The Last Guardian

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2785 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,068 out of 2785
  2. Mixed: 302 out of 2785
  3. Negative: 415 out of 2785
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  1. bocas10
    Dec 6, 2016
    5
    Well I have to say that the game play is poor and the camera is annoying sometimes, the game have some problems of frame rate, I don't know how Sony gave "green light" to sell the game with this basic problems, this important things that make a video game a VIDEO GAME. Some people are giving 90-100 without looking this important an basic problems, they put first their "feelings" over a theWell I have to say that the game play is poor and the camera is annoying sometimes, the game have some problems of frame rate, I don't know how Sony gave "green light" to sell the game with this basic problems, this important things that make a video game a VIDEO GAME. Some people are giving 90-100 without looking this important an basic problems, they put first their "feelings" over a the things that make playable a game but most important feelings are different in everyone of us.… Expand
  2. TheKillerFries
    Dec 6, 2016
    7
    While flawed and perhaps not worth the long wait, The Last Guardian is an immensely charming game that feels like it's full of heart and energy. It's easy to find yourself deeply invested in either of the game's protagonists, and while the AI on Trico can be a bit bothersome at times, using such a large creature to solve puzzle and pass through obstacles is both very unique andWhile flawed and perhaps not worth the long wait, The Last Guardian is an immensely charming game that feels like it's full of heart and energy. It's easy to find yourself deeply invested in either of the game's protagonists, and while the AI on Trico can be a bit bothersome at times, using such a large creature to solve puzzle and pass through obstacles is both very unique and surprisingly fun. The game also looks gorgeous at times, even if it came at the price of some dreadful framerate issues throughout the game.

    Fans of ICO will enjoy the puzzle-solving and story, fans of Shadow of the Colossus will enjoy climbing and controlling such a huge beast, and newcomers to the series will be drawn in by the gorgeous visuals and unique environments. Don't expect perfection, though expect the same amount of creativity and memorability that Team ICO has always been known for.    … Expand
  3. UnbiasedGamer11
    Dec 6, 2016
    6
    This game has some very emotional moments and a pretty cute story. But it has its obvious issues as well. Very poor frame rate, outdated graphics and mechanics. It's an okay game at best, luckily I wasn't hyped for it so I am not disappointed. Overall, it wasn't terrible but there definitely were some times where the game was frustrating to play.
  4. Bowgames
    Dec 6, 2016
    6
    The last guardian is a good game, don't get that wrong but does it live up to the hype? no. While it has a fascinating story its lackluster game play and camera controls really damage the quality of this game. Don't get fooled by the haters hating on this game, or the fanboys praising this game because of shadow of colossus and ico's reception. Its a solid experience at best, but its worthThe last guardian is a good game, don't get that wrong but does it live up to the hype? no. While it has a fascinating story its lackluster game play and camera controls really damage the quality of this game. Don't get fooled by the haters hating on this game, or the fanboys praising this game because of shadow of colossus and ico's reception. Its a solid experience at best, but its worth a pick after a sale.… Expand
  5. Azamander
    Jan 5, 2020
    5
    The Last Guardian is a very bittersweet game from a developer who truly cares about their craft. I both loved and hated this game.

    I love Team Ico. I played Shadow of the Colossus over and over again - every released iteration of it. I even scoured the game for years looking for the ill-rumored 17th colossus along with many other people on the internet. After that I bought and played    The Last Guardian is a very bittersweet game from a developer who truly cares about their craft. I both loved and hated this game.

    I love Team Ico. I played Shadow of the Colossus over and over again - every released iteration of it. I even scoured the game for years looking for the ill-rumored 17th colossus along with many other people on the internet. After that I bought and played through Ico, which I loved in spite of having some issues with it the core gameplay. I think Team Ico offers something not seen anywhere else in their excellent ambiance, storytelling, and world building. In those aspects, they are masters of their craft and have my utmost respect.

    That being said, do you remember the several smaller colossi from Shadow of the Colossus? The ones that shook around and were hard to move around on, causing a lot of frustration? At its worst, The Last Guardian is an entire game of that, except you also have to convince that colossus to go where you want it to go.

