This is similar to what Onimusha did for PS2 back in the early days of PS2. Graphical powerhouse with short story. While it might be longer than Onimusha, it just doesn't have that power. There are so many graphically impressive titles thesedays that it just seems meet the standard now. Facial animation can be hit and miss. Initally, voice-over looked out of sync. However, it seems to sync in cut scenes. I have reason to believe that out-of-sync were done in real-time and in-sync are in done in prerendered CG. Gameplay is mixed bag too. It's great initially. Perhaps even greater at mid-point of the game. By the time I was impressed with the gameplay, I also got slightly tired from it for being repetitive. Too much focus on counters rather than simply kicking ass. A touch of RPG leveling up could've helped. Secondary character is also entertaining initially, but I couldn't wait until I was done with her mission. It's woth a play, but it's not a system seller.… Expand

WOW! Anybody who gave this game a 0 on this site is way off! The game is beautiful, engaging and fun to play. Even if you dont buy this game you should rent it!

I thought the game, over all, was weak. Short story line. Drops in framerates. Yes, the graphics are stunning, but come on: do you got to see a movie because it is visually stunning? No. The game is weak in every aspect but graphics. Graphics should not make up for junk.

Perfect 10 gameplay and story, along with perfect 10 graphics make me wanna give this a 10. The only thing stopping me is the length. Would it have killed ya to make a game longer than 5 hours?

Beautiful and revolutionary. Good things come in small packages.

It's too bad there's no way to filter fanboy fiction from these comments. Maks F gives it a 0... A zero. Riiiiiight. He clearly has never played the game. I suspect he's a 360 fanboy that watched someone else play it, perhaps at a kiosk or friend's house. The sixaxis control are in fact, NOT forced. You can quite easily switch them off and do all aftertouch and catapult aiming with the analog stick. Like just about everyone who played this game with their TV sets switched ON have said before, the visuals are stunning. The combo system is a little complex, and I will agree that results in button mashing but it doesn't matter when you pull off some of the insanely cool combos and fatalities I have yet to see rivaled anywhere except maybe God of War 2. The story is engaging with cinema quality animation and solid acting. The only reason it doesn't get a 10 is because it's too short. However, like a Dynasty Warriors title, this is the kind of game you can replay just for the aimless carnage and sweet takedowns even if you have completed the story (except that DW games have no compelling storyline). Highly recommended. P.S. I personally paid $60 for this game. If you paid $600 like Maks F than yes, you may feel ripped off. ;-)… Expand

I believe this game has been mashed up with no reason, so I put it simply. THe best action game in next generation, period. Nothing touches the graceful movement of the beautifully designed characters and environments, we're not talking the moving tanks of Gears of War(no UT engine thank God), or the lame detailed secondary characters in Halo 3. Great story great action, superb production values, maybe not as long as it could have been, so it could be really a 9, but if everyone can give Halo the 10's so easily without deserving it, Heavenly Sword deserves this much more, so here is my 10.… Expand

Just beautiful. A must own; don't believe that bad press.

Simply stunning game. A hack and slash/puzzler, thought of as a God of War type game, but this time we take the role of Nariko, and we have the power of Playstation 3's cell proccessor to carve a beautifully made game into history. A must have, not just for the PS3, but for everyone who likes EXELLENT gaming.

Truly a phenomenal piece of gaming. From the presentation, production values, storytelling. A "must-have killer app" for the ps3 that people will be talking about in years to come, as it is a groundbreaking title. One of the most fun, memorable, action games of all time. Buy It.

It may be a short ride, but it is a darn good one.

