When I say that Enslaved wasn’t on my radar, I mean it wasn’t even a blip. I had heard that it was being developed by Ninja Theory, the folks behind the PS3 title Heavenly Sword, but that was about it.
After I found out the main characters are named Monkey and Trip, I immediately filed Enslaved under “Skip this one”.
Boy was I wrong. This is one of the best games of 2010.
The plot of Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is loosely based on the ancient Chinese classic “Journey to the West”. Since I’m not familiar with that story, I can’t tell you how closely the game mirrors it. What I can say is that I enjoyed Enslaved immensely. It’s is one of those rare combinations of fun gameplay and cinematic storytelling that transcends gaming.
Set in a ravaged America 150 years in the future, a global war has destroyed any resemblance of modern society. There are few human survivors and overgrown jungles cover any recognizable landmarks. Robots that were programmed back during the war are still executing old orders to exterminate humans who don’t obey. Most of mankind are slaves.
You play as a man named Monkey, who has just been captured and is held aboard an airship transporting slaves. There he meets Trip, a red-haired girl who has also been captured. Being physically weak herself and recognizing Monkey’s strength, Trip installs a slaver’s headband on Monkey’s head while he’s unconcious. The headband forces him to obey her commands. Despite being irate, there is nothing Monkey can do about it as the headband is directly connected to her health. If she dies, he dies. Like it or not, they’re companions and must work together to survive.
As the hulking Monkey, and the only playable character, you do all the fighting. The combat has a lot in common with God of War, heavy and light attacks, orb collecting, and weapon upgrading provide the backbone. The combat system gains depth as you unlock new abilities and upgrade your weapons. By the end of the game you’re a lethal machine.
While Monkey provides the brawn, Trip provides the brains. She hacks computers, scouts reconnaissance and assists in anything tech related. The two balance each other nicely and form a powerful combo able to withstand any obstacle the game can throw at you.
Gameplay-wise Enslaved is a cross between Uncharted and The Prince of Persia (2008). Like Uncharted, Enslaved is a highly cinematic adventure filled with platforming and complex character relationships. Like Prince of Persia, you‘re accompanied by an A.I. controlled female who assists you throughout your journey.
There are moments in Enslaved that are among the most beautiful I’ve witnessed in a video game, and I’m not just talking about the graphics. The interaction and dialogue between the characters, especially Monkey and Trip, is only rivaled by Uncharted 2 and that’s sincerely high praise. By the end I was so attatched to these characters that I honestly cared about the outcome of events. Throughout your journey you’ll experience the full range of emotions and each one is handled expertly.
One thing I enjoyed is that it is literally impossible to die from falling to your death while platforming. You might think that would make the game too easy, but it doesn’t. It cuts down on the frustration and keeps Enslaved from feeling too “gamey”. As someone who hates replaying long sections of a game because of one slight misstep, this was more than welcome. You still need to find out where to climb next by examining your surroundings, but you’re not penalized for exploring or lacking instant reflexes. Besides, what sense would it make for a guy named “Monkey” to be falling all the time?
Other than fighting mechs and climbing buildings, you’ll spend your time solving environmental puzzles. There are only a few here, and while they aren’t mind-melters, they can be clever.
Part of the reason for Enslaved’s quality is the A-level talent that created it. Ninja Theory incorporated Andy Serkis, Gollum from the Lord of the Rings trilogy, to direct and provide the motion capture and voice for Monkey. Lindsey Shaw, from Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide does the voice of Trip. Both do a superb job giving life to their respective characters.
The script was written by Hollywood screenwriter Alex Garland (28 Days Later and The Beach) and it has depth of a motion picture. Seriously, it puts 90% of the other games to shame.
Only a few annoyances tarnish this otherwise stellar game. Some timed platforming late in the game isn’t as smooth as it should be. Additionally, I could have used some more variety among the robotic enemies. All in all, these are very minor gripes that shouldn’t deter you from experiencing the game.
Hey, I’m amazed as anybody that Enslaved is such a fantastic game. It just proves that you don’t really know a game unless you’ve played it. I’m glad I gave it a chance. All ten hours were a joy to play and I’m looking forward to going back and collecting everything this world has to offer.
Namco has a winner on it’s hands with Enslaved and hopefully it won’t get overshadowed by the flood of holiday releases. Do yourself a favor and don’t miss this masterpiece. You will not be disappointed.
Review Score: 9 out of 10
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West was developed by Ninja Theory and published by Namco Bandai Games. It’s is available for the Xbox 360 and PS3 for $59.99. I completed the 360 version in around ten hours on the Normal difficulty.
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