Hands-on with The Last Guardian: this is not the game you thought it would be

The textures seemed flat and, considering we’re talking about a single-player game in an enclosed environment here, the lighting and particle effects appeared positively prehistoric.

[spicelicka]

Good to hear someone actually got to play it. I think most fans of team ICO probably don't care much about the graphics. I was really hoping to see PS4 level graphics though, the animation is amazing, I could only imagine the experience with better tech.

[naruga]

i disagree .. im thankful that the game didnt change a thing form its visuals in order to satisfy PS4 audience ..we need this game intact...

Shadow of the colossus didnt have the best of the best graphics on PS2 , but those grapihics had a purpose ----> to serve the unmatched artistic direction of Uedas team, the same goes for Last Guardian , whoever( like the author of the article) judge negatively the visuals of TLG is ignorant stupid or does it on purpose ...i repeat we want this game INTACT from its pS3 iteration

[spicelicka]

No what you're saying is stupid. Why would you want an old version of the game? That's like saying to devs, hey give me the alpha build of your game!

Firstly, if you want that, great for you but that's selfish of you to demand that for everyone else.

Secondly, better graphics doesn't change the art style. It would only serve the purpose better. Not sure why you're assuming that. Shadow of the Colossus didn't have the best graphics but still looked amazing, it would only look MORE amazing if the graphics were better. Better lighting, better texture, better effects, should be incorporated into the game to make the experience more appealing without losing the art style, devs make sure of that. How do you know it would look bad if you haven't even seen it?

Not saying graphics are integral to the game, I'm sure gameplay would be great. It's one thing to be indifferent to the graphics, and another to forcibly hold the game back because you have some personal time-stamp on the progress.

[uth11]

@Spicelicka

People have waited how many years for this? How many more will it take if they upgrade their engine and visuals?

[Gazondaily]

@uth

Its a fair point but we shouldn't make concessions because of the delays. The opposite should be the case; the quality should be enhanced to justify the delays.

I like the art style a lot though but better lighting and textures wouldn't go amiss.

But a game like this can still deliver, not focusing on raw visual fidelity but on a sublime art style. I'm confident this game will really be great and hammer home the 'feels' like the other games in this vein.

[blady_man]

@ naruga: u real?! So when a game comes out and the graphics are bad its ok to downgrade the game but with this game is actually a better thing! Please open your eyes, im a fan of the game too but i would be lying if i said o dont mind having ps3 graphics on my ps4!!

[MachuchalBrotha316]

Although I have no issues with TLG graphics its funny to see how people are all of a sudden ignorant for wanting better looking games. When you are always knocking Xbox games for graphics....lol

[Kleptic]

So...'we' want it to look like PS3 game...but release only on the PS4...?

only trying to keep up...

I loved SoTC just as much as the next guy, but honestly...That's reaching even by fanatic standards...

[holin4]

@naruga
Now that we ve read your comment we are all a bit more stupid!
TY!

[AndrewLB]

I could have sworn i remember reading comments from many of you guys talking about how glad the game was delayed in order to bring the graphics up to date with modern visuals...

http://n4g.com/news/1813911...

[yay111]

Thats unbelievably backward >.>

[bouzebbal]

Just give me this game already...

[Gaming_Cousin]

@jimmy

Your so called indie game is going to outsell 99% of Xbox One games

[BattleAxe]

So graphics don't matter now........

[pcz]

i actually bought a ps3 in anticipation for this game around 2010... 6 years ago!

the length of time taken to produce this game suggests a troubled development. im afraid it will be another duke nukem forever, a game stuck in development hell, and only released because so much time and money has been invested in it that it would be a waste not to.

of course im hoping im wrong, and they have managed to turn around what has obviously been a game that has been a nightmare to produce, but im sceptical.

[fiveby9]

"and only released because so much time and money has been invested in it that it would be a waste not to..

Yes I agree this is possibly what happened if the game turns out poorly. Hopefully not though. But I am reminded of the saying "Don't throw good money after bad". I have to imagine if it was really poor Sony would have pulled the plug on it.

[Concertoine]

Honestly for all the western studios that Sony has partially layed off or closed entirely, the fact that Team Ico has been getting a paycheck despite their last game being over 10 years ago on the PS2 is really baffling.

Here's to hoping the game delivers, though.