Anyone who can find fault in this game is looking too hard. Heavenly Sword delivers a Hollywood Blockbuster quality experience with artistry and finesse that is rarely seen in games. There are the constant comparisons to God of War but you could compare God of War to Devil May Cry all day long as well. Each game has its own merit. if God of War is like a big rare steak hearty and satisfying, then Heavenly Sword is like fine cuisine as beautiful to behold as it is to savor. After playing through the game for several hours I am impressed at every turn with wide open spaces to fight in, dazzling acrobatic attacks, stunning visuals and animations, well balanced AI and a fast a furious combat system that even manages to include some SIXAXIS functionality. If you like actions games like DMC or GOW then Heavenly Sword delivers the goods. A+ if I could give the game an 11 I would.… Expand

for the very first time in my life i fell in love with a game that has female main character i hate tomb raider and other games with female heroines, cuz girls are meant to suck d1ck but nariko was born to kick every single d1ck out there HS FTW!! sorry for my bad english anyway :D

Super fab game, this is the best game I've played this year, sure its short, but what there is of it, is sublime!

This game is just another poor sony first party exclusive. And all of the people giving it good reviews are just justifying spending 600 dollars on a piece of machinery with no good games to play on it. Ill stick to Bioshock, because that is a truly great game. And say what you want about microsoft, but they make damn sure that the people who buy a 360 are more than satisfied with the first party games they are releasing. Bottom line: MIcrosoft willing to pay money for us to be happy vs. Sony who is cheap and think that their "superior" system will persuade developers. Heavenly Sword: Mediocre in all aspects, and that chick is no kratos.… Expand

Short it may be, but perfectly formed! The cinematography is the best you will ever see on a computer game and while the overall pure combat is not perfect this is an absolute must have!

Great graphics and sound, great cut-scenes and story with solid gameplay. A winning combination that would get full marks if it were a bit longer. That said I'm happy with the quality and wouldn't want it sacrificed for quantity.

Awesome game. Good graphics, great animations. Good story and acting, it's a bit short but that doesn't matter. All M$ honks need to go. Microsoft willing to pay money for us to be happy? Mine is at tech support diagnosed with RROD. Yea, I'm not to happy.

Could have been a good game, but as it turned out now it sadly isnt too much fun. Good visuals at the cost of performance and a repetetice and boring game. Yes i dont like it. 4 out of 10 from me since this game still feels overrated.

Simply beautiful.

Beautiful and captivating. Graphics, voice acting, animations, story and gameplay are extremely well done. Best use of the sixaxis control so faar.

This was a really good game, graphics were great, a training level would have been good to get used to the arrows, but once you get a hang of firing those its actually really fun. some of the bosses were lame and repeatitive. The cutscenes were amazing, the king should get an oscar (maybe the best villian performance voice acting in any game ever) One of the better games I have played on any next gen system.… Expand

I agree with all the comments made in this section. It has moments of brilliance but the cut scenes and storyline get in the way. The main problem I have with this game is that it simply doesn't hold my attention. It ticks all the boxes for action etc but there is something lacking and that is a shame. Rent before you buy OR bargain bucket for £15 like I did.

Awesome graphics. Not just a 3rd person action game! Every level the differences are thrilling - no boring game like Devil may Cry 4 here! Only thing that can be improved upon is have more customization to the character; and that would detract from the game!

Even thought this game is a God of War clone I still really enjoyed it. The story was ok and the graphics are Fantastic. The controls felt kind of sloppy and scripted poorly. I didn't really feel like I was executing combos, but rather just waiting for the game to decide it was ready to let me play again. The learning curve for this game is steep and I didn't really get the hang of it until I was fighting the final boss. This game definitely should have been longer. Even with it's negative aspects, this is one of the better games I've played on the PS3.… Expand

One of the best hack and slash games I have ever played. The only things i didn't like about the game were the compulsory sixaxis controls and when you had to use the bow and arrow, that was irritating.

It just flows so smooth while dispatching the enemy, very good control response. Exceptional Voice acting to say the least. Love the Blood Red hair, too.

Great acting, Awesome visuals and sound. The framerate slowes down at times. A little bit more levels would have been nice.

