What to expect

Ninja Theory have revealed a good number of features for the game. One of their main features is the selection of three stances Nariko can use, which should add some variety to the oftentimes repetitive hack-and-slash genre. The three stances are Speed, Strength, and Range. The speed stance is the default stance throughout the game, and is also the most complex. The strength stance takes advantage of a more powerful weapon to deliver heavy hits at the expense of speed. The ranged stance allows Nariko to hit enemies from a distance and will knock them back to keep them at bay, but is the weakest stance in terms of raw power.

Another feature Ninja Theory like to brag about is the enemy AI. The enemies will recognize your strategies and adapt to it, forcing you to come up with something new to defeat them. This is an excellent way to get players to use more than just one stance throughout the entire game. The ‘counter-attack’ ability is the last of the eye-catching features. When the timing is just right, this ability allows Nariko to perform an impressive and devastating attack on her enemy.

In demonstrations, the developers showed off the ability to throw just about anything strewn around the environment, including enemy corpses. While throwing objects, the motion-sensor feature of the Sixaxis controller comes into play. Players can control the camera whilst throwing objects just by moving the controller around. This helps you throw the object where you want it, instead of just flinging things around wildly.

Heavenly impressed

The game surely impresses feature-wise but the graphics are worth writing home about as well. Heavenly Sword is almost flawlessly animated; not only in cut-scenes, but during actual gameplay as well. The in-game cut-scenes and acrobatic movements of the characters are choreographed very well. All the characters are modeled very beautifully, especially the easy-on-the-eyes heroine Nariko. The environments capture the atmosphere of the Ancient Far East while being infused with fantasy element as well.

This game doesn’t look to disappoint, especially considering that it won 13 awards at E3 2006, including Best Fighting Game and Gamespot's People's Choice Awards Heavenly Sword could very well be the revival the Hack-and-Slash genre desperately needs. Heavenly Sword will surely be a great way for Ninja Theory to be a big name in the game-development industry. Look for it sometime in the third quarter of this year.