[The 10th Rider]

Especially with Ueda leaving during the development (though he's still involved with the Last Guardian.) That doesn't give off the best vibes. I'm hoping we get another masterpiece, but I'm keeping my expectations in check because there are signs that this could be a bomb.

As far as still throwing money at a bad or troubled game, just look at all the hype for the game, they'd have to be stupid not to.

[StrawberryDiesel420]

Red Dead Redemption had similar rumors about troubled development and that game turned out amazing. The Last Guardian will be a phenomenal game I'm sure, at the same time I expect ridiculous scrutiny when review time comes for certain "journalists."

http://www.develop-online.n...

[andrewsquall]

And yet an "old" version of the game will easily trump just about everything out there. When Shadow of the Colossus launched on PS2, it literally dropped to 5fps at times during some of the bigger encounters. It didn't stop the game from being more next gen than anything on Xbox 360 at the time (and there still isn't a game on 360 I can think of 10 years later that has insanely advanced animations like the ones seen in SOTC).

Playing The Witcher 3 (for the first time with the new 1.20 update), after 10 seconds of using the horse, I could already laugh at how Agro in Shadow of the Colossus annihilates it by caparison in animations and smooth precise control and movement. I mean, it is shocking how terrible the horse, the only means of transport, is in The Witcher 3, the unanimous GOTY from last year.

The Last Guardian has NOTHING to compete with but its two spiritual predecessors.

[DJustinUNCHAIND]

What flavor Kool-Aid is on the menu today?

[spicelicka]

"When Shadow of the Colossus launched on PS2, it literally dropped to 5fps"
.....

"It is shocking how terrible the horse, the only means of transport, is in The Witcher 3, the unanimous GOTY from last year."
Did not know you were playing horse simulator 2k15.

[WelkinCole]

Huh?. You do know Ueda games is not about graphics and his approach to game design is minimalist right?. Obviously you have no idea.

Ueda games is predominately about level design. The best I have ever seen in my 30 years of gaming.

Ueda is very old school in game design but the tech he uses is something you would not see often. Like once in a generation.

Trico animation is something we will not see again for a long time. Same way seeing a living breathing collisi was once in a lifetime event back in the PS2 days.

While his game design is old school. Ueda manages to invoke such huge emotion from the players with his use of the environment/atmosphere and relationship between characters. He invokes memories of your fav childhood fantasy books/movies with his games where you actually get to play it.

Make no mistake though. His games are not the usual blockbuster game where you will kill countless enemies or even much dialog.

Its just amazing how he is able to invoke such emotion and thought from his minimalist and old school game design approach and simple premise for his games.

For example Wanda in SOTC. When playing him and carrying out his task you start to wonder if you are the greatest and bravest ever person or are you really the most selfish person alive. There is no dialog but Ueda manages to convey this though his game design.

Ueda is a genius on the same level as Kojima and I can't wait to play his game.

[spicelicka]

I don't see how anything you said couldn't be even better on PS4. Never said anything about game design or animation, they have always been amazing as they will be in TLG. I know exactly what you're talking about don't worry. There is a sense of beauty in the simplicity of the graphics, but that doesn't mean adapting to the power will impede on that simplicity.

You do realize something like Shadow of the Colossus wouldn't be possible on PS1? They took advantage of the PS2 and used that to create the stunning animations and atmosphere unique to SOTC. Similarly, the Last Guardian has advanced animations, the rustling of feathers, environmental destruction, carefully placed lighting, and waving blades of grass that add to the art style using PS3's power, and would not be possible on PS2.

That's all my point is, the Last Guardian looks beautiful from an artistic standpoint, but I don't believe it represents what the team could've done had they developed with the PS4's power, it's still very much a PS3 game. This is not necessarily a bad thing, we should just be happy it's finally coming out. But I just think reviewers will consider that as a negative, and that's fine too.

[JMyers]

Loads of people played it at E3. Previews and impressions are up on many sites.

[IamTylerDurden1]

The technical wonder of the creature is astounding imo.

[Pongwater]

Nothing in this article tells me the game isn't what I thought it would be.

[Zediz]

Criticized Scalebound that was in beta and is an RPG open world, but why with Sony changes the argument? Even as a linear game and with "development" 10 year!