Best game I've played to date on the PS3. Revolutionary title. This isn't just a game but an interactive movie. Every PS3 owner should at least rent this game. Buying it and supporting a first party IP like Ninja Theory is really the best way to go in my view.

Not very next gen if you CAN'T JUMP. Fight and run, jump... Nope can't do that. Thats the sort of thing that should be being wiped out this time around, along with invisible walls to keep the player on the predetermined path, killed enemies that vanish into thin air as you watch and racers where you can plough through other cars, buildings and scenery but then get brought to a standstill when you hit a small rock on the side of the road.… Expand

Ever since the demo of Heavenly Sword was released, it has been called "Heavenly Flop," because the "in-game" "Playable," graphics aren't nearly as good as the "Cut-Sceen" "Non-Playable" graphics...also, the gameplay of Heavenly Sword is very clumsy--it plays like a "button massher," which requires no true skill. There are also graphic framerate problems with Heavenly Sword. Some reviews rate Heavenly Sword as a good game, while others rate it poorly. I think the main thing to keep in mind is that Heavenly Sword is receving, "Mixed Reviews." In other words, it certainly isn't considered anything special by everyone who plays it.… Expand

The Game is simply AMazing the fightings is pretty deep the story is great, and the graphics superb, a must buy.

Really a hell of a game. Played only the demo, but graphics are amazing and gameplay equals god of war. Just perfect

Very good storyline and addictive gameplay. Feels like a great jump start for a trilogy series. Hopefully the makers at ninja theory take all the criticism and make for a better sequel should it ever come such as being able to jump, and definitely length. Its a wonderful refreshment to the ps3's dry exclusive list.

Absolutely fantastic. Yes this game is a bit short, but who cares? This game more than makes up for it with it's amazing gameplay and incredible graphics. I haven't played a game with better facial animation than this one. Ninja Theory mixes up the gameplay very nicely with being able to use the Sixaxis controller to control the flight of arrows, hammers, bodies, etc. Probably the best use of the Sixaxis on the PS3 that I've come across - you really haven't lived until you've shot a guy hundreds of metres away using the motion sensing controller!… Expand

Pros: + Mindblowing voiceacting, lipsyncing and facial animations. + Unique combatsystem + Mindblowing visuals, some of the best to date. + Although it's pretty short, it's got some significant replay value to it. Cons: - VERY short. - It's got some framedrops and tearing issues every now and then, but this doesn't really affect the gameplay. Overall, it's game you can't miss. Be it rental or buy, everyone with a PS3 should play this game. It definitely lived up to the expectations and the only real flaw is the shortness of the great experience that is Heavenly Sword.… Expand

Beautiful graphics, gameplay, and story. A bit short, but worth replaying for Andy Serkis' acting alone.

Anyone who calls the combat "repetitive" in this game, isn't making proper use of the three fighting stances (or the combos). The moves from each stance flow together beautifully, which in turn makes for a fluid, non-stop action experience (especially the aerial combos...wow). To support this intense gameplay, is a slew of gorgeous enviroments & characters that go beyond anything that you've ever seen in HD gaming. In addition to the stellar art-style, you also have entertaining believable characters that propel you face-first into a great storyline (and Nariko's sister, Kai, is perhaps the best animated character that I've ever seen in a game). While it's true that the game can be completed in normal mode in about 8 hours, you can also retry your skills in "hell mode" after the first play-through (and in this mode, it will not take you 8 hours). Personally, this is a game that I want to keep in my collection to show-off (or at least until the sequel), but at the very least...you should at least give this game a rent. That is, if you can pull yourself away from Warhawk for long enough. But trust me, you're not gonna want to miss this Heavenly game.… Expand

Best Game Ever!!!!

Great game fun,fresh and the best on ps3 so far.

Amazing Game...breathtaking Presentation,This Is Gaming !!!