    I watched the very first video reveal of this game back in 2009, on the day it game out, and was excited for the next seven years until the game was released. On the surface it is an incredibly charming game that masters the three qualities I listed above, but it is so frustrating that at times it is hardly a playable game. It is an escort quest where your progression depends entirely on the cooperation of the character being escorted, who just happens to not listen to you most of the time. This leads to many, many gameplay segments where you have already solved the puzzle, but have to keep spamming commands for 40 minutes before you can get Trico to do what you want and progress. All the while, the game is giving you blatant hints for the puzzle you have already solved. There is even a part of the game where you are falling to your death and Trico has to catch you, and very often, he just... doesn't. I fed Trico every barrel I came across to make him like me more, but there wasn't much of a noticeable difference. I think the people who rate this game so highly have never run into the unfortunate stuck points that seems to plague a bunch of players, so their experience wasn't marred by it. This mechanic is a great idea on paper, but in practice it unfortunately takes much of the game down with it.

    It's no surprise that I sold the game in frustration back in 2017, abandoning hope of ever enjoying it enough to make up for the frustrating gameplay. This year (2019) I found it again for rent at the local library and decided to give it another shot, since I have so much good faith in the developer (and maybe I was just in a bad mood in 2017). I continued where I left off. Unfortunately, not 10 minutes into playing my old file, I ran into what is apparently one of the most infamous spots in the game where Trico doesn't listen, and became stuck in a pit waiting for him to decide to lower his tail for me to climb up on. I think I waited down there for about half an hour before I could get the game to do what it was supposed to.

    This game is one of the most beautiful games I have ever played, and in spite of the frustrations, I truly cared about Trico by the end of it. But you need a lot (and I mean a lot) of patience to get there.    … Expand
  6. BradMorgan
    Apr 1, 2021
    6
    The last guardian is a game that requires patience. Contols often do not cooperate and the beast that supports you during the adventure often does not know what to do with the environment or your instructions. The result is that you are waiting in areas for an unnecessarily long time before you can continue. The story is a bit difficult when it all comes together at the end but that isThe last guardian is a game that requires patience. Contols often do not cooperate and the beast that supports you during the adventure often does not know what to do with the environment or your instructions. The result is that you are waiting in areas for an unnecessarily long time before you can continue. The story is a bit difficult when it all comes together at the end but that is precisely why it feels right and logical within the adventure.

    Pros:
    - The physics and look of the beast
    - Bond between character and beast

    Cons:
    - Controls
    - The beast slows down the overall gameplay    … Expand
  7. ExpertPL
    Dec 24, 2016
    7
    The Last Guardian is very unique experience, although not exactly the best I ever had in gaming industry.

    One of the best things about this game is that it is very relaxing, unless the fact that Trico (our animal companion) is sometimes not cooperative will frustrate you, but that depends on the player, as I still can't tell if it's intended to work like that by the devs or is it the    The Last Guardian is very unique experience, although not exactly the best I ever had in gaming industry.

    One of the best things about this game is that it is very relaxing, unless the fact that Trico (our animal companion) is sometimes not cooperative will frustrate you, but that depends on the player, as I still can't tell if it's intended to work like that by the devs or is it the problem with AI, because one player can treat it as a poor AI and consider it as a drawback, the other can treat it as a feature that helps in establishing bond with your animal friend (as we all know, animals can be really not cooperative).

    The one big thing that ruined the impression for me was the language, which is artificial, but the problem is that the words that we hear are very often the same, although the subtitles suggest that the whole sentence meaning is completely different.