[jessionpc]

Scalebound is criticized because the protagonist sounds like an american teenage dudekid with beats by dr dre headphones on...

To be fair though, honest consumers are also dissapointed with The Last Guardian as well though, including me.

[Saito]

How can you be disappointed by a game you have not played?

[rezzah]

Why are those who are disappointing with TLG "honest"?

[iceman06]

It's possible to criticize BOTH games for separate issues. Some people expected more from Scalebound than what they've seen (not just Sony fans either) and some people will be upset with the apparent lack of extra shine on TLG after a prolonged development cycle. Criticism doesn't have to be exclusive OR comparable to be valid.

[pcz]

this game has been in development for ten years....! to put things into perspective, 10 years ago-

-obama wasnt even the president of the united states of america

- android didnt even exist

- The Shard (londons tallest skyscraper) didnt even exist

-the one world trade centre (replacing the twin towers) was beginning construction (and completed in 2013)

-bluray was launched

etc etc

there have been massive developments in the world in the last 10 years... for this game to take ten years to produce is an outrage, especially running at 30fps with (frankly) last gen graphics lol

the game is too late now, it belonged on the ps3 and will not ever achieve the impact it would have if it was released on schedule.

the guardian would have blown people away 5 or 6 years ago, now all it can hope to achieve is quaintness.

-

[stuna1]

Really !? If people really thought that PlayStation gamers were waiting on The Last Guardian because of graphics they know nothing! Were Shadow of the Colossus or Ico graphical masterpieces? No, but I'll tell you what! They were Storytelling Masterpieces! And that is what gamers are waiting on when it comes to the Last guardian.

[Rimeskeem]

Shadow of the Colossus was a technical masterpiece.

[IRetrouk]

Yeah but not a graphical one, sotc is my no1 all time game, but even when it released it didnt look stand out amazing.

[Rimeskeem]

I agree, not graphical but it was technology wise.

[nX]

^Well it couldn't have been a graphical masterpiece with the PS2's capabilities.
I fully expect TLG to push the video game medium forward like it's predecessors, even with upscaled PS3 visuals.

[IRetrouk]

Just to be clear, the games never looked bad but they were not know for their graphics, story, gameplay and the emotional attactment to an animal is what i remember everyone talking about, and yes im more than old enough to remember the launch, and the mags, which i still have, point being is graphics are not the most inportant aspect when it comes to studio japan.

[rezzah]

It has the best horse in the history of gaming to date (referring to the control and feel of the horse when in motion).

[OoglyBoogly]

"Were Shadow of the Colossus or Ico graphical masterpieces? No..."

Were you old enough to play games when these were out on the PS2? Both those games were most certainly celebrated for their graphics at the time they came out. The cloth physics on the characters, particles, SIZE and SCOPE of the worlds they were set in.

Yeah, ICO and SotC were both very popular and the graphics had a lot to do with that. Even to this day SotC looks damn good.

[Melankolis]

It was good alright....but that's because they used neutral colors....white, black, silver...in which they didn't look vibrant....it's just for artistic purpose....

Of course, given the vastness of the world, i kind of understand why SOtC couldn't have had the graphic at it's best....

[NarooN]

So much this. I remember back in 2001, all the game mags were going crazy talking about the cloth physics, particle fx, post-process fx and other bells & whistles when ICO came out. Same went for SotC. Those games looked amazing and had the story/atmosphere/gameplay to back them up.

[stuna1]

Actually I was but graphics weren't what sold people on SoTC or Ico, I'll agree with the technical side of things, but for sure every time those 2 games where mentioned it usually was concerning the story and emotional responses that they received. For me I still have the PS2 versions or should I say the originals as well as the PS3.

You can check my PSN id Stuna1

[Lng101010]

Yup. It was amazing seeing and fighting the first Colossus.

[Melankolis]

True, fans want the best graphic if possible, but they love storytelling the most. in another words, great storytelling + decent graphic is just enough.
Even i won't mind if Yu Suzuki make Shenmue 3 with Dreamcast/Xbox quality (well, but HD of course) if that speed up the development, say 2 or 3 years faster?.
IMO, unlike western developers, Japanese tend to make game's graphic "artistically" great. Which is good too...SOtC was artistically great, so was Dragon Quest VIII, and there were more others...