What looked to be a rather exciting and interesting title soon found itself being swapped for something else. The game was all over in 4 relaxed days of playing. The ONLY thing enticing the user to replay the game was the obligitory 'unlocked' hard mode. Visually the game is very nice for an early release however it is a long series of button mashing against the hoards with the occasional mini-game using the 6-axis for good measure. I would suggest hiring instead of buying.… Expand

Good, but not great. There's no doubt that the game is beautiful to look at and the cutscenes and voice acting are top notch, but the combat, just like with god of war, gets repetetive. There's a list of combos to perform, and the mix between ranged, power, and speed attacks keep fighting varied, but for the most part hacking and slashing is the easiest way out. You can pick up things from enemy shields and swords to pots and pieces of wood to throw at enemies. One of the best things about this game is the use of the sixaxis. After throwing an object, hold down the throw button and you can literally guide the object by tilting the sixaxis. It's pretty fun and when you start using the crossbow and cannon, things can get pretty wacky. Don't buy this game until the price goes down, because 60 bucks is way too much. I suggest renting it.… Expand

A great game, but I take this game lightly because it is kind of short. This game is also depressing but still fun once you get really good at it.

An excellent game! Gets better and better once you get into it! The gameplay is great as well! highly recommend it!

I though this game was amazing and it's a lot better than these other games that are coming out lately that only seem to rely on graphics. This game was fun and I love the camera angles when she does counter attacks. I thought the story was amazing and her character development throughout the game was flawless. To me this is one of the best games I have ever played!

Excellent cinema feel. Excellent story. Gameplay is fine but repetitive at times. Use of SIXAXIS is actually really good once I got the hang of it. I want a sequel with a few more gameplay innovations.

It was a great game with amazing gameplay, but it could of been better. With more weapons, different abilities and better ways of changing the camera angles. On the after touch gameplay it got annoying when the using Kai, the arrows just missing the enemies. Also a bit too short. Also if she is a warrior, why can't she jump during gameplay?

Let me start with things that I like improvement. First, I would be happier if they offer a block control. Second, the frame rate is not good at times where images shuddered. Third, I wish the game was longer as I didn't want to stop playing. Except the minor things mentioned above, this is a fantastic game. The graphics, game play, voice acting, motion capture, facial expression on the main characters, music, and sound effect are totally awesome. Nariko and Kai, and Bohan were like real and Ninja Theory was able to breathe life into these characters. I felt like I was in the battle and was emotional about the Nariko and Kai. That was an awesome gaming experience. Forget about what other people say, go get a copy and see for yourself. I am keeping a copy and showcase it to my other non PS3 friends. I bought an Xbox 360 and Gears of War first. I thought the game was good. The moment I saw Heavenly Sword in a game store, I immediately sold the Xbox 360 and Gears of War and bought PS3 and Heavenly Sword. I never look back. I am confident, upcoming PS3 games will blow you away.… Expand

Simply put: games like this are why I buy consoles. Lot's of hack slashing fun. Cut-scenes and scripted events are the best I've ever seen. 'Aftertouch' is awesome.

Absolutely stunning! This is clearly one of the greatest games ever released on a console and clearly the greatest graphics ever released in a game (this point there can be no argument over). Truly a masterpiece. Don't bother to rent this it is a must own game.

A game that is just as much movie as it is game. The lush environment, exhilarating action, and brilliant story-telling will enthrall gamers. Rather than drag out a story and water down the game with repetitive action, the game gracefully takes a bow when the story is done. A refreshing change from exhausting epic action adventure games that don't know when/how to stop.

Beautiful. I don't think you can sum it up any clearer than that. Amazing combat, incredible animations, engaging characters, and fantastic vistas all coalesce into a visually stunning game that will keep you entertained long into the night, and possibly into the next week if you try for all the goodies. Sadly, the game's poor puzzle elements and short main storyline (about five or six hours) mar an otherwise beautiful gem. Here's hoping for a sequel.… Expand

Heavenly Sword is one of the most beautifully rendered games out on the market, definately setting the par in visuals. The storyline is deep, filled with colorful characters and is uncomprisingly intriguing however (sadly)... the gameplay is yawn-inspiring, a far cry from heavenly. It breaks my heart to say this but 'Heavenly Sword' is like a roller coaster that stops right before the drop. But, hey, its a great view.… Expand

Stunning and beautiful. Innovative, AMAZING.

