El Shaddai: Ascension Of The Metatron Review

It doesn't bother me at all when it comes to gaming religion, whether literal or shoehorned. As an agnostic I have become used to not being invested and immediately dismissing it because of my pigheadedness. El Shaddai, which is based on the Book of Enoch, a Jewish text that I find neither offensive nor captivating, was created.

It is bright and colourful, which does not deter me from being interested. Although I don't promote it often, I do enjoy a good spectacle fighter. I love Devil May Cry, Enslaved and Metal Gear: Revengeance. El Shaddai passed on me the first time, claiming that "I couldn’t be arsed part money for it".

Now, ten years later, you're in the lofty position "games reviewman" and finally have the opportunity to play. Is it wrong to be patient and surprised? Let's be biblical and see how holy thou art videogame.

Divine Vengeance:

At best, my understanding of religion is a bit hazy. This is even more true when it comes Jewish texts. I was not raised Christian or any other religion, so I haven't spent more time studying than the school required me to in the 90s. The only thing I know about the Metatron is the hilarious portrayal of him by Alan Rickman.

El Shaddai takes a more serious approach to filmmaking than Kevin Smith. It tells the story of Enoch who is a scribe on a mission to stop a great flood from devastating the world of mankind. He must find seven fallen angels to stop them from becoming a threat to his mission. He is not the only one who can do this, thankfully. He has Lucifel, an anachronistic-clothing wearing aide, filling in exposition as players get to grips with the concept.

It's difficult to not think of the story concept when you hear it for the first time. Trust me, don't think about it too much. You can compare it to a No More Heroes, Soul Reaver, or other similar games, without any religious subtext. The seven targets are the players, and they will have to trek through some stunning landscapes in order to reach them.

Art is Most Holy

There is often much pretension when it comes to the "games are art" debate. It doesn't matter if Shadow of the Colossus can be considered art, it is. But, there is always some argument about Deadly Premonition. El Shaddai is a clear example of this.

It looks pretty. It is beautiful to see and definitely an art work. El Shaddai's landscapes and views are reminiscent of Furi. Beautiful backdrops and ethereal vistas create a dreamlike, dreamlike setting that is complemented by a cel-shaded style of character design.

It is a ten-year old port so it can be a little creaky. Some clipping moments may occur when characters' hair passes through them. It runs on older Direct 9 versions, so graphics options on PC are limited. You can still appreciate the watercolour-y goodness of the game and enjoy what it has to offer your eyes. It can be very, very bright at points.

The Devil may repent

What would happen if you combined the combat of Devil May Cry with Bayonetta with the armour degrading mechanic of Ghouls ‘n’ Goblins? It's likely that Capcom and Platinum will sue you, I would guess. Unless you are clever enough to dress it up as a jazzed-up reimagining a Jewish scripture. Voila!

This is just an exaggerated example of what you can expect from this game. Fixed camera, 3D environments, hack and slash gameplay. The health system is not based on your armour damage but rather on the health of your character. You'll find the usual array of launch moves, charge attacks, parry counters, and all other features you would expect from a spectacle fighter. I was eager to get the story finished, so I played Easy. However, completing the game unlocks more difficult difficulties for the masochists.

It took me some time to adjust to the old fixed camera style. I was accustom to right stick camera movements, so it was a shock to go back to Devil May Cry's arena-style combat. Players will be able to create combos with the best of them once they get back into that groove. Death isn’t as harsh here. If you are quick enough to use the button mashing, you can get a reprieve. You can take on the challenge if you wish, but it's still easily accessible for those who just want to read the story.

Pseudoreligious Mumbo Jumbo? It's Probably Not...

The visuals are stunning on the eyes, the combat is fast, frenetic, and all that is needed to make it great is the dialogue. It wasn't easy to make the No More Heroes comparison. It definitely had some connotation.

This was not made by Suda51, but it is a good guess. If I'm not mistaken, Sawaki Takeyasu might have looked over his shoulder to take some notes. You're likely to know what's coming if you've played Killer 7 and Deadly Premonition.

I will summarize the dialogue if you don't know what that means. The narrative and pacing are not Sims-like. Lucifel's opening is as vague as Half-Life's G Man. Enoch can alter his armour or do something else during the beginning battle. Each of the fallen angels are explained in hyperbole and mystery. Enoch is seen riding a motorbike at one point. I don't recall Sunday school lessons mentioning this in any text.

This is one of those games that, like many others, requires multiple playthroughs before you can understand the game. It also has unlockable challenges upon completion, which I think is why it works. It's understandable why developers do this to a certain extent. It would be a shame if a game threw everything at players from the start. It can be frustrating, however, for someone who has played Killer Is Dead and didn't understand the story. It's a bit pretentious, I admit, to assume that we all have the same level of investment.

The Port Worth Sailing Into

None of the grumbles mentioned above are major issues. It is not as long-lasting and portable/remakeable as Shadow of the Colossus, but it does look bad. If you compare it to anygame which has had the porting treatment, El Shaddai would look a little lazy. It hasn't changed much from the way it looked on my Xbox 360.

It all depends on what the individual is thinking. It can be quite rough if you are a snob. You will be put off by the over-saturated visuals, clipping issues that cannot be fixed with bright visuals, and the overly saturated visuals. If you don't mind this kind of thing and can accept that old games are outdated regardless of their platform, then this is a great game.

It has satisfying combat, a good enough interpretation of a fairy tale and pretty visuals to keep you entertained throughout its duration. You'll quickly forget about the HUD the first time you play it and enjoy the strange beauty it has to offer. These game-like elements can only be reintroduced if the players are willing to test themselves again.

Raise Your Voice

You've probably noticed that this is a brief review for a very short game. A spectacle fighter review is not able to provide much more information. This would be a great walk-through if I explained every aspect of combat and gave you the tricks and tips about the upgrade system.

A game like El Shaddai requires that you have the least amount of background knowledge. This may seem like I'm doing half the job (don’t tell the rest), but it turns out that this game is the best. To whet your appetite, I can tell that the action is slow-mo, the bosses are powerful and varied, and, despite being nutter-butters throughout, the story made me smile. Although it's absurd, it is also very aware of it. However, the director has worked on obscure games before so what can one expect?

You won't find the occasional jank from days gone by, but there is a very entertaining, strange, and engaging brawler. Although it may draw from religious sources, there is no forced bible-bashing. There are no heavy metaphors, insinuations or insinuations that you will be burning hell for refusing to worship a skybeard. This is a trip similar to any Suda51 or Swery, Clover Studios, Platinum, or other game that was overlooked ten years back.