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Enslaved review: A barrel of Monkey
It's embarrassing, but true: Every single reviewer tries to think of what they're going to say while they're playing a game. For me, it's like a mental first draft, constantly evolving as I play. "EFF THIS CRAP IT'S TOO HARD" gets struck through when I figure out what I'm doing wrong, and hilarious jokes I come up with about the main character's haircut become more refined as I go along. As I sat down to write my review for Enslaved though, I realized that my brain had been so captivated, so entranced by the adventures of the brutish loner Monkey, that my mental slate was entirely blank. And that's saying something, because he's got one really stupid haircut.
Enslaved DLC will be 'an entirely new experience'
According to Ninja Theory chief Tameem Antoniades, the downloadable content for the much-anticipated Enslaved isn't just going to be "an extra few levels kind of thing. It's an entirely new experience," he tells Destructoid in a recent interview. He says that the "extra" content was designed as a whole new project -- the game is a cohesive story and experience in itself, and then the DLC was created from "a little extra time and budget for something totally extra, which is totally optional." Strangely, he couldn't confirm that the DLC would follow the Pigsy character (which is what Namco said about a week ago), but he promises a "meaty" experience nevertheless. Antoniades also talks more about how the game was developed from a very cinematic point of view -- the company hired real screenwriters and filmmakers to come work on the project, and took inspiration from the idea of "buddy movies, where each character is part of a team," Antoniades says, "and that without each other you can't accomplish the mission." We're very much looking forward to seeing how all of this influence and hard work pans out -- the game will be out next week.
Video: The colorful post-apocalypse of Enslaved
Typically, when we think of the words "video games" and "post-apocalypse," the next word that comes to mind is "brown." Thankfully for eyes everywhere, Ninja Theory opted for something much more colorful in Enslaved. Watch the video after the break to learn about the visual design that went into the game.
PSA: Enslaved, Gothic 4 demos released on Xbox Live Marketplace
As foreseen yesterday by the Enslaved: Odyssey to the West Twitter account, Xbox Live Gold members now have access to the game's previously PSN-exclusive demo. Additionally, Major Nelson points out that Arcania: Gothic 4 also got a demo. That means killing robots with a giant baton in the post-post-post apocalypse and exploring the unknown depths of the Southern Islands are just two downloads away! Click through for each below. Xbox.com: Add the Enslaved: Odyssey to the West demo to your Xbox 360 download queue Xbox.com: Add the Arcania: Gothic 4 demo to your Xbox 360 download queue
Enslaved pitched as real-time Unreal Engine 3 movie, shot down by Hollywood
Ninja Theory has always had Hollywood ambitions. Its last game, Heavenly Sword, employed extensive use of motion capture, and had Lord of the Rings alum Andy Serkis as a pivotal contributor to the project. Before Enslaved was revealed, Ninja Theory's Nina Kristensen teased the possibility of a CG movie to accompany the game's release -- but what happened to Ninja Theory's envisioned film? "We were serious about it. We went to all the big studios in Hollywood and pitched the idea," Tameem Antoniades told Destructoid. Unfortunately, Hollywood wasn't interested in Ninja Theory's vision: to create a feature-length film using real-time graphics powered by Unreal Engine 3 (used for the game). "They don't want to do it for cheap. They want Pixar and the other higher end [studios] to do it for 100 million dollars or 60 million dollars. To do it any other way is considered a huge risk, so it just didn't wash." We can certainly understand the studios' hesitance towards the concept. While Enslaved certainly looks good, an Unreal-rendered movie probably wouldn't be pretty enough to appeal to the mass-market movie watcher used to Pixar. And with Enslaved having yet to prove itself as a valuable IP, it's no surprise that the film adaptation never came to fruition.
Enslaved DLC announced, stars side character Pigsy
If you thought Trip and Monkey's journey to the west would be a tireless survival mission ... you're probably right. Thankfully, the stars of Enslaved can enjoy Pigsy's comic relief along the way. Namco Bandai describes Pigsy (pictured) as a "comical porcine character" -- the big dude with the rad belt buckle -- and has revealed that he will star in a post-launch DLC episode for the game. The publisher offers few additional tidbits about the premium add-on, noting simply that it will be a side story requiring the retail game to play. More details are expected in "the coming months."
