It's an engaging, exciting, fearless and endlessly imaginative masterpiece with a clarity of vision that is so, so rare in traditional big-budget releases.
It's consistently fascinating story and ever-evolving world - along with its minimalist and elegant gameplay - make saving the world a magnificent endeavor. [Sept 2011, p.80]
Truly a hidden gem. Sometimes, if you're not good at platforming, you might feel really stressed. This game needs some practice (a lot for me), but it is really worth it, you get a huge pro feeling after defeating a boss and you get wonderful, dreamy and even symbolical stages. This game has more surprises than it looks like, it will just flip the syle or the camera anytime, be prepared.
El Shaddai it's a great game because of its concept and mixture of that creates on the player, and should be taken into account by those who seek something more than a game.
Repetitious gameplay and confusing plot drag down what is otherwise a breathtaking audio and visual experience. Visually there is absolutely nothing else like it, which alone warrants a serious look.
This is one of those games that you need to experience. The art style and design alone are worth the price, but its also got some very creative gameplay. The idea of timed button combos instead of a heavy attack light attack system is very well implemented, and gives people who cant pull of the insane combos from DMC or Bayonetta a chance to fight well. This game has almost everything perfect, however, the story can be confusing at points, hence the 9 out of 10, but you will be fine as long as you get the main plot points.
First lets get this out of the way. The game looks gorgeous. The game's various art styles look really nice and each level looks and feels very distinct. Not to mention that the character and enemy designs look quite good as well. The sound effects do not sound out of place and the music does a nice job of setting the tone And the theme for overboost mode is just fantastic (look it up after reading this). Unfortunately, the majority of problems come from everything that's NOT the graphics and sound design. The combat system revolves around timed button presses and the use of three weapons that for the most part you steal from enemies although during boss fights one of each type will be floating around for you to take. This allows for the need of smart decisions during combat involving which enemies to take out first and which to take a weapon off of. The problem with the combat is not the fact that the system is broken or anything. But the problem comes with the enemies. While varied in appearance and difficulty. They all attack in the same predictable patterns and this can make the combat just seem a bit tedious and boring near the end of the game. Not to mention the random boss encounters that, bar a few exceptions, end when you get your butt kicked to the curb by said bosses. But as I said, the mechanics themselves are not the problem... until you get to some of the 3D platforming. They work well for the parts that you can control the camera yourself. But when the directors view is imposed upon you it becomes really difficult to gauge how far away and what angle you are relative to the platform that you're jumping to. The 2D platforming, while simple, works well with the super tight controls that are still present during the 3D portions of the game. The story is done in an interesting style. Sometimes delivered through regular cutscenes and sometimes during voice overs during gameplay. The story itself is based off of a judeo-christian story and if you aren't really familiar with the source material some of the story elements may go over you head but is still pretty neat. To conclude this review I'd say buy it. At most stores the price went down a bunch and if you're lucky you can find it in the bargain bin. The game's art style and sound design shine through as the best part of the game and the hack and slash mechanics work nicely not to mention the super tight controls and the 2D platforming sections. But just be wary of the somewhat repetitive combat and 3D platforming.
This is an interesting game with a wholly original and rather fantastic style. I heard all the complaints about the combat being too repetitive and the platforming being too frustrating but I disagree. The combat is as repetitive as you would expect any beat-em-up to be, but where El Shaddai differs is that it disguises its complexity in a single attack button, there are many distinct attacks per weapon that vary based on the timing of your button presses, this concept was difficult for me to grasp at first (and the game does a poor job explaining things) but once I figured it out I found the combat to be very enjoyable and unique. The platforming rarely frustrated me as the game provides abundant checkpoints so if you ever miss a jump you usually restart in the same exact area to try again, so even the most difficult platforming sections didn't take me long to navigate. While the game never quite reaches the same level of excellence as other AAA titles in either genre (beat-em-ups or platformers) the games unique style and general strangeness continued to impress me through to the end, every time I thought I saw all the game had to offer, they showed me something new in the very next chapter.
While many (including myself) will be frustrated by the platforming, and sometimes seemingly unreasonable difficulty as the player is tossed between different gameplay modes, the game is entirely worthwhile. The gameplay, while simple, still has more depth than a lot of reviewers lead on. Don't be deceived by the single attack button - this isn't entirely a masher. There will be plenty of moments that provide an adequate sense of accomplishment if you take the game mechanics seriously. Timing, armament strategy and positioning all come in to play. While I wouldn't call the fighting difficult, I still consider it satisfying. I think the major problem is that you CAN make it through by simply button mashing. With enough attempts, it'll work... which leads many-a simple minded folk to believe the game is nothing but inadequate. Visually, the game is absolutely stunning. I adore what they've done with this, and am continually more and more impressed by the graphical nuances as I progress in the game. If you're one to enjoy a beautiful, artistic world; this is a must see. The music compliments the ambiance extremely well. I can't stress enough how well chosen this soundtrack is. Each world is supplemented with a pristine match of musical style.
All in all, this is not a game that will make you feel like an uber-gamer. It's not overly difficult... nor is it too simple, however. Don't expect groundbreaking gameplay, but don't underestimate the enjoyment of this title, either. Sit back, don't even bother trying to make sense of the story, and enjoy the overwhelmingly immersive experience.
Highly artistic with a use of cel-shading similar to Prince of Persia but even more stylish. Also a new take on beat-em-up's using only well-timed presses of a single attack button and forcing the player into the tactical limitations of only a few weapon choices. Unfortunately, could not progress past the unforgiving platforming. For a game with an advanced theme and religious undertones and presumably targeted to players in their mid-20's and up, the designers overlooked how little time and patience such an audience may have with attempting the same platforming challenge over and over and continually failing because of the ridiculous timing involved. The boss fights also got confusing with regards to victory conditions. A shame the flow of the game wasn't thought out better since there was an interesting back story and a rare look at a world not often explored in gaming (let alone action gaming). Unfortunately, none of that was compelling enough to overcome the frustrations of the 2D portions.
SummaryDeveloped by a hugely-talented, Tokyo-based team headed by the legendary Sawaki Takeyasu (Devil May Cry) and Masato Kimura (Okami, Viewtiful Joe) El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron, draws players into a rich storyline inspired by events in the Old Testament's apocryphal 'Book of Enoch.' In the game, players take on the role of Enoch ...