The cinematic feel to this game is simply enticing, considering that there is apparently 10gb worth of voice acting alone. Gameplay was more than good, though not excellent. Maybe an increase in health or new weapons as the game goes on would be beneficial, and an increase in character development would have been great. This title is certainly not a 10, but it does make it to a high-8/low-9. Gamespot, IGN, and even Metacritics really underrated this game by not giving it at least an 8.5. Oh, and I've read that at least one, if not two, sequels have been confirmed.… Expand

a fun god of war looking clone that looks amazing in the graphics department . the game is about 6-7 hours long so its abit on the short side . not alot of replay value eather unless you wana 3 star all your missions for some bonus content . the combat feels epic though and there are sceanes where you will see what looks like 1000s!!! of enimys on the screen at once which reall makes you feel like you are in a epic battle. the story and voice acting is great all though abit over the top which does fit for the game. there is a decent varity of moves and combos but coulda used some new wepons and custimizable gear for nariko woulda been nice. there is some break up in the hack n slash when you play as Kia and use the cross bow which i found alot of fun . i loved the slow motion shooting and guiding your bolt into some guys head. the real problem is there is no enimy varity they all look the same for the most part with just afew higher ups . you would think they coulda added some more skins . the boss fights are great and the game is a fair challange at first time through but after that i could destroy every thing with ease . there is a hardcore mode which will amp up the challange . its a good game just not enough there to make it a great game.… Expand

For a 2007 game this is a gem, for playing it for the first time in 2011 it lacks multiplayer and is a bit short. This game has simply GREAT cut scenes and voice acting, the list of stars in this game is amazing. The levels are beautiful and the combat great fun, with a compelling story too. Great!

About 7 or 8 Hours of gameplay till i was done. The short playtime was a bit disppointing on the one hand, on the other i was happy to not have to go on an play this pretty repetetive gameplay too long. Definitely a rent or budget title since it is pretty short, has a small replay value and didnt make it to the "must have" title thats some ppls claimed it to be. 6/10 from me.

Absolute crap this is a god of war wanna be without the good story or graphics keep ur money and buy metal gear solid instead

Looks excellent in stills, doesn't look as nice in action. Mo-cap is excellent, music is generally good. Character design and acting is generally strong although some of the lead enemy characters are just awful. Gameplay is monotonous and tilt controlled sections make the game feel disjointed, but it is probably worth playing through to view the acted cut scenes. Little to no replay value (there are extras to collect but you'll be very bored long before this) and the general length of the game makes this a rent first title. Buy it if you really enjoy it.… Expand

I had high expectations of this game but it was disappointing. The facial animtations were good but there were too many unnecessary close-ups just to show that off. The two main characters are perpetual victims, going from one depressing scene to the next. Even with the most powerful sword around its one tragic scene after another with bosses mocking along the way. No witty dialogue from the heroine. Compare that to the cool confidence of Kratos and its a let-down. Boss battles are frustrating exercises in perseverence. Having to slay 300-400 enemies with shields to block most of your hits near the end is another frustrating and needless exercise of a wasted hour or two.… Expand

Graphics: Some amazing looking cutscenes........ Storyline: Pretty good...... Gameplay: Extremelly shallow and unoriginal. Most of the time it just feels like you're playing just to ge tto the next section of a movie. The game basically discates to you, giving you a feeling of almost 0% control as you are just pressing buttons to pull off little moves that get so boring quickly. Very glad i got my money back and traded it in for Halo 3 on the same day. Some people may like it. But i strongly suggest you rent it before you buy!… Expand

Generally looks pretty...Combat is ok--DMC or GoW is much more satisfying. There's some varied gameplay, but it seems like they threw in stuff just to utilize the six axix controller function...it's not very fun. The quick action parts to the fights is distracting---takes you out of the fight--but that seems to be a trend now with combat intensive games...

