Theorizing

During a time when many developers are playing it safe and creating sequels to their already-established franchises, Ninja Theory, the developers of Kung Fu Chaos, step up to the plate to deliver some original content with their second creation, Heavenly Sword.

With only one other game under their belt, you may think Heavenly Sword might not be up to the standards of more 'experienced' game developers, but Ninja Theory have worked very hard to prove that sentiment false. The game boasts many unique features that you will be hard pressed to find in any other Action game. Most notable of these features is an overhauled combat system that includes Speed, Style and Range stances to offer a variety of ways to eliminate your enemies, who happen to have an adaptive artificial intelligence. But it is not only the gameplay that is impressive, the graphics are sure to please any PlayStation 3 owner.

A prophecy

For many generations a prophecy has been passed along from father to son. The prophecy foretells the arrival of a strong leader who will lead the clan to their rightful place in heaven. Recent events have made the clan believe that the time for the prophecy to become fulfilled is at hand. All eyes are expectantly turned towards the wife of their leader who, according to the prophecy, will bear a son who will grow up to lead the clan. When Nariko is born, the disappointment of him actually being a her, is great and the clan believes the prophecy to be nothing but a myth.

When Nariko's father gets murdered, she vows revenge. The only way to defeat her father's killer is to strike a devilish pact with the legendary Heavenly Sword that eats away at her soul with every blow. Will she finish what she set out to do before the sword consumes her completely?

That is all the developers are willing to reveal story-wise. The only thing that Ninja Theory's Nina Kristensen was willing to add is that the story is very powerful. While that sounds promising, it is not much help at all. It does make me curious though and I wonder how much the story will affect gameplay, if at all. The fact that the developers have put a lot of thought into the storyline is commendable, especially when considering that it is basically a hack-and-slash type game, a genre that usually isn't associated with complex storylines.