There is certainly a lot of buzz surrounding Enslaved: Odyssey to the West. Since the title was announced it seems everyone has had their eye on it and looked to it as being the next sleeper hit. Personally, I lumped myself in with that crowd. I mean, Ninja Theory developed the game and they did one hell of a job with Heavenly Sword. Well, I just finished playing the game from stem to stern. Does it meet the lofty expectations?

Story:

First and foremost, it should be said that one of the most captivating things about Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is the story. Superbly written with suspense, mystery, and drama, Enslaved has a way of drawing you in and egging you on to find out what happens next. It was one of those rare experiences where I found myself pushing on through levels just to find out what happened next. Even long after I promised myself to shut the 360 off and go to bed.

So what's it all about? Well, the game takes place far into the future. The world has gone all post-apocalyptic and there are killer robots killing and enslaving the human race. There is pretty much no hope left for the world, but the game focuses on a pair of escaped slaves who find their fates entwined.

The game opens with a dramatic escape which sees the tech-savvy hotty, Trip, working her way to an escape pod, while a fellow slave named Monkey is hot on her trail. Trip pretty much leaves Monkey for dead, which doesn't make for a good first impression. Even so, the two survive a spectacular crash that involves hitting the Statue of Liberty and parts of a decrepit New York City skyline. Monkey is knocked unconscious and when he wakes up he finds himself enslaved to Trip via a spiffy piece of tech that allows her to command him and ties his life to hers. In this even we're immediately thrust into this world and left with only questions.

As the game progresses the story admittedly unfolds in a frustrating manner. We aren't given many clues about what happened to make the world the way it was, but one must assume humanity simply destroyed itself with weaponry and mechs in a world war. Who are the slavers? Well, I'll leave that little tidbit for you to find out at the end of the game, but let's just say it's cool, though I'm not certain it really delivers as a climax. Then again, they say any great story is about the journey and not the destination, right?

On that journey is where you'll really get to know Monkey and Trip. These characters create one of the best pairings I've ever experienced in a video game. I must tip my hat to Ninja Theory for the effort put into their development, both as individuals and as partners. The writing is sharp, the dialogue is witty, and by the end of the game you'll want more. Even the late comer, Pigsy, brings a welcome layer of levity to the setting. I mean, what else can you say about a rotund fellow with sexy girls tattooed on his arms, a metal pig snout for a nose, and a belt buckle that's a giant pair of lips?

The bottom line is that you play Enslaved for the story and the characters. The solid gameplay, fun combat, and gorgeous graphics are just icing on the cake.

Gameplay:

What I'm going to say about the gameplay may tick off some people, but I'll say it anyway; Enslaved is basically a sci-fi Prince of Persia with better combat. That's really all there is to it.

Monkey leaps, swings, and shimmies his way through the myriad of environments like his namesake. He's agile with his acrobatics and the game isn't shy about putting ledges, pipes, and handholds in places that will make you think of how to get from point A to B. The game really nails the platforming angle in this regard and it never feels dull. But then it doesn't feel fresh either. Prince of Persia did this already and because of that Enslaved may feel "old hat" to some. Haven't spent hours orb collecting in Persia I naturally felt right at home with the mechanics in Enslaved.

Exploring the environment in Enslaved is fun, but it feels a redundant after a while. Stages are build solely for Monkey to climb through and it's taken to a borderline silly degree at times. Only certain objects in the environment can be used and the game is fairly restrictive of that. On one hand it's good because it prevents you from really getting lost or confused, or even falling to your death, but on the other hand a little room for creative play could have gone a longer way to making the experience feel more organic. There's an inherent lack of freedom that comes with this territory, and that's rather depressing given the game's scope.

Where this game really stands out is with its combat system. Monkey has a range of melee attacks that come together nicely and all the standards are here from weak attacks to heavy hits, counter attacks, and group shots. The combo mechanics are a little on the weak side compared to other recent action titles, but the game makes up for it with a blocking system and ranged attacks as well. Monkey can certainly hold his own in a fight against mechs, but there are points where you'll be reminded that he's only human. Just be sure to practice evading and counter-attacks if you want to get anywhere later in the game.

Enemy variety is handle in such a way that it always keeps you on your toes. Foes start out simple enough, but eventually there are gun-toting mechs, brutes with wrecking balls for fists, turrets, and even giant mechanical dogs looking for their latest human chew toy. Each has a technique that's required to take them down and as the game progresses the difficulty is ramped up significantly. Boss variety is another strong-point, though many of the bosses in the game are glorified versions of enemies, aside from a giant robotic rhino and the big-ass final boss (I must say that I was kind of let down by this encounter. It just wasn't end-game material).

