Thoughts on El Shaddai?

[Arkanoid_Katamari]

I know it's a few years old now, but I was curious what people thought of this game. My roommate could not get too far in it before he lost interest, mainly cuz of the hack-n-slash gameplay, and I kinda agree this is its only downfall, but when u really play the whole thing it has some very varied gameplay styles, with 2D platformer levels, puzzles, etc. The gameplay isn't as flawless and fluid as it could be, but it's ok.

I was able to finish it mainly cuz of the insane visuals, which this game was made to show off, I think. It's a very cool, artistic game that prolly couldn't have been made during any other era of gaming.

If you haven't tried it, I do recommend it. I was able to blow thru the normal mode with no sweat whatsoever, it starts out as a hack-n-slash but there is some variety to it, u just hafta keep playing.

[LaughingMAN.S9]

I never got to beat it because I lost my save when my hd corrupted on my ps3 2 years ago, but it was a really fun game with an interesting story and visually striking graphics.


I didn't realize how diverse the levels and look of the game can get from level to level, but like u said the combat was wayyyy too shallow. You pretty much have access to the full limited combat arsenal within the first hour of the game, never really felt like the gameplay was going to evolve. I think I made it halfway or like 60 percent of the way through so maybe it changes by the end...but I doubt it.


Still a good game tho, and u can probably pick it up for dirt cheap now. I bought it for around 25 new like a month or 2 after release

[Arkanoid_Katamari]

I bought it at Cumbies. But yea the gameplay doesn't evolve, it just changes up here and there. But it's still real cool. The 2D platforrming levels are just incredible tho, I was super impressed. And there's a puzzle thing with blocks u gotta jump on to make them move towards the end, and some other weird stuff like that.

[AceAerosmith]

Own it but haven't started, your comments make me want to though. But, due to the backlog of lesser games, it may be a while.

[Emperor Megas]

The game is hauntingly melancholic to me, to the point it's difficult for me to just pick up and play any time. I have to be in a certain mood to enjoy El Shaddai. It may be a little weird, and might be the only one who feels this way, but certainly games evoke strong emotion from me. I really appreciate the experiences they create, but the ones that do it the most are games like the Silent Hill series, Myst, Ico, Haunting Ground, and El Shaddai, which are all really depressing IMO, but in the same way that a really tragic movie, book, poem or song that you love is might be.

I know the combat and game play are simplistic and tedious and that's a big problem for a lot of people, but the fact El Shaddai IS so simplistic and stripped down is one of the things that makes it so poignant to me. The worlds are beautiful, but very cold and sterile, and the enemies and nephilim (which creep me the hell out) are so vapid and so soulless in their expression, or lack of...urgh, it just really creeps me out. I swear, I got goosebumps just now from thinking about them (like I said, I'm probably the only one who gets that way about games). Just knowing WHAT the nephilim are gives me the heebies.

Another thing that's curiously unsettling to me is the juxtaposition of contemporary things, like Lucifel's mobile phone and Enoch's modern style denim jeans, against all of the mystical things like his armour, weapons and the magical worlds of the game (and freaky shit like god being reachable via cell phone) it's just so bizarre. Also, highly advanced, psychedelic technical worlds mixed with surreal (super)natural environments, and most of them seemingly deserted, as if abandoned by the scores of intelligent beings required to design and build such utopian worlds. The whole while I'm playing I'm asking myself questions like 'where did these people all go, and why are the ones who are around hidden?'

El Shaddai makes me feel all kinds of ways, and not all good, but even when the emotions I experience are bad I appreciate it. I think it's amazing when someone produces a game that can make me actually feel something strong (besides frustration), and makes me reflect and contemplate things even outside of the game world. I've only played through El Shaddai once, and I don't know if I'll ever do it again (it tends to bring me down a bit, and I sort of struggle with mild depression), but the memories it left me with are enough to earn it a place in this past console generation's echelon.

So, yeah...I'm a fan.