated and acted. You will grow to love the main character and truly feel her emotions, but unfortunately it is all over too quickly. And when you do finish the game there is little to be found in the way of replay value, and you probably will find no reason to play through it again (unless you want to unlock more artwork).
Overall this was a good game, and an enjoyable experience (as it left me wanting more), but after the credits rolled I really had no desire to continue to button-mash my way through it again. Like a good movie it great on the first play through, but the more you play the more you will find that may disappoint. However since this is gamefly it is perfect for Heavenly Sword, you can rent this game, enjoy it and move on. I really cannot recommend a 60 investment though.

I found the game was alot of fun. It does not have a very long story line but I still liked the way it felt. I was able to play for about an hour a night and beat it in 5 days. I really liked the Six Axis when shooting Arrows and or throwing other items.

Over all, worth the rent. I would however wait till the price drops to buy.

Nathan

In Heavenly Sword you play as Nariko, a warrior charged with guarding the Heavenly Sword, but when the evil king, Bohan shows up, she is forced to use the blade to try and save her father and clansmen.

This is game is flat out amazing, the graphics are extremely well done. I was amazed at how well the designers were able to convey emotion on the characters faces.

The voice actors on this are great, Andy Serkis makes the villain King Bohan seem so real (quite possibly my new favorite video game villain), in fact, these are the first video game characters that you may actually care about. The environments are unique and fun to play through, the enemies are fun to fight and the bosses are quite a challenge.

The music is very epic and well done. The gameplay is also very fun, you choose between three fighting styles, power (slow, but strong) speed (medium strength, medium speed) and range (hits multiple enemies fast, but doesn't do much damage) the styles themselves can be interwoven in combos.

Overall this game is tons of fun, and while short, I think you will agree that it was the perfect amount of time, and the story couldn't have been extended out without seeming monotonous. At the very least, this game is worth a rent, but definitely worth buying if you love action games with perfect presentation that could rival a Hollywood blockbuster movie.

This game has some of the best acting I have seen in almost any media. The story and character development kept me wanting to play more. The developers did a really good job in intertwining the action with the story and it never felt disjointed. I really wish there was a button to block instead of it just being automatic, but you really didn't notice since the attack controls were so fun and fluid to pull off. If you love great stories and killing a BUNCH of enemies with flair, play this game

I've been thoroughly disappoint with almost ever PS3 title released with the exception of a few (and those were ported from the 360). So does Heavenly Sword give the PS3 a good push? YES. Is it a reason to go blow half a paycheck on a PS3? Wouldn't go that far but it is a reason to dust off the PS3 which mine has been sitting idle for quite a few weeks.

If you played the demo well the graphics are the demo on HGH. This game is NICE to look out. But even the prettiest game is worthless if the gameplay sucks (Lair anyone?). Heavenly sword is "kind of" a button masher but not extremely. Its fun to switch up between your long range attacks, power attacks and basic. There is no block button, blocking comes automatically when you are not attacking (i.e mashing buttons), this can be a problem getting into a fire-fight for some people with a ton of cannon fodder trying to bash our lovely lady's pretty face into two pieces.

If you are expecting staying power with this lady, well...don't. This game is SHORT. You will most likely beat it on a rainy day and hang your head as she leaves you wanting more but its time for her to go (back into the shipping envelope that is).

BUY: If you want a PS3 game that will finally impress someone
RENT: If you want a PS3 game that will finally impress someone but hate getting low trade-in credits from EB

I was impressed with Heavenly sword from start to finish in the few days it took me to beat the game. You have heard it all about people complaining that the game is to short and over all to quickly. Yes its about anywhere from 6-7 hrs or so to beat and that fits the game just right. To me those 6hrs hours or so were so amazing and you know your playing a top notch game all the way through. The action immerses you with the stylish combos and excellent fighting sequences and boss battles (wait till you see the last boss). I enjoyed the shooting parts and guiding my arrow or cannonball to its target with after touch, how cool is that! The music is top notch and the voice acting is the best I have seen in a game period. Yep its that good and when you play the game you will see why, even edging the darkness out by a hair in the voice acting. This is definitely one of PS3's top games right now and is great for a rental or a purchase. I will eventually purchase the game and the game gets even better on the harder difficulty level which is unlocked by beating it. Its better because, yes its more difficult but you fight more enemies at once and I liked that a lot. So what are you waiting for, put this in your gamefly Q now! Now if only I could unlock all 129 glyphs....

Heavenly Sword is a great game. I just wish it was longer. By the time I get the great combos, I was nearing the end. (Just like GOW). Even though Nariko was the main character- Kai made the game.
I have beat the game twice already and I will keep on. Heavenly Sword has re-play appeal.

Definitely a must play.

I was not happy with this game. You are not aloud to roam, you have follow the intended path and the story line was not great.

So, if you like God of War... you won't like this at all. It's basically a very weak version of Kratos in sexy girl gear. I'm not even sure why they call it a Heavenly Sword if your powers of action are entirely the same as your opponents' who can block and best you by holding an ax or sheild (not swinging... holding).

