Friends forever: The bond between the boy and Trico drives the narrative beautifully.
Friends forever: The bond between the boy and Trico drives the narrative beautifully.
It's been a mighty long time but Fumito Uedo, the artist turned game director, has delivered.
Originally set for release on Playstation 3 five years ago, The Last Guardian's development problems are evident through massive frame rate drops and a slightly antiquated control scheme which takes some getting used to.
But in spite of its flaws, it is the most enchanting, melancholic and mysterious game to hit the new generation of consoles.
The game sees a young boy and a giant beast called Trico work together to solve increasingly complex puzzles which are often difficult but never frustrating. Like its predecessors Ico and Shadow of the Colossus from Ueda, a key component of the game is the bond between player and companion which The Last Guardian does brilliantly.
One heart-rending chapter sees the boy feeding Trico, a shy eater, by hand after a brutal injury and another shows Trico trying desperately to wake the unconscious boy up by shaking him, putting him in the sun, and dropping him in water.
Trico is a wild animal, and never in a game has that been portrayed so well. At times you'll urge him to do things which Trico will resist, and even throw little tantrums over. You're going to need to nurture him and give him encouragement (and treats) if you want him to make big jumps, enter small spaces, or dive underwater.
One of the many nerve wracking journeys on the very edge of crumbling buildings.
The pace accelerates in the second half of the roughly eight-hour journey, and some exhilarating scenes of escape and precarious heights are truly breathtaking. At times, the player needs to trust they will be saved by Trico if they make a leap of faith, and gripping on to Trico's feathers as he traverses crumbling buildings makes for some incredible sequences.
There comes a moment in this game where melancholy begins to seep in everywhere. It's not so much what happens in the tale that drives it; it's that the tale itself must end. The unexpected twists and turns never distract from the main focus on Trico and the boy and some pivotal moments will see you reaching for a box of tissues.
There's still so much to figure out about the world of The Last Guardian, and some dark unsettling secrets to explore. But for a first playthrough, the bond between Trico and the boy is more than enough to drive a truly incredible gaming experience.
The Last Guardian
Platform: Playstation 4 Rating: PG Verdict: An epic and moving experience