[MachuchalBrotha316]

Actually yes they were, atleast for that generation. Im talking graphically impressive.

[MachuchalBrotha316]

@star, fair enough but Im glad you guys understood me.

[isarai]

Well i didn't think it was suddenly going to look better than what has been shown. Also when did realtime global illumination and fur simulation become "prehistoric" is every aspect bleeding edge? No, but it's still aesthetically a far more beautiful game than most.

[Thatguy-310]

A lot of the detail is placed on trico. But like many said the story is what people want from these games. Plus don't judge it until you're playing the retail copy. Regardless of how it looks I dig the art style.

[Lng101010]

I disagree. Story is the last thing I want from these games. Both Ico/SotC had very basic plots. The gameplay was what made them great.

[ThatGuyDart]

Was expecting some actual info but instead we have another person complaining about the graphics... -___-

This game is not about graphics.

[Gazondaily]

Did you only read half of the article?

The author talks about the controls, gameplay and generally about the game too.

[deafdani]

This is N4G, where 99% of commenters only read the title of the article and rush to the comment section.

This site should change its name to H4G. Headlines for Gamers.

:P

[jcnba28]

I hope it's great but I'm worried for this game.

[NatureOfLogic_]

You seem very concerned.

[jcnba28]

You seem very concerned by my comment.

[deafdani]

You seem very concerned by his very concernedness about you being very concerned.

[MatrixxGT]

Yo, I heard you was concerned so I was concerned about not having enough concern in this post to be concerned about.

[Elda]

I still want to play this tear jerker!

[a7madRyan]

look at this new interview with the director maybe u guys will appreciate his work yes maybe the graphic not strong but the animation of the monster is beyond any game out there and game have it own art style
https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[Jayszen]

From what I have seen in the demos and trailers, if the graphics are at the level, I will be satisfied as it is the story and the gameplay that are most important. This is a game by Fumito Ueda and we know what we can expect. Can't ask for more.

I have just watched the latest trailer, the one from E3 this year, which showed very quite a few new short scenes and I must say that I am really looking forward to the game. I wish it was already October!

[Good-Smurf]

Yeah,Like people can wait for another 3 years them to work on the game from scratch to get that graphics improvement,then they'll be complain that the game take forever to release...again.
Really I'm so happy just to finally be able to play this game that E3 trailer alone started to water my eyes.
For a game that been in development for so long this game still looks great and art style is its focus over pushing the realistic look.
This looked more stylized,and I dig it.

[talocaca]

I personally think that it might feel like a PS3 game to some people.

There is a big push for every game to go open world.

I already pre-ordered mine and really hoping it is like Shadow of the Colossus and Ico.

I don't mind about "Next-Gen graphics" as long as it is unlike anything I've played.

I trust Ueda San's vision ;)

[Inzo]

I am not so sure about the graphics, to me it looks very good textures included and Trico looks absolutely phenomenal and I have read that many other gaming sites thinks that it looks really good too. If I must complain about something it would be the boy who seem very cartoony and doesnt fit into the art design. But this is team Ico, so I am sure the gameplay will let us look past any graphical short comings.

[Indigon]

It's an Ueda game. That's all I need to know.

[Eiyuuou]

Good thing I dont give a damn about graphics.

[Chaos_Order]

So long as the art style is as good as ever and it runs fairly smoothly, I for one won't care. Art, for me, has a much bigger impact on my enjoyment than the amount of polygons and particle effects on screen.

[dcbronco]

If the graphics are average and it's not open world why did this game take so long to release. Unless there is some amazing new gameplay mechanics they could have launched this years ago on PS3.

[Majin-vegeta]

They stated multiple times due to the. Arch of the PS3 they couldnt get the vision they wanted for the game.Hence PS4 movement.The way his feathers move yea I doubt we could get something like that on the PS3.

[Gecksta]

When I saw this at last years e3 , with the cell shaded character and fuzzy graphics; I thought ok cool it's still in alpha. It still looks like it's in alpha. This looks like shit

[SynestheticRoar]

Wow. So much salt this early in the morning, can't be good for breakfast.

[King_Lothric]

Remember these arguments used by a certain community since the start of this generation?

"gameplay > resolution "
" I play the game, not the graphics "

How easily they change the tune for its convenience. This game is going to be another classic and the double standard trolls can't do anything about it.

