"The Last Guardian" is an easy game to get down in the dumps about when it comes to generation old game play mechanics, a fussy camera and a frame rate the dips into unacceptable slideshow worthy levels in rare, graphically taxing instances. Despite this, the core experience is mesmerizing, immersive and most of all a touching story about a boy and his feathery partner that will take your emotions and trample them as often as they soothe them.
When I say generation old mechanics, I mean it. At least as far as character movement is concerned. You play as a little boy who can't be older than eight so traversing these sprawling caverns and temple-esque structures is bound to be a challenge. But there is a clear line drawn between authenticity in how your character interacts with the world and general unresponsiveness. Clearly the boy's clumsiness was intentional to a fault seeing as how he face plants as often as he successfully climbs a structure.
"The Last Guardian" is a character driven game elevated by sensory detail and environments that are masterfully crafted and ultimately overshadow the game's control based faults. Now, the little boy you play as isn't what draws all the attention. It is the relationship with his partner Trico, a birdlike dog creature who you grow to care for throughout the game. The interactions range from Trico ravenously defending you from aggressive stone guards to somber moments simply petting your companion in a gorgeous ravine.
Lighting and texture work to accentuate the backdrop with immersive beauty. Every gust of wind varies in intensity and can be seen in the soft grasses, your character's cloak and Trico's fluffy feathers. The sound design is also nothing to scoff at from the excellent orchestral soundtrack to Trico's layered screeches and weighty footsteps.
Trico's AI is incredible. Although frustrating at times with its stubbornness as you become friends, the feathery giant displays genuine anger, affection, worry, fear and curiosity without ever uttering a word (and accurate to the situation). You can see exactly how the creature is feeling in its eyes and I have never had that experience in any form without some kind of dialogue. Team Ico, Gen Design and Japan Studio have outdone themselves in this respect as Trico's mere presence and emotional resonance is far and away the game's biggest triumph.
The Last Guardian raises the bar in almost every other department besides performance and a clumsy main character (grab the ledge, kid). With that said its faults make it feel half-baked for moments at a time as the PS4 struggles to maintain acceptable performance. Although not occurring often, it signals a clear neglect to release the game in such a state before proper optimization. This is astonishing considering the nine year cycle it powered through. "The Last Guardian" is no doubt a masterpiece but it is one making mistakes developers haven't made since the PS3 era. However, it is fully worth its asking price as it is a master work of modern design and storytelling all told through a boy and his peculiar feathered friend.
The small things affect the experience in a minor way but it is noticeable and a heart-pounding, somber tale that holds up after such a long development cycle, I give it a 9/10. A unique tale of modern fiction combining elements both young and old that everyone who calls themselves a gamer should experience. Simply superb.
