El Shaddai may be my favorite game of the show. Ni No Kuni defintiely comes close, but that's soley based on how beautiful the game looks. El Shaddai doesn't quite reach that mark in the gameplay department, but it wins for originality, unpredictability, and raw fun.
The game starts off as a simple 3rd person action game. Analog stick moves your character, right shoulder is for block, X is for jump, and B is for attack. Sounds to simple, right? Well, just because a game doesn't involve dialing in combos doesn't mean it's easy. Though there are multiple ways to attack (jump-attack, guard-attack, etc), the game's combat system really centers around a broader strategy. By using guard attack after an enemy has been properly knocked around, you can steal its weapon. The video above depicts the first time that you steal a shield weapon. Depending on the situation, you'll want steal a weapon specific to your needs. That means that assessing the battlefield isn't just about sizing up threats, it's about window shopping for weapons as well.
Just when you've gotten over that, the game suddenly turns into a 2D platformer with a striking, styalistic visuals. Then after that, a guy that looks like Travis Touchdown comes out and starts talking to you about umbrellas. It's pretty amazing.
Yes, really. Check out the videos below if you don't believe me.
Jonathan Holmes is the most lovable Associate Editor on Destructoid. Catch him on videos, original editorials, and on back episodes of the Destructoid Show and MTV's Road Rules. Jonathan is a retro gamer's gamer.
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This looks really good. I'm glad to hear that it's fun...it looks like it would be! It's great that stuff like this is still being made in Japan, and I hope it's successful!
Aw yeah. I am practically the only person I know who has this on his list of anticipated games. Ever since the first trailers and how they play with light and colour in the landscape, just thought I had to give it a buy, even if the core gameplay was shit, just to show my thumbs up for people trying unorthodox designs like this. Glad to hear this, though, sounds promising. Will continue to do my part of spreading the word, and often hearing 'what the hell is El Shaddai'.
This looks like it could be one of those games that gets a big cult following even if its gameplay turns out average, I don’t mean that in a bad way, I mean that in a No More Heroes kind of way.
Also you said that X is to jump and to attack, that sounds kind of weird/impossible so I’m guessing that’s a small mistake :)
Yup, I was sold on this the moment it was announced. A ton of Japanese talent + Shane Bettenhausen (w/ the publisher of Deadly Premonition)? Mmm, do want.
you know what I hate about TGS? they bring out a ton of really interesting games that I have no idea if they'll ever see a release over here. from a selfish consumer perspective, that's worse than not showing me anything interesting at all.
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Contest:
7:00 PM on 09.17.2010 | 
This looks like it could be one of those games that gets a big cult following even if its gameplay turns out average, I don’t mean that in a bad way, I mean that in a No More Heroes kind of way.
Also you said that X is to jump and to attack, that sounds kind of weird/impossible so I’m guessing that’s a small mistake :)
I don't get it...