[Bismarn]

Oh crap, an article like this on N4G is the equivalent of insulting Muhammad.

[Zediz]

lmao

[Apex13]

So when it comes to a Ps4 game having poor graphics people don't care but yet when it's Nintendo or Xbox one it's a laughing point. Smh

[Gatsu]

I started playing games with NES in 90's, so graphics aren't the most important thing to me or to many others.

Anyway, that being said I think it looks amazing.

[Germany7]

Xbox One has many problems, not just the graphics, lol.

[iceman06]

The thing is, this isn't about "poor graphics". This is a particular art style. Team Ico has used this particular, minimalistic aesthetic for 2 other games. Fanboys (from ALL consoles) are the ones that get into pissing contests about another console's graphics. Fans (of games) can appreciate a game for the sum of what it is. If TLG fails to deliver as a total project, THEN there will be a problem.

@dcbronco...NOTHING in my comment suggests that this is a "tech demo". I'm simply stating that Team Ico's games are about a particular aesthetic. They are gorgeous in their own right without using tons of effects to achieve it.

[dcbronco]

Exactly. They should have said it's a tech demo from the start. Instead they've gone through a decade of development trying to flesh out a story because now that they are making a game they have to produce a quality one. If they can actually make a quality game out of something as uninspired as a tech demo. If it turns out bad blame the fanboys. They are so fickle they corner people into doing things they shouldn't.

[trooper_]

Gameplay should come first, then graphics. I'm sure they'll deliver.

[Fishermenofwar]

This won't be a game for everyone....It's a game for me.....

[Gatsu]

It will be a masterpiece to me. I will get a lot of feels when finally play it and that is what matters to me most in games.

[senorfartcushion]

Correction:

I didn't think it would be like this.

Don't try to tell us what we are thinking.

[galmi]

I wonder if Recore looks bad but has awesome gameplay, how it would be judged? Anyways looking forward to this

[BlakHavoc]

Hope this game doesn't flop

[-Gespenst-]

I don't really care about how cutting edge the graphics are. I learned a long time ago that graphics don't need to be intense to make a game compelling and immersive. Some of my favourite games are SNES games. You can do an awful lot with very little in any creative medium. Having said that though, I think this game looks beautiful in it's own way - the sense of scale is fantastic.

The problems with the controls seem to just be a matter of improving the on-screen prompts which, and the writer of this article says so himself, are a work in progress.

[Simco876]

As I was excited about this game years ago, now that it's finally coming out...I'm just done with it. It feels like a game that I missed in the PS3 era and don't have the time/patience to knock it off my list.

[BlackTar187]

A ton of Paid Xbox employees in this article.

[The7Reaper]

"Not the game you thought it would be" So that means to me it will be a good game, because I think it looks boring and not fun.

[TheTwelve]

<---- old enough to remember playing Ico on release day.

Ico looked so good, I couldn't believe it somehow worked on a PS2. So there's a comparison with how Last Guardian will look today.

So many Japanese devs were frozen in time in the last gen, afraid to release their games on a market where they felt their work wouldn't sell well. Now they are doomed to release it in a better market but it still may be damned due to being outdated compared to what the competition brings.

The scale of this game is so huge, I don't get how they will accomplish it in an effective way. Maybe they won't, based on this article.

[milliniumstylz]

This will be the first game to get a remaster in the same generation.. Lol

[Goldby]

State of Decay...

[BlackTar187]

Damn BURNNED alive. Keep going don't look back Gears

[Vasto]

Just another budget title.

[hangdang]

How could you possibly expect great graphics from a game that started as a ps3 title almost a decade ago? Almost all of the previews I've read say that the game has a lot of charm and left a lasting impression. If you recall, SotC and Ico weren't exactly praised for their performance or great camera/controls when they released either. And those games turned out fine. I'd also expect Sony's (big) Japan team to get a lot of polish in in the next few months before release.

[madworld]

DAMN man!!!!!!!!! after long time developing this game and what we get just a stupid outdated game....

[mEATgrinder]

This looks like it need the Scorpio touch

[Ozmoses]

I'm stoked about this game. I know it will be gorgeous.. I still remember begging my mom to rent Ico for consecutive weeks from Blockbuster. I rented that game for 10 days straight. I fell in love!