    I don't really know what to say about this game. I love playing almost all genres of games, but with this one I have problem with assigning it to one of them. The easiest way to explain The Last Guardian is probably to say that this game is about relationship between human being (player) and the accompanying him animal.    … Expand
  8. SouthShallRise
    Sep 4, 2017
    6
    It took what....9 years for this game to finally hit retail? Yeah...about that much time. Shadow of the Colossus was the game that had me anticipating the next game from team Ico. I did get around to playing Ico once the remastered version came to the PS3. I can appreciate a bleak, silent narrative and had an idea of what to expect going into The Last Guardian...a story told mostlyIt took what....9 years for this game to finally hit retail? Yeah...about that much time. Shadow of the Colossus was the game that had me anticipating the next game from team Ico. I did get around to playing Ico once the remastered version came to the PS3. I can appreciate a bleak, silent narrative and had an idea of what to expect going into The Last Guardian...a story told mostly through silence and a lonely journey towards some unhappy ending. For the most part I got that, but not without suffering through some of the most frustrating controls and camera behavior in my entire gaming history. (I am "old" by the way and have played games for many years.) The kid in this game is nice to look at animation-wise, but that comes at the cost of any type of sharpness when turning corners, dodging, jumping, swimming, climbing, or feeding barrels of who-the-hell-knows-what to your "pal" Trico. The controls are the main enemy in this game...nevermind the usual team Ico weird villians. We don't get shadow men or giants this time....simply stone statue men who chase the boy and try to carry you into doors to oblivion. Evading those guys was hell on earth. Running is terribly clunky and the boy will fall on his face half the time. You also have a dive move but the boy will jump and slam right into the wall (there are many tight corridors in the game) or into the stone guys and also face-plant over and over again. It was so frustrating trying to run away from those idiots over and over again while running back to a giant chain that I had to pull to open huge gates to get Trico inside the room just so he could smash them eventually. And after he does smash them he jumps around like he has rabies until you can sloppily climb on his back and give him a massage while attempting to pull spears from his body that the stone men toss into him. Trico is AI controlled and is pretty competent for the most part. He does tend to ignore your commands from time to time. There are lost of sections where he does most of the platforming for you, giving you a break from the sloppy controls. The game does a pretty bad job of telling you where to go next or what to look for if you don't pay attention to very small hints such as Trico investigating something or looking at a certain area. When Trico isn't around, things are even more ambiguous. You just may find yourself stuck for long periods of time before resorting to looking up guides on the internet. The bond the developers were going for between the boy and Trico never materialized with me because I was too buy trying to do simple things like climb Trico's body when I needed to with some sense of direction or getting him to respond to basic commands in the most simple sections. I was so tired of trying to fight the controls and get Trico to do what I wanted him to do that by the end I didn't care what happened to either one of the characters. And I was one of the players who didn't have that horrible a time figuring out what the game wanted of me. I caught on to all the commands and saw that Trico was basically pointing me in the right directions throughout the journey. The game isn't very long if you know what to do and where to go and there is no reason to play through it again after seeing the ending. It was just a very mediocre experience to me. The animation was great, the movement and feathers flowing in the wind was constantly pleasant to look at, the game was just never fun to play at any point...and in the end, that is what a video game is supposed to be...no matter how artistic the vision. I can only recommend this as a rental. I was hugely disappointed...even the ending was bland and not worth the trouble I went through to see it. I played this on the PS4 Pro I got it for 39.99. Anyone who paid 60 dollars for this was robbed.… Expand
  9. Lazlo21
    Apr 6, 2017
    5
    Shadow Of The Colossus is my favorite game of all time, and Ico is amazing in it's own right too. However, I am pained to say The Last Guardian, perhaps my most anticipated game of all time, has fallen extremely short of my expectations.

    I'm going to come out and say it right now, This game looks beautiful. I cannot find a single fault in the graphics, as such with the soundtrack.    Shadow Of The Colossus is my favorite game of all time, and Ico is amazing in it's own right too. However, I am pained to say The Last Guardian, perhaps my most anticipated game of all time, has fallen extremely short of my expectations.

    I'm going to come out and say it right now, This game looks beautiful. I cannot find a single fault in the graphics, as such with the soundtrack. Although no tracks exactly stuck with me like in SOTC, i still enjoyed it all. Trico is adorable, and I found myself engrossed in his small mannerisms and personality than I probably should have. As much as I love all the care and effort put into the world, and the aesthetics of the game,....I have to say it.... this game is just boring for the most part.

    Let me just say, if you're not a fan of Ico or SOTC, The Last Guardian may not have anything for you. This game sold solely based on its likeness to those 2 games. The beginning of the game is great, the ending is fantastic, but I found myself loathing almost everything inbetween. Really, not much happens. The gameplay mostly consists of you, as a little boy, guiding Trico to the next area, where you can do it again to get to the next area. I just didn't find it fun. While I did enjoy the 2 characters and the bond they formed, I for the most part couldn't bring myself to play the game for more than an hour before shutting it off.

    I see a lot of complaints about the controls, I don't see that at all. The controls are fine, it's just the overall gameplay design that falls flat. The combat is mostly just watching Trico smack enemies across the room, then petting him when its over. A lot of the time, the puzzle solutions are really easy, it's just the tedious act of getting there that kills it for me. Also, Trico's AI is sometimes amazing, sometimes poor. I found myself having to give a command 20+ times before he heeded. Part of me feels this is a gameplay design, to have it behave just like a wild animal, and if so, I applaud. But if not, then it needs to be fixed.

