 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Heavenly Sword
- PlayStation 3
- Price: $59.99
- Genre: Action/Adventure
Common Sense Media says
Immersive hack n' slash for mature teens.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
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.
What's it about?
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.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
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?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
Kid, 9 years old
April 9, 2008
AGE
great
very bloody for a T(Teen).
Was this review useful?
|
|
Kid, 11 years old
April 9, 2008
AGE
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
Was this review useful?
|
|
Kid, 12 years old
April 9, 2008
AGE
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.
Was this review useful?
|
|
Teen, 15 years old
April 9, 2008
AGE
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.
Was this review useful?
|
|
Kid, 12 years old
September 7, 2009
AGE
Some violence, a little blood but not a very bad game
What other families should know:
Was this review useful?
|
|
| Platforms: | PlayStation 3 |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Developer: | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| Release date: | September 12, 2007 |
| Price: | $59.99 |
| ESRB rating: | T for Blood, Language, Suggestive themes, Violence (PlayStation 3) |
Contact us to give us more feedback on our learning ratings.
Review It
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