PSN Tuesday: PSOne Imports debut, Enslaved demo set free
Sony's going to be tinkering with the PlayStation Network today, so rather than delay the weekly PlayStation Store update to Wednesday, it decided to move it up by a few hours -- neat, huh? That means you get access to the likes of the Enslaved: Odyssey to the West and NBA Elite 11 demos (and an early chance to download Swords & Soldiers if you're a PS+ subscriber) right now. It's also the grand opening of the new PSOne Imports section of the PS Store. As expected, two MonkeyPaw Games releases -- Cho Aniki and Gaia Seed -- lead what will hopefully be a strong and steady charge of games from Japan. Use the handy-dandy buttons below to just straight to what's new for the platform of your choice, or hit the break for the full update. It's up to you! Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list: (Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)
Enslaved developer diary features the prettiest apocalypse
Rarely do we equate the end of the world with beautiful foliage and grand, sweeping vistas, but as the game's latest dev diary can attest, that's what Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is going for. Check out the aesthetically pleasing downfall of mankind in the video posted after the jump.
Enslaved demo on North American PSN Sept. 21, Xbox Live 'soon'
Our friends, acquaintances and mortal enemies living in Europe garnered our jealousy earlier this week, when a demo for Enslaved: Odyssey to the West dropped on their continental PlayStation Store. Fortunately, we can stop burning all of our Doctor Who memorabilia in symbolic protest -- according to Namco, the trial version of its action-platformer will arrive on the North American PSN on September 21. Xbox 360 owners unfortunately have to settle for a launch window of "soon" for their version of the demo. But, hey, that could mean anything! It could be out within the next few minutes! It's just ... well, it's incredibly unlikely. We'll let you know when we get firmer release info.
Enslaved dev diary shows there's no 'I' in Team
In most action games where one player controls two characters, one-half of the duo always seems to slow the other down. In the latest dev diary for Enslaved, Ninja Theory explains how it avoided this imbalance: by giving unique powers to Monkey and Trip. Powers like the timeless "Fastball Special."
Enslaved preview: The apocalypse goes green
To be as forthright as possible, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West was not on my radar when it was announced last year. Apart from a handful of pretty screens, it subsequently managed to slip by me in the madness of the 2010 summer trade show season. Having now spent several hours with the first half of the game, it's impossible to think I could have missed it. Based on what I've played so far, Enslaved deserves a spot on everyone's radar, offering polished gameplay, interesting characters and a gorgeous world to explore. %Gallery-101333%
Enslaved pre-orders come with t-shirt and comic today
Today, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is featured on YouTube in the US, with a large ad ... thing on the top of the site. The ad displays trailers, links to downloadable wallpapers, and a special offer from GameStop. For today only, pre-orders of Enslaved from the retailer will come with an exclusive comic book and t-shirt, which features Monkey looking even more Goku-like in silhouette. GameStop is also holding an Enslaved-themed contest, offering a "dream home entertainment system" with a 55" TV, your choice of a PS3 or Xbox 360, and an Enslaved statue. In addition, one runner-up each week will get an Enslaved statue. [Thanks, DVR Kid]
Namco wants Enslaved 'to stand out amongst the crowd,' will actually market it
Namco-Bandai is banking quite a bit on Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, the action-adventure game from Ninja Theory -- at least, in Europe. MCV reports that Namco-Bandai has revealed it'll back the game with a massive marketing campaign leading up to its October launch, one that will even eclipse marketing efforts for the studio's previous big AAA release, Tekken 6. Big deal, thy name is Enslaved. "We really want this title to stand out amongst the crowd as not just a brilliant gaming experience, but also as one of the greatest stories told within an interactive universe -- if it doesn't win awards then I'm going to eat my joypad," said PR and marketing manager Lee Kirton. Frankly, we don't know why he thinks eating joypads is a bad thing. How else are you supposed to get your daily allotment of plastics and dyes? "Enslaved really is the cream of British talent uniting for an epic video gaming experience. Ninja Theory is a truly brilliant studio that has done a remarkable job creating a totally believable story in this futuristic post-apocalyptic world," he added. Despite Kirton's confidence in the game, it's certainly got its work cut out for it, what with Dead Rising 2 and Halo: Reach launching in September and a little game called Call of Duty: Black Ops following in November. But, hey, if there's anything that can get it done, it's teamwork -- Enslaved's got that in spades.
