Team Ico had a solid legacy of critical acclaim with their first two titles. The fittingly named 2001 debut video game ‘Ico’ was a decent success and grew in popularity as the years went on, garnering a cult following. I personally enjoyed Ico and thought it was a charming and unique little game, but like most, the studio earned my fandom after their titanic hit ‘Shadow of the Colossus’.
Fans were anticipating what the studio, which nowadays has succeeded in GenDESIGN, had next in store since the announcement of The Last Guardian. However, I feel that when that game was released, although it received a pretty good reception, people slept on it. It didn’t come nearly as close as the explosive reaction to Shadow of the Colossus, which nowadays, almost 20 years on, is considered a classic hit and confidently hailed as one of the greatest games ever made (a sentiment I can concur with). I decided to go into The Last Guardian with an open mind, like when I tried playing Ico for the first time, and by the time the credits rolled, I sat back, and my initial reaction to the game’s wrap-up was that it was very good. I know the game is far from perfect and has some notable issues such as the giant dog/owl hybrid companion thing that’s with you from the very start all the way through can be unresponsive and slow at times. I definitely remember experiencing some janky platforming which can be pretty messy all around when that’s such a key part of the whole experience. I played the game many years ago in college, probably around 2017, and I have fond memories of it. My reflection on the game is generally positive, and I think more people should try it.
Without getting into spoilers, the game had dark twists and turns that stick with you years afterward. The game, although with a hopeful message and sense of wonder, has some sinister secrets in its lore. I believe this studio is supreme at having a narrative with minimal dialogue and encapsulates a show-not-tell approach to storytelling. Very similar to the popular indie game Journey. Through fictional language and symbols, we uncover the truth of the world we are discovering together through the perspective of a child and his giant furry barrel-eating friend.
So please, with the pleasant recent announcement of GenDESIGN’s next project, “Project Robot,” I implore more of you to give The Last Guardian a chance before their next game sees the light of day. If you can move past the mild issues that seemed to be brought up, you’ll see that this game has a lot going for it by the end.
Chao,
Mikhail
Verdict: 8/10