Beating enemies also yields experience orbs, known as Tech Orbs. These can be used to upgrade Monkey's combat techniques, shield, health, and ranged attacks. There are also orbs scattered throughout stages and as you collect more there are better unlocks. The system is progressive, rewarding, and really lets you customize to your playing style.

The game not only introduces you to new combat mechanics and upgrades as you make your way through, but there are other gameplay elements as well. Monkey's staff becomes useful for projectile weapons with two different types: Plasma and Stun. Plasma damages mechs, while Stun is useful for taking down shields and stopping enemies in their tracks. Monkey also has a floating device he calls a Cloud, which can be used at certain points. And when I say certain points, I mean he can only use it at specially designed segments of the game.

In some ways there are aspects to the gameplay that simply feel contrived. For instance you're given just enough ammo to make it through some sections and the aforementioned Cloud can only be used in special circumstances when the game calls for it. Boss fights also boil down to necessitating the use of a predictable new skill. Likewise the game only gives you a turret or gun when necessary and it introduces a scanner at a convenient point as well. This, combined with the highlighted climbing elements, make parts of a game a little too opportune for its own sake.

One thing that also hampers the experience to a point is the camera system, which is annoying at times. It's something that mostly affects combat, but there are points where the camera develops a mind of its own. Expect to be cornered and raped by a robot on occasion due to the camera locking into place at an awkward angle. Ledges and handholds can be hard to spot as well and sometimes you're forced to make a leap of faith. Fortunately the game won't let you randomly jump to your death, but it's still frustrating. The camera isn't broken by any means, but when the game is moving along at a nice fluid clip and the camera thing happens it really stands out, even if it is only a minor inconvenience.

To wrap up the gameplay section, I would like to say that Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is awesome, but it's by no means a perfect game. Elements are a little too convenient, the acrobatics have been done before in other titles, and the camera can hamper things at times. With that being said the game is a blast. The combat is satisfying, the exploration leads to gorgeous areas, and there's a well-balanced sense of progression in the game. Enslaved also offers several "Holy crap!" moments, which is a testament to its design.

Replay:

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West has three difficulty settings: Easy, Normal, and Hard. I played the game through on Normal and found that it was satisfyingly challenging. I wasn't counting my game time, but I'd estimate the experience lasted eight to ten hours. Each stage (14 in total) has Tech Orbs to collect and there are Masks with images that tie into the game's ending as well. Really the main reason to head back into the world of Enslaved is to see the story and characters again. And that's totally worth it in my opinion.

Achievements:

For the Xbox 360 the Achievements run the gamut in terms of difficulty. You get an Achievement every time you complete a chapter and when you beat the game. Then there are points for completing sections of the upgrade menu, killing a certain amount of enemies, performing a specific amount of styled attacks, and even for how quickly you save Trip. On my first play through I netted 29 of 48 Achievements with a total of 515 points, and that was without even trying.

Graphics:

While the story is captivating and the gameplay is downright fun, the graphics are another one of the major selling points for Enslaved. The post-apocalyptic world is rife with greenery and wildlife, and everything has a nice decayed feel to it. Mechs are rusted out, buildings stand ready to crumble, and the characters look nicely weathered. It all comes together to create a fantastic atmosphere that elevates the experience.

Some rigid animations do set things back at times, and the framerate can be a flaw at points as well. There's also clipping as Trip's hair slips into her body and Monkey holds doors up in cut scenes without touching them sometimes. Some cut scenes are also littered with compression artifacts (such as one where Monkey and Trip take a ride into the night on his bike) and these elements come together to remove you from the experience. It's frustrating to some degree because on one hand you have this absolutely gorgeously designed game, and on the other there are these technical oopsies that detract from the polish.

Sound:

Enslaved is a great sounding game with strong talent at work. From top to bottom the music, effects, and voice acting leaves one impressed. The cast used in the game really takes the cake and stands out the most when you're talking about the audio. Believable acting and well-delivered lines really lend themselves to realistic feeling characters and the overall charm of the title.

Conclusion:

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is a hell of a good game. The experience as a whole is absolutely not to be missed and it is sure to be a word of mouth favorite. It is a title that's strong enough to launch a franchise and it is deserved of a sequel. The story and characters drive the game, while solid gameplay mechanics and rich design play a supporting role. There are flaws and Enslaved lacks polish in some areas and features oversights in others, but by and large it's an epic adventure.

Without reservations I'm going with a high recommendation for Enslaved. It's an absolutely must play!

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