New Enslaved: Odyssey to the West screens
Though the vivid colors and lush foliage might suggest otherwise, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is an Unreal-powered action game due this October. These latest screenshots once again place the environments somewhere between utopia and dystopia, and highlight the volatile cooperation between lead characters Monkey and Trip. It's no Melissa & Joey, but it'll do. %Gallery-99728%
This new Enslaved trailer is decidedly epic
Ninja Theory's upcoming action-adventure title, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, has freed up a new trailer and boy is it epic. We're talking big, bold words, narration Don LaFontaine would be proud of and plenty of slow-mo badassery. Break your shackles, vault on past the break and absorb every epic second through your eye muscles.
The plot thickens: More on Enslaved's inspired journey to the West
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West was one of my favorite titles at E3 this year. It's got a terrific story foundation upon which Ninja Theory has built rock-solid combat, jazzed up by great art direction. This past week at Comic-Con, I spoke with Namco Bandai brand manager Laili Bosma, who filled in the background behind the game and fleshed out more of the gameplay mechanics that shape this promising action adventure. The game's key aspect is the relationship between its two main characters. While their names and basic personalities have been taken from the classical Chinese novel Journey to the West, Bosma stresses that Enslaved is "very, very loosely based" on the famous tale. The game is set in a post-apocalyptic future where Trip, a fragile 19-year-old redhead, embarks on a perilous journey to return home. In order to survive, she recruits the player-controlled Monkey, a brutish slave, bound to Trip by a deadly, magical headband. %Gallery-97232%
Develop: How a movie screenwriter helped save Enslaved's story
Gamers sometimes criticize games for playing too much like movies. But as Ninja Theory Designer Tameem Antonaides explained at a Develop Conference session this week, bringing in screenwriting veteran Alex Garland to consult on their upcoming game Enslaved: Odyssey to the West made their game more movie-like is some very beneficial ways. As the writer behind movies like Sunshine and 28 Days Later, Garland had a feel for how to get the most drama out of Enslaved's story scenes, Antonaides said. Garland would write scenes with very simple, reductive dialogue that looked thin on the page, Antonaides said, but gained more "meat" with an actor's performance behind them. Indeed, the short story clips shown at the conference were notable for how much they relied on body language and vocal cues to convey information without words. Antonaides said they ended up cutting the game's cutscenes down from two hours of dialogue to a lean 80 minutes, with less focus on exposition and more on drama. "If you have too much dialogue, it doesn't work," Antonaides said. "Alex changed my view of what writing meant," Antonaides said. "I felt like a schoolboy so many times talking to Alex." %Gallery-97232%
Enslaved hangs ten in North America October 5
Namco Bandai clarified the "October" release date for Enslaved: Odyssey to the West in a press release today. Trip and Monkey's technologically tethered pilgrimage will begin October 5 in North America. In the interim, you'll have to settle for looking at these new screenshots. That's not a partcularly bad bargain, though -- how often do you get to see a picture of a futuristic monkey-man based on Chinese myth, surfing through a ruined cityscape? Like two-three times a week, max?%Gallery-97232%
Enslaved pre-order bonuses and DLC are bound to retailers
North American gamers face a tough choice regarding Enslaved: Odyssey to the West: when you make your own fateful journey to a store to pre-order the game, your choice of store will determine which alternate character costume, with stat bonuses, you will be able to unlock: GameStop (EB Games in Canada) pre-orders will include "Ninja Monkey," who has unlimited use of the "stun" and "plasma" blast for his staff. Walmart purchases add "Classic Monkey," with a costume inspired by the game's source, the classical Chinese novel Journey to the West, and twice the melee attack power -- and it also makes Monkey look even more like Dragon Ball's Goku (who's inspired by the same source text). Best Buy-ers will receive ... "Sexy Robot Trip," who reveals a specific fetish on the part of someone at Namco Bandai by making Trip simultaneously sexier and more robotic. Using this costume doubles the duration (and sexiness) of stun moves. Additionally, Namco Bandai has announced retailer-exclusive bundles containing more tangible bonuses. Amazon bundles will include "exclusive access" to the game's soundtrack, while Target (and Future Shop in Canada) will offer a bundle with an Enslaved comic book published by Marvel. The source press release is posted after the break. %Gallery-96487%
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West set free from its bounds in October
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West will bring its post-apocalyptic action to retail in October, according to the E3 trailer released today by publisher Namco Bandai. But release date news isn't all the trailer has to offer! It's loaded with melodrama, suspense and lots of action, as Goku and Bulma Monkey and Trip try to navigate a perilous future version of New York. There's even a guy with some Borg-style junk on his face! That's how you know it's the future! Well, that and the mechs, which seem to really freak Trip out. %Gallery-91853%