Don't buy it, unless it's cheap and you need your God of war styled smashing fix.

Gameplay is very similar to God of War - but much less involved / robust and far shorter. This is a definition of a rental title. It took me around 6.5 hours from start to finish - easy to accomplish in a weekend. Visually stunning, music and sound are decent, but gameplay is short and has a "I've already done this" feel to it. Wait for a significant price drop or (better) - rent it.

Button-mashing Central.

Anyone trying to say this game isn't repetitive is probably trying to justify buying a $600 game based solely on hype. This game is terrible. The forced use of the six-axis controller for throwing/shooting mini-games is frustrating and badly-implemented, especially with the catapults and the targets on them. You hit every other part of the frame, nothing happens, but you hit the catapults that the enemy mysteriously installed on the catapults' weak spots and the things suddenly fall apart. The enemies' AI is pathetic, the main character's hair looks godawful, especially next to everything else, the clothes were textured terribly and look like car tarps or plastic, the "heavenly sword" is unbelievably badly designed and makes no sense from the perspective of anyone who knows anything about weaponry, and the game is terrible. I honestly don't understand how anyone could rate this highly unless they're severely biased or trying to justify their purchase. From a game design perspective, it's a failure on almost every level, and the same goes for it graphically.… Expand

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Almost perfect! The game is SO beautiful! Its an old 2007 game, but even as I played it in 2011, its still so much better than most of the games out there. Sure, there's lot of button meshing battles, but it only happens because the player hasn't spend enough time exploring and learning the huge number of moves. If one is willing to study those 100+ skills, the gameplay can be as rewarding as your Ninja Gaiden, God of War & Devil May Cry fighting games. But I digressed. This old game is pure Gold! Why? Because its so gorgeous. The story is original. The atmosphere, mode & music of the game is just so captivating. However, the thing that strikes me most is how unique and believable those in-game characters are. Flawlessly depicted emotions, personality and facial expressions (not to mention smooth fighting actions)! This motion-capture and facial rendering technology of Ninja Theory is ahead of its time. I want so much to be a part of the story. I'm just sad there's no Heavenly Sword 2. Gaming is more than you typical mindless COD shooters. We should more of this kind of "Works of Art".… Expand

this is a beutiful game in almost every aspect except for one it is so repetitive that you dont really feel like finishing the game. this game has beutiful graphics amazing voice acting a great fighting system and an enchanting story but even though the story is amazing i found it was not worth the dull and repetitive gmaeplay. basicly as you play this game a pattern starts to form start in one area fight some bad guys move to the next area fight some bad guys short mini game involving the use of the sixaxis controler then cut scene this would not be so bad if the fighting wasnt the exact same thing every single time a wave of ennemies attacks you defeat them and move on to the next wave of ennemies. you dont feel a sense of accomplishment more like dread i constantly thought ok i killed them now to kill the exact same people over again in about 5 seconds. everything about this game is beutifly done but if the parts that im actually playing arent interesting then what is the point of playing in my opinion skip over this game… Expand

i picked this game up as a budget buy since the psn is still down, i figured i'll give it a try. i'm in the 2nd act, and i already want to turn it off. so far the story is not all that great, the fighting is boring. over use of the sixaxis, i understand this was one of ps3's 1st games and they wanted to show off the sixaxis, but it 's really ridiculous. the graphics are okay, not great. the cutscenes are like watching a bad 70's japanese movie, lips move, and the dialogue comes when the lips stop moving. the best part about this game is that i can get my money back for it. don't get me started on having to block while in a certain stance.… Expand