    Like I said, I am really hurt to give this game such a low score, but this is legitimately how I felt when playing it. I just didn't enjoy it. I really would have liked to, but I just couldn't. This was my most hyped game of all time, it was supposed to be my GOTY, not my most dissapointing game of the year. 5/10    … Expand
  10. xenofiend95
    Dec 7, 2016
    6
    After waiting 9 years, being a fan of Ico and Shadow of the Collossus, Im a bit disappointed. Tricos AI slows this game down to a snails pace due to being incredibly unresponsive, enemy encounters are just atrocious, and the controls can either work really well or cause your character to glitch out. The art style and world are wonderful just like it's forebearers, the soundtrack isAfter waiting 9 years, being a fan of Ico and Shadow of the Collossus, Im a bit disappointed. Tricos AI slows this game down to a snails pace due to being incredibly unresponsive, enemy encounters are just atrocious, and the controls can either work really well or cause your character to glitch out. The art style and world are wonderful just like it's forebearers, the soundtrack is wonderful, and the game can be very satisfying when it actually works. Sadly though the game should have went through far more quality control even after 9 years. I have a ton of patience, but not for poor design. Wait for a sale.… Expand
  11. Tubey
    Dec 7, 2016
    5
    It's heartbreaking to me to have to score this game as low as this, as I love the premise, the characters, the world design and at moments the overwhelming charm this title has.

    But ultimately, the controls are completely broken and the AI is patchy at best. And when you consider this is a game which has to rely on tight controls and solid AI to be a success, the fact both are the    It's heartbreaking to me to have to score this game as low as this, as I love the premise, the characters, the world design and at moments the overwhelming charm this title has.

    But ultimately, the controls are completely broken and the AI is patchy at best. And when you consider this is a game which has to rely on tight controls and solid AI to be a success, the fact both are the weakest points of the title renders the whole thing dead on arrival. It is mechanically not fit for purpose.

    Look, this will get high scores from those who are charmed head over heels by Trico (stunningly cute by the way), as well as the art style, to an extent the story and, let's be honest, the hype this game has received for years and years - but they're not scoring it high because it's a good actual game. It is borderline unplayable for large parts of the experience; you will fall off ledges, fail to interact with Trico, wait around for minutes for the AI to react to what you want to do... these really are deal breakers. Read the positive reviews on here - not one will realistically praise the game as a game; instead, they'll bang on about story and so on.

    But I'm reviewing a game. This isn't a good game. And it's a crying shame, as they did the hard work and completely ballsed up the basics.

    Oh, and for those who excuse Trico's AI because he's a dog and "dogs don't always listen in real life"... that's an unbelievably dumb argument, because we're talking about a video game, NOT real life. It has to work as a video game first and foremost. I can yell at a hedgehog in real life and it won't turn blue and run fast, and that's obvious as you wouldn't compare Sonic the Hedgehog to an actual damn hedgehog! Stop making excuses for broken AI.    … Expand
  12. zelenii
    Apr 12, 2017
    6
    Ueda, how could you spoil it amazing fairy tale?
    +Design location is incredible
    +Trico is the best
    +Amazing sound
    But camera and control brought me many suffering.
  13. SOLIDSNAKEN64
    May 11, 2017
    6
    I have mixed feelings about this game, the story was refreshingly different and the game mechanics are something that I have never seen before. that being said it did have some short comings. The controls could of been tighter and the camera angles could definitely be improved on. I cant tell you how many times I was frustrated trying to get Trico to do as i ask. All in all it wasI have mixed feelings about this game, the story was refreshingly different and the game mechanics are something that I have never seen before. that being said it did have some short comings. The controls could of been tighter and the camera angles could definitely be improved on. I cant tell you how many times I was frustrated trying to get Trico to do as i ask. All in all it was something different so I cant fault the devs for that, but the execution could of been better especially since they took a lot of years creating this game. I bought it on sale for $30 and probably took me around 13 hours to finish it.… Expand
  14. Avrae
    Jan 18, 2017
    6
    This game had lots of potential to be an masterpiece. But you cannot shake the feeling that this game feels like it is unfinished. Sloppy controls and annoying camera angles makes it feel ever worse. Also the game is pretty repeative and probably only thing in your mind at later parts of the game is "when is this gonna end?"
    Strongest part in The Lat Guardian is the feeling of growing    This game had lots of potential to be an masterpiece. But you cannot shake the feeling that this game feels like it is unfinished. Sloppy controls and annoying camera angles makes it feel ever worse. Also the game is pretty repeative and probably only thing in your mind at later parts of the game is "when is this gonna end?"
    Strongest part in The Lat Guardian is the feeling of growing bond beetween you and Trico. Also story is good and interesting. Althought it leaves too much in dark and does not tell why everything happened in the first place. Too much questions remains.    … Expand
  15. DreamCore
    Dec 5, 2017
    5
    The game design is really cool and the way you use Trico to solve puzzles is amazing. Unfortunutaly the game suffers from severe technical issues. This is unnacable considering how long it's been in development. Because of this I can't possible give it more than 5/10.

