As an actor and gamer, I feel the complaints are too petty to dock a title pushing the format's ability to tell a story.
User Rating: 10 | Heavenly Sword PS3
It may sound pathetic to "real" gamers (i.e. idiots who think that a game's not a game unless it's an FPS with one or more invading horde of aliens and 120 different varieties of assault rifles), but ever since Final Fantasy VII, I have been fascinated with a video game's capacity to tell a story and look damn good doing it. Unfortunately, with few exceptions, this is the video game industry and innovation engenders copy-cats and sequels rather than further innovation. Now, let me be honest - I have nothing against either Halo nor the FPS genre in general. I do, however, feel that the FPS has been run into the ground, beaten to death, set on fire, pureed in a blender, buried, dug up, beaten further, defiled in unspeakable ways, and in a fit of ironic zeal born of dyslexic misunderstanding, beaten still further with a dead horse. Heavenly sword, on the other hand, is more than a fine game. I genuinely felt that this game is perhaps the first game which truly demonstrates just how much the video game can unlock hidden levels in art. We all know that a video game can offer opportunities for graphic artists to imagine and create gorgeous visuals, for composers to stretch their talents creating music that molds emotion properly, and for writers to explore brave new worlds and regale us with grand tales and fascinating characters. Up until now, however, the thespian has been somewhat limited in what he can contribute. True, voice actors can sometimes make or break a game, but the ability for actors to add to games have been limited to either a voice or else somewhat limited motion capture that doesn't come near to capturing the nuances brought to the table by any actor worth their salt. I hold a degree in Theatre, and I cannot stress enough how awesome this game is - how excited I was when I saw some of the behind the scenes "making of" clips in this game. This is the first time I have seen a game give actors the chance to stretch themselves in their craft and have it show up in the game. Now I know, this game would never have won anyone an academy award for their acting, although Roach is very well portrayed and it's VERY surprisingly easy to connect with. I'm not sure if it's pity or sympathy I feel, I know that I really feel bad for the poor guy. Also, Kai's past isn't really explored in great depth, but what is revealed, along with the acting of the woman who played her... simply put, I have never been more emotionally invested in a mission while playing a video game - and once I got to the end of that mission, that emotional investment was extremely well manipulated. In short, Heavenly Sword gave the actors the opportunity to explore characters they might never have been able to play at all in real life - given the chance to explore their talent. Heavenly Sword pioneers new techniques which allows actors to contribute their craft to games. This isn't just the motion capture techniques which in the past have only scratched the surface of what actors can contribute to games, folks. This is a whole new level - a story which I think no one would have been able to pull off in game format before. If the gameplay isn't the best I've ever experienced within the genre, it is fun and more than adequate for the game. Combat is intentionally meant to be more strategic than, say, God of War. Enemy AI, while not dazzling, is usually made up for by sheer numbers and having to keep tabs on how each enemy type is best dealt with and in what order. Some may think it too easy, but again, I think they may be missing the point of the experience if they dwell to much on it. The game may be short - a fact that some professional reviewers harp on (a drawback which didn't hinder their scores of Shadow of the Colossus or Ico). It is, however, also gorgeous, full of characters pulled off expertly by actual actors, and some of the best music I have heard in a game since Final Fantasy X. Whenever I score a game, I always base it on the experience I had with a game. I don't dock points for failing to be revolutionary in certain aspects if it doesn't get in the way of the game being fun. Heavenly Swords gameplay, certainly falls into this category - not revolutionary, but it's still fun. Some aspects require a little bit of playing with before you get feel for it and settle into a groove, especially when it comes to aftertouch - tip hold the controller so that it is parallel with the floor, analog sticks pointed at the ceiling when you launch the projectile since if you hold the controller parallel with the TV, your projectile will start heading straight up. Also, use VERY small motions to change the flightpath - it doesn't take much and quick jerky movements will just foul things up. Now, to close this review, I must say that, yes, I am aware that some people will disagree with me about this score. No, I am NOT a PS3 fanboy desperate for a hit for the system. I honestly weighed my feelings about the game after I played it, wrestled with what I experienced and took in what I thought was a plus and what was a minus for it. In the end, it simply came down to the fact that the actor in me was blown away by what I was seeing - Nariko crawling around and pleading with the camera in between chapters brought me back to some of my experimental Theatre classes and the primal emotions evoked therein. When the facial expressions on a character being rendered in real-time give me goosebumps, the actor in me wins out. That is why I am prepared to overlook what are ultimately petty complaints in an otherwise unprecedented and thoroughly exquisite experience. I feel this game's contribution to what games can be -what is in my opinion the first game which heralds a true next gen experience - constitutes a perfect score. 
