REVIEW

The Last Guardian Review

by Luke Walsh, December 24th, 2016

If you liked ICO and Shadow of Colossus by Fumito Ueda, The Last Guardian will be right up your street that tells the story of an unforgettable relationship between a boy and a giant cat-bird-dog called Trico. Over the course of their adventure you will learn of their trust, communication and care for each other against a highly stacked story against them.

Much like the previous two spiritual predecessors, The Last Guardian touches on the same isolation, connection and loss that made those games a beautiful masterpiece of gaming. The entire story is told through the inner monologue of a nameless boy, subtle cues and experiences between boy and beast during their adventure together through a phenomenal landscape.

The adventure begins with you awakening from a dream, trapped inside a cave with Trico nearby, tied down by a metal collar, spears in his back and armour on him. Without much need for explanation you know it all needs to be removed to leave the cave. After being knocked out from the first spear removal, the journey of your escape together starts.

Your control of Trico is not direct, you are able to prompt him with various commands and this is how you are both indispensable to each other’s progress. You may be able to squeeze through tight spaces, move objects and open doors, but Trico is the only one who can jump 10 feet into the air or take our ‘terracotta’ soldiers looking to kidnap you. Like any animal, Trico needs to be incentivised on some occasions, the best being in the form of a snack inside glowing blue barrels. Other times you can use a combination of pointing and voice commands to get your giant furry friend to move into the correct spot.

You’ll come to love Trico like your own pet.

A lot of success will come from scouting the area and identifying the one object or passage you need to take, and how your companion fits into that environmental puzzle. You’ll be able to climb onto his back to access high places or use his tail to abseil down drops or platforms. It is not all fluid though, you will need to learn patience as you give him a command and he moves the wrong way, or jumps when you don’t want. Combine that with similar looking structures and a lot of foliage, it can become easy to get lost adding to your frustrations.

How can you not love him...

Even when Trico can be the most dense at times or disobedient (depending how you look at it), you will not be able to stop falling in love with him. Out of all the in-game companions, he seems the most realistic while you watch him shake off the water, play with butterflies or how he enjoys his head being stroked. His personality is the combination of a house cat and a lion, playful when he wants, fearsome when he needs to be and will just outright charm you. There were many times in the game I could have easily forgotten he was not real and many times I wished he was. You can’t get how much character he has without playing the game first hand.

Our faithful companion is more real because he doesn’t act perfect, he learns after multiple attempts and builds confidence as you progress through the story. You watch him grow as you grow and continue to develop your relationship together. Rather than it feel like a waste of time tutorial, a command just to move through the world, it feels more like an investment in your friend, making you much more emotionally invested. Your patience creates a strong bond which will never waver and is beautiful to watch.

The Last Guardian is probably one of the most immersive games I have played, through the subtle commands you give to Trico, to his personality and the bond between player and companion. It is not perfect though, button prompts come up on all interactable objects, while other items that look like you can interactive with are just part of the scenery. Instead of completing the complex experience in the game, it still seems afraid to give total control over to the player and let them learn without basic gaming hints.

What usually comes with an astounding gaming world, full of beauty and wonder is frame-rate issues and unfortunately this can be said in this world. They do not have too often but do make you realise sometimes at the wrong moment, making you miss a jump, drop to your doom and have to restart.

Some lag issues aside, using the PlayStation 4’s system has allowed Ueda’s team to create a world which you’ll remember, moving from caves and ruins into fascinating architecture and natural landscapes full of colour. All this combined allows you to perceive the world around you as you want, without any hard story forced down your throat. Climb aboard your fluffy buddy and enjoy the ride.

Your affection for Trico as you delve into the Last Guardian is something you’ll remember for a long time and probably won’t find again. He is a stubborn, loveable creature brought to life in a great world, through the eyes of your character as you interact with him. Trico is the star of the game and undeniably deserves to be, able to push you into an emotional experience unlike any game this generation.

When you finish with the triumphant last chapter, you will want to pick up the game again and say hello to your friend. Don’t keep him waiting…your partner gets lonely without you.