    So what's the issues? 1. The movement and input is among the worst I've ever seen. I've fallen of edges and missed    The game design is really cool and the way you use Trico to solve puzzles is amazing. Unfortunutaly the game suffers from severe technical issues. This is unnacable considering how long it's been in development. Because of this I can't possible give it more than 5/10.

    So what's the issues?

    1. The movement and input is among the worst I've ever seen. I've fallen of edges and missed jumps countless times simply because of how bad the input system is. It's easier to drive a tank than to control the character in this game. It's impossible to explain, you have to experience it.

    2. The camera, well, I won't even go there. Pathetic how it made it past quality assurance.

    2. Trico is literary retarded. Often you have to tell him 10 times what to do before he actually does it. Sometimes you try to make him jump and it doesn't work in 3 attempts which makes you think you're supposed to do something else and run around for 30 min just to come back and try again and this time it suddenly works. I've had to restart checkpoints simply because Trico bugs out (tail getting stuck on things so I can't reach and climb it, getting stuck not doing anything etc) and after restart it works again, when I do the exact same commands at the exact same spot. You won't know if you're unable to progress because you're doing something wrong or because the game has simply bugged out. If it happened once or twice it would be okay, but it's happeing ALL THE TIME.    … Expand
  16. janettaplanetta
    Apr 4, 2017
    5
    Unlike many people who have reviewed this game I had not anticipated it at all. I'm a new (18 months) gamer who went into it without knowing anything about it. From the get go I was intrigued and beguiled by Trico. My own character less so...mostly because of the incredibly soft controls and the fact that the only forward motion available is slowly creeping along in a funny cartoon likeUnlike many people who have reviewed this game I had not anticipated it at all. I'm a new (18 months) gamer who went into it without knowing anything about it. From the get go I was intrigued and beguiled by Trico. My own character less so...mostly because of the incredibly soft controls and the fact that the only forward motion available is slowly creeping along in a funny cartoon like pose or running headlong, and subsequently falling off ledges etc. However, sadly I found that I could only play it in short bursts because I just found it not fun enough to put up with the ongoing frustration of the rubbish controls and trying to figure out what to do and where to go next with virtually zero direction. I eventually 'got' that you have to try everything until something works but it's hard to tell sometimes whether you're simply barking up the wrong tree or the right tree but doing it wrong. In the end though, the thing that broke it for me was the difficulties in managing my own characters movements. I got to a place where I had to get Trico to jump up against a wall so I could leap off his head onto a broken staircase and I did eventually get Trico in position four or five times.....each time taking quite a while as he does everything slowly...but then I could NOT get myself positioned to make the leap accurately and would just fly off into space instead, then have to start the whole process again. I don't know what's going on with that but I found at different times in the game I fell off him because my character wasn't holding on or he wouldn't stop holding on when I wanted him to jump off. Aaaargh! What is that? Other than just bad programming?? It's not a a new experience for me to arrive at a point in a game where I hit a wall and have to repeat over and over until I get the hang of it or figure out what I'm supposed to do, but in this instance I eventually came to the conclusion that I just wasn't having enough fun to want to keep trying. Visually it is beautiful - the animation is often stunning - and I would have liked to see where the story went but at the end of the day it was a definite 'IRBPSE' situation....I'd Rather Be Playing Something Else.… Expand
  17. Antioch
    Jan 16, 2017
    5
    The last guardian is a beautiful game that I would say is something like an AAA indie title. The first half of the game might be confusing to people as to why they are doing. The story isn't told with alot dialogue or cutscenes really, it is hinted here and there and some people might find hard arguments to keep going.
    The gameplay consist of solving environmental puzzles by using the boy    The last guardian is a beautiful game that I would say is something like an AAA indie title. The first half of the game might be confusing to people as to why they are doing. The story isn't told with alot dialogue or cutscenes really, it is hinted here and there and some people might find hard arguments to keep going.
    The gameplay consist of solving environmental puzzles by using the boy and the beast.
    They can be challenging and sometimes frustratingly vague or difficult to perform due to the delayed controls.
    My main issue with this game is that it is a work of art, but as with work of arts not everyone appreciates or cares for it. And this game is that work of art for me. Fantastic beautiful environments and there are some precious moments as the bond unfolds between the boy and beast but, the controls that are slightly delayed, the frustrating moments you are trying to get the beast to perform an action and it's stubbornly hard to get it to move (sure maybe that is deliberately lifelike but it's still not a gameplay aspect I enjoy), the lack of replayability unless you really care for trophies and very similar actions and environments throughout the gameplay did not make this game all that enjoyable to me.
    I'd probably rate it a 4 but the fantastic animations, especially Trico (probably one of the best animated characters/figures in a game to date) really deserves a point on it's own.
    I have a Whippet and sometimes I swear it was like I was watching a film of my dog, that's how well animated and lifelike Trico is.
    If you come into this game and expect anything like Shadow of the Colossus, you are going to be dissapointed.
    If you get it through PS+ or at a "indie price" it'll be well worth a try but for me, this game at full price wasn't worth it.
    It's a game let down by the controls and in my case because it's niche doesn't appeal to me personally.    … Expand
  18. Abdu1988
    Dec 29, 2016
    7
    TLG is a good game. I had a great experience playing it, because it's unique and emotional.

