Offical Heavenly Sword Thread (Current GStat av score = 8.0)

Demo CONFIRMED for US.


Hi, this is Kyle, I’m a producer here at SCEA’s Santa Monica Studios. One of the titles I am working on, and quite frankly playing most often, is Heavenly Sword. I’ve read a lot of your comments on this blog about this title and I’m happy to confirm the reports that we’ll have a downloadable demo coming this week to the PLAYSTATION Store.

The complete game is still set for September, but I think you’ll find this demo is a great sample of what’s in store and it’ll certainly give you a good idea of the look and feel of the game. To set the stage here, at the beginning of this demo, our heroine, Nariko, gains consciousness after a violent encounter with the evil King Bohan and his army. Nariko learns that Bohan is holding her father, Shen, prisoner inside a massive temple complex so she sets out to fulfill her destiny and embarks on a quest for vengeance against the invading King and his army.

Keep a lookout for the demo on the PLAYSTATION Store this week, I’m anxious to read what you guys think of it.
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Box art!
 
The box art is pretty sweet.

And I'm so not going to work tomorrow until I play the demo...or maybe I'll start the download and then go...we'll see :p
 
I can't fucking wait for the demo, and the box art is pretty sweet as well. I'll make sure to have this baby d/l and played through a few times before I go to work. I'll just have to get my ass up early enough lol. This game will make me say lair? Wtf is lair I have Heavenly Sword BITCH!
 
Control scheme details.

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Basically the link above talks about the game a bit, then there is link below to pictures of the game's menus.
 
[quote name='Silent Assassin120']I can't fucking wait for the demo, and the box art is pretty sweet as well. I'll make sure to have this baby d/l and played through a few times before I go to work. I'll just have to get my ass up early enough lol. This game will make me say lair? Wtf is lair I have Heavenly Sword BITCH![/QUOTE]
Bet you say different in 3 weeks when LAIR is out and it's still a month away until HS ;)
 
[quote name='Scorch'].........there's seriously no jump button??[/QUOTE]
Which is odd since doesn't she jump a lot in the trailers?

Maybe she just automatically jumps during a combo or soomething
 
If I have to thrust the controller up to get her to jump, someone's getting kicked in the nuts.

Seriously.. what the hell. The jumps better not be automatic. The lack of a jump button in a game of this type is almost a complete deal killer.
 
is there anyway to download demos with the ps3 being off or in someway that it downloads while sleeping? whats this whole thing about remote play?
 
the default X button is for jumping, i'm 100% sure!!! Although, no buttons with the word JUMP next to them, i'm sure the X button is the jump button.

it says X is for Pickup/Use Throw (hold for Aftertouch)
 
[quote name='shadylane']is there anyway to download demos with the ps3 being off or in someway that it downloads while sleeping? whats this whole thing about remote play?[/quote]

Well, with remote play, if the download is avail, you can use your PSP control your PS3 right now and have it downloaded to the PS3... By the time you're home, you can just play it!
 
[quote name='dallow']Pic and preview is blocked at work.

So is there or is there not a jump button??[/quote]

to fairly answer your question, no, there's no JUMP button, because there's no word JUMP next to the buttons. All buttons are assigned to something else... However, being a gamer, it's logical to assume X is the jump button.
 
[quote name='Serpentor']to fairly answer your question, no, there's no JUMP button, because there's no word JUMP next to the buttons. All buttons are assigned to something else... However, being a gamer, it's logical to assume X is the jump button.[/quote]

Not every game uses X for jumping. That's so last gen. Oblivion uses triangle!
 
Maybe it's just that control scheme that doesn't show the jump button? Because in that shot you can see arrows at the top to change the controls.
 
This is REALLY funny. People are freaking out all over the internet. :)

Personally, I don't ever really remember seeing her jumping. Only evading or doing the powered up combos is when she got airborne. At least from memory.

I remember people spazzing over no jumping for FPS too. I'm sure it'll be like then, and it'll make sense once the game is in the hands of the gamers (not much longer now for the demo!).

Anyway, here is a new Dev blog post:

Heavenly Sword Demo: A Ninja's Guide to Success

Heavenly Sword Demo: A Ninja's Guide to Success
I’m taking a guess that, if you’re reading this blog, chances are you’ve seen the episode of Heroes in which Niki Sanders (aka Jessica) and her son Micah start the show playing Heavenly Sword. Am I right?

Well now you can do what they were doing - or at least you can from Thursday July 26, anyway! That’s right: the demo of Heavenly Sword came flying out of Format Testing and is hitting Playstation Network tomorrow - but then you all already knew that, didn’t you?

But, if the internet is awash with this news already, why should you read this blog update? Well, it's only here that I can give you guys the inside track to make sure you get the most out of the demo. Spread the word, this is the place to be...

So, as I say, what I want to do here is highlight some of the cool bits for you to check out in the demo. Call it a personal 'Mat Hart Guided Tour of the Heavenly Sword Demo' if you like. Sound cool?

Our demo opens with Nariko and her adopted sister looking out over an ancient water temple as they begin their search for their father. Kai quickly runs off to hide safely from Bohan’s soldiers and the game begins as Nariko attempts to find a way down to the temple. In a short space of time, you’ll find yourself in the thick of it as Bohan’s soldiers and guards rush in and attack Nariko.

