‘The Last Guardian’ Initial Impressions Not Encouraging, Could Be Too Unusual

“The Last Guardian” is one of the most anticipated titles for the PlayStation 4, which has been delayed multiple times, including the latest release date push back. Sony promises that this is the last time that the game will be delayed, which understandably won’t elicit much confidence among some gamers. However, there is also growing concern among those who recently tried the game in Japan that it might be too unusual to be worth the inexplicably long wait.

The reason for the interest surrounding “The Last Guardian,” despite the numerous delays that it experienced, is its developers and theme. These are essentially the same people behind “Ico” and “Shadow of the Colossus,” which were considered among the first actual video game masterpieces. Unfortunately, it seems fans are getting tired of waiting and times have also changed, Polygon reports.

By all accounts, the demo still offered the same artistic visual style that made the studio’s, previously mentioned, titles special in the hearts of gamers. However, the demo also reportedly suffered from clumsy mechanics that made the main character difficult to control. Among the main problems include the lurching runs and the clunky jumping, which made the platforming aspects of the game tedious.

Another issue that could likely be attributed to intended game design is Tico, the gigantic beast companion of the main character. It would seem responsiveness is not exactly in the creature’s nature, preferring instead to move at its own pace.

As Kotaku put it, however, it would seem that one of the game’s core aspects involves patience when dealing with the beast and its temperamental attitude. In a lot of ways, Tico represents exactly the sort of behavior that one would expect from a puppy or a cat, thus making it one of the most realistic video game animals.

As the demo progresses, taking the time to care for and earn the trust of the creature seems to have the effect of finally getting it to respond to the players, though it’s too early to see if this is actually the case. However, it would be interesting if this was indeed how Team Ico wanted the game to be since it would make it incredibly unique in an oversaturated market.