Enslaved: Odyssey to the West PlayStation 3
Metascore
80 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 53 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 45 out of 53
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 53
  3. Negative: 0 out of 53
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  1. GamerNode
    Oct 27, 2010
    100
    It's easy to overlook the technical problems of Enslaved, simply because everything else is so damn compelling. This is not a checklist of what makes a game great, but taken as a whole, it IS a great game.
  2. GamingExcellence
    Dec 19, 2010
    95
    Enslaved: Journey to the West is definitely a contender for game of the year.
  3. GameFocus
    Oct 20, 2010
    94
    The 10-12 hours journey will enthrall you from beginning to end and easily make it worth the price of admission.
  4. Gaming Age
    Oct 20, 2010
    91
    I almost literally played through the entire game in one sitting, which isn't something I do often, and I didn't feel my attention waver throughout the eight or so hours it took to finish.
  5. Game Over Online
    Dec 19, 2010
    90
    If you're looking for a game that offers all the amazing things I've spent the last handful of paragraphs gushing over as well as one of the most interesting and original stories in a game this year, Enslaved won't disappoint.
  6. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Oct 20, 2010
    90
    Action trip reminds of Uncharted comes with its own style. Inspired by Hanuman, The Monkey King, offers stunning fights, fantastic environments and likable heroes. [Issue#196]
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  7. GameZone
    Oct 20, 2010
    90
    It might be too simple to call Enslaved: Odyssey to the West a melee-centric Uncharted, but it is not that far off and it is certainly not a bad thing.

User Reviews

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User Score
7.5 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 188 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 45 out of 60
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 60
  3. Negative: 7 out of 60
  1. mattheadface
    9
    I created a profile here on Metacritic solely for the purpose of telling anybody who'll listen just how breathtakingly amazing every cinematic is. The subtle nuances of the facial movements, the emotional honesty of every piece of dialogue, and the real chemistry that Monkey and Trip share on screen overshadows every game (and most movies) I've ever seen. Even the performances in Mass Effect 2 and Heavy Rain seem like high school plays compared to the real believability of every line delivered. As for the game-play, it's nothing groundbreaking but pieced together very well and, like the story and characters, fits into the world that Ninja Theory has lovingly crafted. The controls can feel a little sluggish at times, but the customization is surprisingly deep and intuitive. Don't be afraid of a game which is based around one big escort mission - pick this game up now.… Full Review »
  2. ChineseDogMeat
    5
    I wanted to love this game, I really did. It has a cool story, great environments and graphics, and a cool idea but the gameplay is just terrible.

    The climbing is clunky and frustrating. In many cases unless you are on the perfect sweet spot on a ledge or area, the main character will simply stumble or sit there until you move around, and there are no visual queues to hint at where to be. This prevents fast and fluid climbing, and after games like Assassins Creed, Infamous etc with great climbing it just doesn't cut it.

    The combat is clunky as well. Monkey lacks much combat ability, he has a small handful of abilities with his pole, but nothing too exciting at all. You'll find yourself getting locked in animations and then getting whacked by mechs, or fighting bosses like the dog with very simple and repetative means to bring him down.

    The absolute worst part of the game is the camera. It's so bad I just can't believe someone played this game through and thought "Yeah, this is good". Fighting mechs and want to charge a stun? Have fun, the camera resets to ground level and totally screws up your view. Fighting a rhino and need to watch the enemy to see where to dodge? Great, just let the camera reset to a sideview every time you move totally cutting your view from the enemy (in a fight where you have to keep an eye on the rhino - how did this pass?). Need to navigate a series of complicated jumps around a large area? Enjoy having a camera zoomed out 10 feet that's unpannable and you can't get your bearings. Situations like this happen all the time in Enslaved. They should have taken a queue from GoWar or Dante's Inferno and used a fixed camera they could place properly.

    I don't know why I bought this after the crappy things I heard about Heavenly Sword from friends, but I know I won't be buying another Ninja Theory game soon.    … Full Review »
  3. phatmamasboy
    10
    This game is great!!... it may not have great gameplay dynamics or mechanics or bla bla bla... whatever else the techno gaming geeks love talking about... the main thing is its fun. You will want to play it. You will want to discover the rest of the story, you will want to live in the beautiful and deadly world the guys at Ninja Theory have painstakingly created. The characters are deep and well done with perfect voice and mition acting. Get this game, ignore the haters... its great!… Full Review »
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