So, things to try out are:

- Experiment with stance switching. Nariko can instantly switch between stances using the shoulder buttons. Your standard stance is the Speed Stance, L1 pressed and held is the Ranged Stance and R1 pressed and held is the Power Stance. You’ll find the various enemies react differently to each stance, meaning you’ll need to find different tactics to defeat them with style.

- Once you’ve mastered the basic attacks, it's time to try some advanced stuff. Wait for an enemy to attack and hit TRIANGLE to counter their strike. This relies on careful timing but, if you get it just right, you’ll deliver a killing blow to your attacker.

- By this time, you should have some Superstyle built up. Look at the HUD element in the top left: the inner dial is your Superstyle bar. Whenever one or more of the gems light up, you have access to a variety of Superstyles that can wipe out dozens (and in later levels, literally hundreds) of opponents in one devastating blow. These moves are stance specific so, at each level, you have a Speed, Power and Ranged Superstyle. Activate these using CIRCLE while in the stance of your choice. Obviously the more gems highlighted, the bigger and more devastating the Superstyle!

- Got that nailed? Sweet! Now try using L1+TRIANGLE on someone who's staggered - they'll fly up into the air. If you’re quick enough, jerk the pad up and Nariko will launch into an aerial combo. Try SQUARE + SQUARE + SQUARE to start with but don’t forget that other combos are shown in the pause menu.

- On that note, Nariko only has a handful of moves available in the demo, with tonnes more to unlock during the full game. Some of these moves have a little broken shield icon which signifies that this is a Block Breaker move - use these to break down enemy defenses.

Hopefully, this’ll give you a good place to start for now. Let me know how you get on - I’d love to hear what you find cool! Over the next few weeks, I’ll try and reveal more of the techniques and tactics you can use in the demo and final game.

One final sneaky tip: don’t kill the axeman during the opening hero sequence (i.e. miss the final SQUARE press) as you slide down the ropes. This’ll give you a chance to see what it’s like fighting a tougher character!

- Mat Hart
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[quote name='dallow']Link can't jump either.

I'll live.[/quote]

actually, you got a point with the Link comparison...

we'll find out tomorrow, won't we :)
 
Jumping isn't always that useful in an action game. Take God of War for example. I hardly ever jumped and attacked in that game, jumping was really only there for the platforming parts.
 
[quote name='whoknows']Jumping isn't always that useful in an action game. Take God of War for example. I hardly ever jumped and attacked in that game, jumping was really only there for the platforming parts.[/quote]No platforming in Heavenly Sword confirmed.
 
[quote name='dallow']No platforming in Heavenly Sword confirmed.[/QUOTE]
I'm going to go ahead and say...Good.

I don't really need platforming in an action game...just lots and lots of action :p
 
[quote name='whoknows']Jumping isn't always that useful in an action game. Take God of War for example. I hardly ever jumped and attacked in that game, jumping was really only there for the platforming parts.[/QUOTE]


Ninja Gaiden was heavily in need of always using jump, and that's a damn fine game.
 
[quote name='RelentlessRolento']Ninja Gaiden was heavily in need of always using jump, and that's a damn fine game.[/QUOTE]
Yeah...you had to jump to use the flying swallow attack ;)

I'm just trying to make the point that jumping won't make/break the game.
 
[quote name='bstan21']Ok everyone, let's not JUMP to conclusions about the demo.

Yes? You see what I did there? Subtle.[/QUOTE]
O I see what u did thar!!

Clever :lol:
 
Oh man I didn't think anyone would get it !!! omg!

Please be Thursday early afternoon. This is the first legitimate anticipation I've had since the night before I got my system.
 
If any game needed a demo, it was this one. Awesome concept, awesome visuals, but the dev has a terrible track record.

Can't wait for that demo.
 
[quote name='-Never4ever-']If any game needed a demo, it was this one. Awesome concept, awesome visuals, but the dev has a terrible track record.

Can't wait for that demo.[/quote]WTF?
 
i don't know the devs well but taking a quick look at their past record through Argonaut Games, and then Just Add Monsters, I'd say they have a slightly above average track record.
 
Argonaut Games is involved? I didn't know that part of the history.

Man, they made Croc.
How I loved that game back then.
 
i think most of the devs started out as Argonaut, then they became Just Add Monsters, and then they became Ninja Theory

at least that's what I got from IGN's quick ninja theory bio/summary
 
If Never was going by Just Add Monsters (which I'm pretty sure he was) then one average game was hardly a track record.
 
I don't think they had $20 million, years of dev time, and tons of high profile groups working with them on their other games either....

still, I'm keeping my expectations low since it's new IP and already very hyped.
 
[quote name='NamPaehc']I think, usually updates ahve hit hit between 10AM-12PM Pacific.[/quote]

Crap.

Well, maybe I can find someone to cover my shift tomorrow..
 
The Heavenly Sword Demo Megathread

You can sign-up and leave them feedback there.

Also hits at demo's launch time.

It's Thursday!
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At some point today (possibly around lunchtime GMT) the Heavenly Sword demo will finally make it's way onto the Playstation Network. This here is the thread for impressions, feedback, comments etc etc.

Hope you guys have as much fun playing it as we've had making it!
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Yeah, you bastards better not start downloading before I get off of work at 4:00 GMT. I'll be watching you.
 
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