Thoughts: The Last Guardian [2016]

Hello, fancy you here! I’m Nirianne (the Honey-glazed Chicken Wings of this blog), one of the Crow’s long-lost associates from the Inferno.

Who am I? I’m a semi-casual videogame/writing junkie with a persistent addiction to writing things.

Today, I’m dropping by to offer readers my thoughts, based on an upcoming videogame, The Last Guardian, to be released on December 6^th.

---

THOUGHTS

The Last Guardian is one of those games which has been in development for many years, seemingly without substantial success. The game was announced in 2009 by Team Ico, the famed team that brought smash titles Ico and Shadow of the Colossus back in the day. With years of internal turbulence and perhaps, funding, The Last Guardian was delayed… until now.

The Last Guardian, an action adventure game with platforming and puzzling elements takes players on a journey with a boy, and his large dog-Griffin creature companion named Trico. Together, the two will traverse through levels, journey through lands, and evade threats.

While there’s not a lot of information about the game, a lot of people wonder what type of game it will be. At the moment, it’s entirely unclear if the game will deliver a hard-hitting narrative which bridges an emotional connection with the players and its characters.

Will there be a feels trip if something happens to the boy or Trico? Will players learn more about the boy and Trico? What is Trico? Where did it come from? Will the game create a memorable narrative, stringing along players? Only time will tell.

Furthermore, due to the game’s nature being a puzzler and a platformer, players must command Trico (as they would do with a real animal) to follow commands and hints. If the controls aren’t polished well, there are chances the players will quit mid-puzzle or get stuck due to faulty mechanics. For a game submerged in development for years, it would be a disaster if this mechanic was unpolished when the game releases.

The Last Guardian has offered a lot of potential since its announcement back in 2009. While I don’t expect the game to be the next Ico or Shadow of the Colossus, I hope the game will become one of those games that leaves its mark in each player’s heart. Personally, I want to remember this game for its characters, the journey, and plot.

I want The Last Guardian to be one of those games with an everlasting impression with high replay value. I really want this game to succeed. Ultimately, only time will tell whether or not The Last Guardian will live up to the hype after all these years. 

I don’t want to remember the game for its faults or loose narratives.