    But it wasn't a super experience due to the poor frame rate in some areas and most of the puzzles were either easy or bland.

    The music score is one of the highlights of the game; a very memorable one!
  19. Drug812
    Oct 12, 2019
    5
    The most dumbest, clunkiest, unresponsive controls you can ever play in a game. The camera is also an utter mess.
  20. Arqivadi
    Dec 15, 2019
    5
    This games is so boring. 30 hours of walking and climbing to pull levers and take barrels. I just cant play it anymore. I am not having fun at all.
  21. atta_uchiha
    Dec 8, 2016
    5
    I have played the game over the last three days and I have to say, even after such a long time, that this game isn't finished yet. The camera and the controls can be so infuriating that its hard to enjoy the game. The performance issues arent really helping either. The massive framerate drops break the game immersion even more. Besides that, its sometimes really hard to see where you haveI have played the game over the last three days and I have to say, even after such a long time, that this game isn't finished yet. The camera and the controls can be so infuriating that its hard to enjoy the game. The performance issues arent really helping either. The massive framerate drops break the game immersion even more. Besides that, its sometimes really hard to see where you have to go or what to do. I waited a long time but alas. I loved Ico and Shadow of the Colossus (which I consider one of the best games on ps2) but I can't enjoy The Last Guardian.… Expand
  22. Jafenhar
    Dec 6, 2016
    5
    Team Ico is a lot like Taylor Swift after Kanye interrupted her at the MTV Awards a few years back, meaning they're pretty much immune to criticism. If The Last Guardian was released on PS3 it would be deserving of a higher review score, but releasing and charging premium price for a game that is tantamount to a upscaled PS3 port on PS4 is just dirty pool by Sony.
  23. Myst_Ouroboros
    Dec 9, 2016
    7
    After the initial run of "oh it's cute" and "Everything looks amazing", you are left with the stark realization that this game is Frustrating. Most of the puzzles or platforming challenges are simple when you view them. What makes this game so frustrating is the fact you have what amounts to a feathery forklift that doesn't understand you, that you MUST use to complete these puzzles. MoreAfter the initial run of "oh it's cute" and "Everything looks amazing", you are left with the stark realization that this game is Frustrating. Most of the puzzles or platforming challenges are simple when you view them. What makes this game so frustrating is the fact you have what amounts to a feathery forklift that doesn't understand you, that you MUST use to complete these puzzles. More likely than not, I would finish a particular puzzle with the phrase "Well that took longer than it should have" before realizing I will have to do another one almost immediately.
    For the patient player, this is a decent title that looks good, has a bit of charm to it and a big underlying mystery. You just gotta fight with the game's own big mechanic in order to get there.
    Also this is the first time I've ever considered that the camera itself is an obstacle in the puzzle solving system. Considering the character's direction depends on the placement of the camera and the camera somehow having mass that can interact with the world around it. It gets stuck on the low hanging ceilings, teleports around with a quick black fade to make me think some cut scene is starting, zooms in on the monster's feathers, the camera just sucks. Especially when it tries to frame both you and the monster at the same time. While this restrictive view does work to make the creature look enormous, it also creates this bizarre feeling of viewing the entire game with horse blinders on. I found myself moving the camera to actually see what's going on with the environment as well as what the monster is doing. If the goal was to make me feel like my TV is too small, it succeeded.
    This isn't a bad game by any extent, its got a solid physics based game play, it follows its own rules of design, nothing ever felt unfair. It's good, not amazing, but good.
    Solid 7/10    … Expand
  24. potatochobit
    Dec 8, 2016
    6
    Don't be tricked! this plays like an indie game.

