El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron

While not a perfect game, the only real nitpick I have is the platforming sometimes became a little difficult due to the art style and camera angles, it's definitely an experience that shouldn't be missed.

El Shaddai is the most visually interresting game I have seen so far. And beyond the visuals lies a game with great controls, balanced difficulty and an excellent mixture of fighting, 2D and 3D platforming. I love it when developers do something different and actually succeed.

El Shaddai is so unique that it is hard to find something similar in the modern market. The incredible combination of a stunning style, a great combat system and a crazy storyline create a superb cocktail. This is not the typical million seller, but any hardcore player should buy it.

It's stratospherically mad. At the point where I emerged out of a narrow corridor into what turned out to be a vast stadium and a gyrating dance master exploded from the sea in an outfit that would make Lady Gaga proud, I almost collapsed with joy. If that sounds like you, this could the best thing you buy this year.

A visually stunning game with simply fun action and challenging platforming, El Shaddai is only slightly marred by the death system and unoriginal mechanics.

The experience of a game so elegantly, artfully designed in both mechanics and visuals is something that will stay with me, even if the plot wasn't totally coherent.

A visually arresting experience I wholeheartedly loved...A rare treat of a game and a celebration of video games as an art form. [Sept 2011, p.88]

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]

An entertaining action - adventure with strong religious overtones and quite exquisite audiovisual effects. [Oct 2011]

Now here's a nice surprise. This may not have been the most hyped game out there, but it delivers in almost every way. A fresh and original style, interesting gameplay… El Shaddai does everything right, except for the way it tells its story.

El Shaddai is a unique game in its kind, thanks to a unique and artistic design, a fascinating plot and a decent gameplay. Visionary, fascinating, hypnotic, is a good title but not suitable for all players.

I really enjoyed El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron as it provides gamers with something a little left out of centre with some gorgeous graphics, simplistic yet challenging gameplay and a world that is so different that you will be craving to come back.

When you do strip away the deep religious overtones, what you have is one of the best action adventure platformers this year, with pacing that is often reminiscent of 8- and 16-bit side scrollers.

El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron is a work of surprising confidence. Combat that favors leveling up the player's, not that avatar's, skill set is worthy of admiration, as is a wildly imaginative, frenzied art department that never allows their beautiful work to overstay its welcome.

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.

Taken as a whole, El Shaddai is a remarkable achievement, as beautiful as it is baffling. While its quirks prevent us from recommending it wholesale, for those of you who crave innovation and imagination in your gaming diet, this is something you simply cannot afford to miss. [November 2011 p78]

El Shaddai offers a unique experience trough fantastically weird environments, accompanied by beautifully fitting music. Along with the solid gameplay it makes for a great game, though it is slightly pestered by a lack of variation and camera issues.

Ignition has created the probably best designed experience of 2011, that together with a combination of a unique presentation and deep combat will make your heart bleed and soul sing.

Full of multiple themes that probably shouldn't work, but do. The end result is a solid hack 'n slash title set against jaw-dropping visuals with more than its fair share of eccentricities.

It can feel a little dated in terms of its approach to combat, but the game is so beautiful, so different, so utterly weird and wonderful that this is of no real consequence.

A beautifully crafted game that brings us to a magic world that doesn't take itself too seriously. With splendid artistic design, it lacks in gameplay, which is too classic in the hack 'n' slash genre and becomes repetitive quickly.

Aside from the bananas plot, what makes El Shaddai unique is its looks. [Oct 2011, p.116]

Combines gorgeous artistic design with enticing combat to create a memorable adventure.

It paints so beautifully on its canvas that we feel anyone could enjoy that, though we wish the gameplay could always be as grand as the visual design. The combat never falters, but doesn't do enough new, and at times the platforming drags, though that shouldn't deter you from the overall experience.

El Shaddai isn't perfect, but it has more than enough breathtaking moments to make the journey worthwhile.

It's somehow odd: Its style is psychedelic at best, the graphics aren't quite up to date and the fighting's a bit repetitive. Nevertheless, the charme of the game and the great atmosphere make up for that, big time.

You'll either love or hate it, but El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron is impossible to ignore.

Truly a masterpiece in terms of graphics and soundtrack, but loses itself when it comes to playing the game, especially the combat system too much limited. The story is quite interesting, it takes a lot of references from different religions, but the plot sometimes shows huge holes and characters without a background story.

I like about a half of it, and I dislike the other half. I like it as an art piece and I dislike it as a game. Heck, I'd say that its actually much more fun to watch than it is to play.

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.

Despite it's downfalls, El Shaddai is a memorable experience from start to finish. It offers a quirkiness and sense of style that is not only unique, it's surprisingly refreshing.

Is El Shaddai unconventional just for the sake of being different, or were the developers going for something bigger? Is being such an abstract game (on multiple levels) the overall point? Ultimately, I don't know the answer to these questions, but I'd definitely call El Shaddai an unconventional game and an entertaining adventure despite some of the creative gaps.

This obscure take on a legend of the Jewish religion has a remarkable art direction and some of the most beautiful graphics we've ever seen. Too bad the combat system is shallow and the overall gameplay doesn't live up to the standards of the art department.

Through its boldly chosen subject matter, ravishing good looks and slick mechanics El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron is without question a title that deserves to be played – the big question mark that hangs over it is whether you'll engage with it enough to care or to want to come back for second helpings.

When it all clicks El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron is a beautiful, exciting, fast paced game that is bursting with ideas. Unfortunately the latter half of the game fails to recreate the initial rush and the 3D platforming mechanics aren't particularly strong, leading to much frustration.

El Shaddai isn't perfect, then, but it's got a lot going for it because of the sheer energy that's gone into its construction: energy you can see in the focused poise of its combat, and in the game's astonishing desire to top itself with each new vista it flings before you.

One of the most beautiful video games ever made and if the gameplay isn't quite as angelic it's perfectly righteous in its own way.

You may love it or hate it, but El-Shaddai was necessary for the industry, a risky game that tries something different and innovative.

El Shaddai is an unconventional and beautiful game that seduces with its ideas rather than its gameplay.

A game this rich in inspiration and bizarre in interpretation should be beheld; to be played, it seems, was not El Shaddai's priority.

El Shaddai is a game that seduces with its looks, atmosphere and little ideas rather than its gameplay. This beat'em all is far from a Bayonetta or a God of War for sure, but it mesmerizes nonetheless with its hallucinated and daring visuals, its soundtrack and its very personal way - to say the least - of interpreting a religious text. One does not come out unscathed from the experience... whether it is in a good or bad way, depending on one's appreciation of the value of the form over the substance, or the artistic approach over the efficiency of a gameplay.

Quotation forthcoming.

This game is all about the looks: the imagery on offer here is simply spectacular. But what is the message? We have no clue. The gameplay is lacking and overly simplistic. If you're looking for the next "art-game", look no further, but don't expect to play something that's truly fun.

In the end, El Shaddai attempts to do too much, and much of what it does it doesn't do well.