Some violence, a little blood but not a very bad game
Heavenly Sword
(2007, Video Games - Action/Adventure, Rated T, Play it on: PlayStation 3)
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Immersive hack n' slash for mature teens.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 14–16
The good stuff
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Educational value:
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Heavenly Sword was written by Erin Bell
Parents need to know that while Heavenly Sword is only rated "Teen" (instead of "Mature"), the cut scenes depict some genuinely unsettling situations, like when a screaming Kai is pursued by a villain intent on stabbing her to death. The game contains examples of parental cruelty and whole-scale violence on the part of heroes and villains alike. While the story is interesting, it's designed for an older audience.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about the principles of motion-capture technology and how it helps bring characters like Bohan and Nariko to life. (Players can unlock the game's extra features to see how motion capture was used along with other interesting making-of features and interviews.) What makes this game work? The graphics? The strong storytelling? The battles? Or is it the right mix of the three?
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More on Heavenly Sword
What’s the Story?
HEAVENLY SWORD centers on Nariko, a young woman whose clan has guarded the Heavenly Sword for generations. When the twisted and power-hungry king Bohan threatens her countrymen with annihilation, Nariko takes the sword into battle -- which grants her great power but also comes with great cost. Like any hack n' slash game, Nariko must dispatch wave after wave of baddies using various attacks and combo moves. Players also control a secondary character, Kai, who specializes in projectile weapons; through a system called Aftertouch, players can actually guide the projectile after it's been launched by either tilting the SIXAXIS controller or using the directional pad (we recommend the latter).
Is It Any Good?
Heavenly Sword boasts near-flawless character models, sweeping scenery, and a story that's every bit as emotionally charged as a film. Characters look alive and don't move with the usual stiltedness. Battle scenes are truly epic, with hundreds of soldiers on-screen at once.
Heavenly Sword clocks in at only about six hours -- slightly more if you unlock all the bonus content, which includes the making of vignettes and artwork. You can't skip cut scenes, even when you're watching them for a second time, and there are a few uneven difficulty spikes, most notably the frustrating final boss. But Heavenly Sword is so exquisitely rendered that it's pretty easy to forgive these minor faults. Gamers who can handle the game's mature themes and realistic violence will enjoy the cinematic experience.
Publisher’s Details
Developer: Sony Computer Entertainment
Released on: 09/12/2007, Price: $59.99, not online enabled
ESRB Rating: T for Blood, Language, Suggestive themes, Violence
Released on: 09/12/2007, Price: $59.99, not online enabled
ESRB Rating: T for Blood, Language, Suggestive themes, Violence
Our Members Say
See all 5 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
- Safety isn't an issue
- Easy to play
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I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it
don't try this stuff at home
Heavenly Sward really stretches the T ratting to it's limit. Im sure that half the people at ESRB would have made it an M.I even found a website that mastaked it for an M.Anyway,the game is pretty fun, the endless cool combos and finising moves are often neat, and the storyline is intreging.Athough the Heavenly Sword presents some of the games coolest combos, you spend a large portion of the game wondering how an average ancient woman could do such fast and amazing combos with a 100 pound sword.Also, half of the characters are stangly and anoyingly retarted in various ways.Despite these flaws,Heav- enly Sword is an exiting,fast-paced,sexy thrillride. On the whole, id rate this game 8.5 of 10 (7 being the average. Replay value: moderate
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I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it
button masher
dont get me wrong this game is good, but a little repetitive and a button masher. there are better games than this one.
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I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it
great
very bloody for a T(Teen).
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I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it
Good but short
The game is really short, it took only 7 hours for me to beat it, and for how much it costs it's not really worth it. Another thing is at times it is very violent. The special moves are very detailed and the kills are graphic. Also blood is seen frequently. The language is a bit rough at times, but not too bad. This game really pushes the T rating and could easily be rated M. I say its ok for kids 15+ but not much younger.
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