Hello all,
Quick note: Sorry for swapping Ninja Theory and Team Ninja several times in the podcast. Ninja Theory are the developers!
This month, Mitch and I went back in time to 2007 when video games were embracing GRAPHICS and SCALE. Unfortunately for the PS3, it was a struggle for most of the software in the early days. And HEAVENLY SWORD is no exception!
Ninja Theory was tasked with an ambitious project to create a cinematic 3rd person action game in the vein of GOD OF WAR. To their credit, Tameem and company pulled it off..mostly. When the game came out about a half a year after the release of the PS3 console, it showed off the capability of Sony’s ability to throw dozens of enemies on screen at once and also the integration of motion capture. The problem were and still are the awful frame rates and screen tearing. The inclusion of motion controls also was a silly choice but hey, you can turn those off!
But AT THE TIME, HEAVENLY SWORD was remarkable and I loved it because it did show what the PS3 COULD do. Plus, the game is badass! All these years later, I still enjoy the hell out of it even if performance can ruin momentum.
The big takeaway for me all these years later is the motion capture technology. If you remember Mitch and I revisiting ENSLAVED: ODYSSEY TO THE WEST, Serkis was an important part of that game’s charm and quality. With HEAVENLY SWORD, this is Ninja Theory’s first collab with WETA and their motion capture team. Serkis steals the show as Bohan but all the villains cheese it up so much that you can’t wait to see them on screen again.
Here is some footage of those motion capture sessions:
HEAVENLY SWORD moved about 1.5 million units and while that’s pretty good in 2007 for a video game, it failed to make back its budget. A sequel was planned but after a couple of false-starts, never got off the ground. There is a great Reddit post when early concept art for the sequel and you can look at that HERE.
Enjoy the show and share your HEAVENLY SWORD memories!