Action in this game will be extremely linear and unforgiving. Want to level up to make those tough boss fights a little easier? TOO BAD! There is no leveling system. The only thing you earn at all in this game is some kind of war insignia. You can get three for each mini-episode. And aren't you stoked to find out the awesome effects these unlock? no. Not at all. For your efforts you get to see drawings. Yep. Forget the fancy graphics of actual play. You've unlocked the scribbled scrawlings of the design team! Yay! Shoot me.

The little this game does have to offer, which is very little, is that it's pretty. W00t. If you like scantilly clad women wearing little more than what they could find on a random frollic through the accessories department of some persian jo-ann's fabrics, and excessively beautified backgrounds at the expense of game-play, I recommend picking up a recent Final Fantasy game. At least there you will be thrilled by tapping the x button every once in a while and feel like you might be included in the progression of the game.

To be fair, you might also enjoy the shooting sub-levels in the game. After a half hour or so of aggravating failure, it is fun to steer the projectiles by tilting your remote, and aiming for fun parts of vehicles or people. That will be exhilerating for maybe the same amount of time as it took to learn it. Past that, you're back to being frustrated that you can't possibly get enough combo attacks with the unwieldy combat system to even survive that stupid boss fight.

This game is basically another version of god of war for ps3. the graphics are amazing and the game play is fun. Although it does get a little redundant same enemies through out the game same weapon no upgrades no customization. All in all a very fun game the sixaxis controls are spot on and once you get used to it it gets really fun. The arrow and cannon ball missions are awesome but the walking around and fighting gets a little boring. The down side of the game is that it took me like maybe 5 hours to beat the game. I got the game in the mail on monday and beat it on tuesday. I would definitely rent the game but do not buy it. You will be angry that you spent 60 bucks to play a 5 hour video game. To me it has very little replay value. Rent it for sure though because it is alot of fun and it makes me really curious about how good god of war 3 will turn out!

You can tell it's a high production cost game, but there's a lot to be desired. My major complaints are that the fighting gets repetitive (you need to smack someone around 10 times before the die), If you die on a boss the whole scene needs to reload, you need to watch the cut scene again, then you can start fighting. Throwing shields around can become frustrating.

It's worth playing through one time if you're Game Q is low, but I wouldn't say it's a must play.

Heavenly Sword has great graphics, a decent story, good cut scenes and exciting action. However, it is essentially a button-mashing combat game, and quickly grew repetitive and boring. There is a little variety, with occasional puzzles and different kind of combat like shooting, but overall the game just didn't hold my interest long enough to complete it.

I also found the controls a bit frustrating. I thought it was very hard to execute controlled combos and use all the characters skills and ultimately ended up just mashing button.

The game was just getting intesting about 30 minutes into the game. Then, when a cutscene was supposed to happen.... HANG HANG HANG.... Tried it 5 times and it hung in the same spot on my new PS3 with all current updates. BEWARE

This just ends up being a button masher. The combos are not intuitive at all and the bad guys are pretty mindless, it just becomes a matter of whose block is harder to break. And the mini game sequences in boss fights don't give you too much time, and can be quite annoying. If I had never played God of War, then I would have enjoyed this game, but the bar had been raised on PS2 before this game was even released. Overall pretty diappointing.

First of the game Heavenly Sword has a lot of potenial, but the lack of a good camera and control scheme makes this game feel like a rushed exuse for a game. The story to begin with wasn't even that promising.

Heavenly Sword was one of the first games on the playstation 3 console and might have suffered for its short length and the amount of people who actually owned the playstation 3.

Story: Typical evil king wants a mythic sword and our heroine Nariko stands in his way. There is some delving into back stories, but not enough to satisfy everything about all the characters.

I must admit the story was great, not something that will leave you amazed or shocked as in Bioshock. It will pull you through the action and I must admit when Nariko is talking to you after each chapter I rather enjoyed her speeches.

Graphics: Simply gorgeous, the main characters looked amazing. The way the game blended together the animation for all of Nariko's moves was extremely smooth and elegant.

However, don't expect great graphics for all of the enemies you face. Seemed like once you meet one type of enemy, there was nothing different about any of his nine other twins. This isn't that big of a deal since they will all fall to Nariko's sword and you'll never notice them. :P

I think the main thing I thought looked really great was the facial animation of the main characters. You have to see them on an HD TV to really appreciate the quality.

Gameplay: Let me just state this, this game is very much like God of War in terms of gameplay. However, there is NO JUMPING WHATSOEVER!!! So if you hate platforming in games you will be very happy.

The combat in the game is very easy to get used to, not attacking allows Nariko to block most attacks and pressing a certain button allows a parry. You have different attack styles and power moves once you have reached a certain set level which allows you to instantly kill an enemy or many enemies in brutal fashion. The game isn't overly hard and does not punish relentlessly if you fail at something.

Conclusion: Loved the game and I think the story, graphics, and gameplay melded quite well together. Noticably short, but sweet.

This is a grat knock off of God of War...found it was not as good couldnt get pass kia and the bridge..lol
By the way has anyone received a copy of game of war that works...umm...good game for what I was able to play on it

SO CLOSE TO PERFECTION YOU WONT MIND HOW SHORT IT IS