[Bennibop]

I think the graphics look fantastic, especially trico, smoke and particle effect etc. I think people are confusing an artistic choice (Look at ico and sotc) for poor graphics.

[NotanotherReboot]

Team Ico will be the next studio Sony shuts down. There's no way they are financially viable to keep afloat.

[BlackTar187]

yea man shut down the company that has made 2 games found on most top 100 games all time list.

[NotanotherReboot]

and that proves the studio is financially viable to keep afloat, how?

[Pongwater]

You ask him for proof yet gave no supporting evidence for your claim. How much did Team Ico's games cost to make? How many copies did they sell, both retail and digital? How much has Team Ico been paid while they work on Guardian?

You must know these things, or otherwise you couldn't say what you did, right?

[ILostMyMind]

I think it's exactly what I thought it was.

[Deltaguy]

lol i knew this game would flop..stuck in developer hell!!..plus japanese game developers suck ass besides 2 or 3 studios...

[BlackTar187]

you guys are cancerous to the industry. I feel sorry for people like you.

[Pongwater]

The game hasn't been released, and therefore hasn't had the opportunity to flop yet.

[Aloy-Boyfriend]

Graphics are least concern to me with this game. Last time I checked, Team Ico games weren't graphical marvels, and I enjoyed them

[Djinn]

I can't wait till this game comes out and gets average at best reviews. Slobs have been hyped up over graphics for six years.

[P_Bomb]

Why do TLG articles always draw the following:

1) kids too young to have gamed during the PS2 era. Life started with a Marcus Fenix mad world commercial. No context for games like this.

2) dudebro genre campers who play one type of game, one way, one brand with one clan. Not meeting one of those criteria is cause for concern. If Ladykiller69 on their friend list isn't digging the graphics, neither will they.

3) rival hardwarers who feel it's their recruited duty to shout "flop this sux that" cuz this is war and Major Nelson is their ranking officer and...basically it hurts too much to think for themselves.

4) Contrarians. Will always go against the grain even if the game in question goes against the grain. If you're looking forward to something they'll be sure to remind you they're not. Empirical evidence has no meaning. You'll remind them Ico/SOTC Collection on PS3 scored over 90% on meta and sold over a million. They'll tell you it doesn't matter. Until something *doesn't* score over 90 and doesn't sell a million. Then it matters.

Man. The days before the Internet, lol. To me this game's that. The Last Guardian indeed, of the era in gaming before it all went to $#%*

[jjb1981]

I prefer them to keep the same art style. I wouldnt want extra high definition textures. I just want to play this story.

[iliimaster]

this game why do they even bother with this game still ? i really dont get it they advertised this game during the height of the n64 era and heres another blah blah blah guardian

[Saito]

Anticipation grows each day with this one. Why are people who have no interest in playing this have opinions? Horrendously trashing a game before it's out?! Hmm

[showtimefolks]

already have the collectors edition pre ordered. this game isn't for everyone(so not 40 million ps4 users) but maybe 2-3 million gamers will play/enjoy it

yes it doesn't have ps4 graphics but i like how it looks more cell shaded

it's about the journey and how the story concludes

[jznrpg]

Team Ico games arent about graphics-

[DEAD-DEVIL-DISCO]

Well...Id revisit some great games from my past and not bitch and moan once about their graphics . Because they are great. I also love indie games not because of graphics . Im buying it

[Kingoftherodeo]

as much as everyone is defending this game, it had it coming from the day they showed this. we all know this was going to be sonys next big hit and after so many years of being delayed. some fans have the right to critique it if the game looks poor like come on what were you all doing all these years then?. sony should have released this for the ps3 but everyone assumed they decided to hold it for next console and so here we are. if the game is fun sure we will still play it but when you have that much of a delay and your game doesn't look next gen what was the point of the delay? kinda like delaying a game that wasn't ready then they release it and its still broken come release day like whats point. sure fans have been waiting for it but just because we want it doesn't mean you should pull a mighty no 9 and say well its better than nothing. i think most of us are now ok with the fact that half life 3 might not happen and we are ok with it. instead of them just giving us a piece of poop we rather not see it

[MagicBeanz]

And here we go. They're already working so hard to kill this game.

[tulholdren]

Another day 1 Sony exclusive for me. Sounds like another game that I'll like that most people won't. Cant wait to play this.