    I bought this hoping it would be like previous games shadow of colossus. but it is not, it basically plays like a cheap indie game where you solve puzzle with the analog stick. don't get me wrong, the game looks beautiful and is fully animated. but it just doesn't feel "fun". You can die, but you immediately start where you left off,    Don't be tricked! this plays like an indie game.

    I bought this hoping it would be like previous games shadow of colossus.
    but it is not, it basically plays like a cheap indie game where you solve puzzle with the analog stick.
    don't get me wrong, the game looks beautiful and is fully animated.
    but it just doesn't feel "fun". You can die, but you immediately start where you left off, there are no save points (though there are checkpoints for dying).

    remember the game with the little Eskimo? LIMBO? Brothers a tales of two sons?
    it plays exactly like that.
    I regret paying FULL PRICE for this game, buy it on sale for under 20$.
    the pre-order DLC PS4 THEME is also kind of crap but it does have music.    … Expand
  25. GlennLimos
    Dec 23, 2016
    7
    I loved the game even though it did annoy the hell out of me at times. The camera is your worst enemy and will probably be the reason you die a couple of times during the game, Trico can at times be as obedient as a cat or dumb dog and makes some puzzels take a bit longer to complete even though you at last see clearly what you have to do.

    Even though the problems of the game can be    I loved the game even though it did annoy the hell out of me at times. The camera is your worst enemy and will probably be the reason you die a couple of times during the game, Trico can at times be as obedient as a cat or dumb dog and makes some puzzels take a bit longer to complete even though you at last see clearly what you have to do.

    Even though the problems of the game can be massively annoying at times, I fell in love. The game moved me and Trico not responding because lack of AI I would guess was a little charming as I've had stubborn pets. If you have some patience for it the game will be fantastic. The game is beautiful, but you can see it was started on on the PS3, and the framedrops at times are horrendous. The camera is the thing that is truly bad about this game though.    … Expand
  26. peite
    Jan 7, 2017
    7
    Very nice graphics but and the game is living up to our doubtful expectations - the game idea with controlling an enormous AI-beast is hard to achieve and leads to lots of frustration.
    The soundtrack is beautiful but more blockbuster-like than before and this game makes you think Uead should start making movies instead.
    I played it on PS4 Pro on 1080p and the framerate makes you really    Very nice graphics but and the game is living up to our doubtful expectations - the game idea with controlling an enormous AI-beast is hard to achieve and leads to lots of frustration.
    The soundtrack is beautiful but more blockbuster-like than before and this game makes you think Uead should start making movies instead.

    I played it on PS4 Pro on 1080p and the framerate makes you really tired and I had to quit the game many time after just playing one hour.

    For me, this game would achieve its goal rather by being a shorter indie-game with the same breathtaking graphics and pre-rendered moments.

    It's not as good as Ico or Shadow of the Colossus game-play wise, but still a must-have on PS4!    … Expand
  27. TerrorClaws
    Jan 2, 2017
    7
    + monster design and behaviour
    + puzzle design
    + story
    - camera movement
    - character controls
    - minor framerate issues
    - a bit repetitive surroundings

    I played this one through and enjoyed in overall, but also got very frustrated at times. It's a good game, which had so much potential to be great.
  28. roundtablegamer
    Dec 13, 2016
    7
    The Last Guardian Review

    Alex the Kidd, Gamers of the Round Table From the makers of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus comes a new adventure from the team at JAPAN Studio. The Last Guardian, a title under development for the better part of a decade, arrives to the PS4 an entire console generation later than anticipated. The question is whether this title lives up to its long    The Last Guardian Review

    Alex the Kidd, Gamers of the Round Table

    From the makers of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus comes a new adventure from the team at JAPAN Studio. The Last Guardian, a title under development for the better part of a decade, arrives to the PS4 an entire console generation later than anticipated. The question is whether this title lives up to its long anticipated release.

    The Good

    The Last Guardian is a beautiful game. The details put into Trico, the large feathered beast, clearly show the dedication that went into this project. The environment is massive in scale to both characters, and players can feel completely immersed in the world of the game. Each set piece requires the characters to work together to overcome the obstacles placed before the player; taking direct control of the young boy, players will attempt to guide Trico to progress through the game.

    The bond between boy and beast develops through the player’s success, and communication improves between the two. The challenge in many parts of this game comes from communicating with Trico, and getting him to perform the tasks that need to be done. Players can feel a sense of accomplishment from achieving successful co-operation form the two characters.

    The Bad

    The challenge in this game stems more from the ability to guide Trico then the actual level maps; what was made to feel like a creature that had its own attitude and intelligence can come off as a broken game mechanic at times. This is especially true when you use all the methods to guide Trico, nothing happens, then you run around the area trying to figure something out, only to have Trico jump up onto the ledge you thought he couldn’t reach in the first place. The controls to guide Trico aren’t user friendly, and can be difficult to understand exactly what it is you’re trying to get Trico to do as the camera tends to pan to Trico as you give commands.

    There isn’t much to do here except move from set piece to set piece, and while they are beautiful to experience, the game can feel less engaging at the beginning. There is little plot or drive in the game beyond working with Trico, and discovering more about the area where he dwells.

    Rating

    7/10 – This game isn’t for everyone, but it’s not a bad game. The Last Guardian is a well put together experience, with a few setbacks regarding Trico’s response to command. While epic in size, this isn’t the next big adventure game; Players need to try this game to decide for themselves if it’s a game they will love or not. At the end of the day, Trico is a welcome member to the PlayStation family, and The Last Guardian an overall success.    … Expand
  29. LucianoGB
    Jan 8, 2017
    7
    Not a game for everyone but those who enjoyed ICO and SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS (references to these games will be necessary) would definitely like it. It´s a shame that it has a lot of issues regarding camera angles and controls. Those things have been a constant all over the entire playthrough. And that is exactly why it will not be remembered as a masterpiece (unlike ICO & SOTC).

    Trico    Not a game for everyone but those who enjoyed ICO and SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS (references to these games will be necessary) would definitely like it. It´s a shame that it has a lot of issues regarding camera angles and controls. Those things have been a constant all over the entire playthrough. And that is exactly why it will not be remembered as a masterpiece (unlike ICO & SOTC).

    Trico responses well but very slowly which it makes it sometimes a bit frustrating. However the boy´s control are just mediocre. You will also be struggling with the camera very often: bad camera angles, sudden blackouts and pointing nowhere.

    It is still enjoyable but thanks to its flaws, I never thought I was playing a 10-years-development game. Music and graphics are great. And the story fulfill its objective. Those who have played ICO & SOTC will understand tt despite being not so explanatory, the plot can be very beautiful.

    The bound between Trico and the Boy will not be as impressive or touching like Joel and Ellie (TLOU) but is very great indeed. We will see Trico as a companion and we will care about him.

    Conclusion: A nice game but it definitely has its flaws which makes it an above-the-average game. Not an instant classic and not recommended for everyone. I would recommend anyone to play SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS, but this is not the case.    … Expand
  30. das_1990_paulie
    Dec 8, 2016
    7
    Good game
    controls are like a empty potato bag (or a plastic bag) on a rainy day. Boy movements are like amoeba toy (a very popular toy in my country).
    But I love the game. So unike though. The last guardian is a gem for Playstation 4 owners. English is my second language. Not 0-10 pontuation, games are a experience. Personal and subjective. My veredict: 2016 - Doom, Inside,    Good game
    controls are like a empty potato bag (or a plastic bag) on a rainy day. Boy movements are like amoeba toy (a very popular toy in my country).
    But I love the game. So unike though. The last guardian is a gem for Playstation 4 owners.
    English is my second language.
    Not 0-10 pontuation, games are a experience. Personal and subjective.
    My veredict:
    2016 - Doom, Inside, Uncharted 4 and The last guardian. I only play single player though.
    I love Team Ico work and this is a must play for me.
    My 7 means that it is a good game and one day you will play it.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

51
#51 Best PS4 Game of 2016
8
#8 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2016
10
#10 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 110 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 82 out of 110
  2. Mixed: 27 out of 110
  3. Negative: 1 out of 110
  1. Vgames
    Mar 8, 2017
    84
    After 7 years in what seems to be development hell, Team Ico finally introduces us to the majestic Trico and its heartfelt relationship with a young protagonist. While the long development cycle does show its age in certain parts up to a point of some frustration. The experience as a whole is one of the most unique ever.
    Read full review
  2. BaziCenter
    Feb 10, 2017
    100
    The Last guardian is indeed suffering from some technical and control input issues, but its warm, beautiful adventure filled with countless touching moments is something we’ll never forget for the rest of our lives. The Last Guardian is not just a game, it’s an absolute work of art.
    Read full review
  3. Edge Magazine
    Feb 8, 2017
    90
    The Last Guardian doesn't just live up to its forebears' legacy, it goes further. Despite the callbacks to Fumito Ueda's previous works, it is a unique creation. Outside of indie experiments, we don't get to say that about modern videogames often enough.
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