Publisher: SCEA
Developer: Ninja Theory
System: PS3
Genre: Action
Release date: Available now
Review by: Jason Iatomasi

A warrior clan protecting a sacred object has been decimated. Beaten down to nothing by King Bohan and his army, they run away, hoping to protect their Heavenly Sword for as long as possible. Knowing Bohan will stop at nothing to get the sword, the clan’s leader gives it to his daughter, Nariko, for protection, warning her to never use it, because doing so would cost her life.

Heavenly Sword, developed by Ninja Theory, is the story of Nariko and the Heavenly Sword. Against her father’s wishes, Nariko wields the sword to fight off Bohan and his army. Frustrated, Bohan sends in his generals to stop Nariko and to kidnap her father, in hopes of trading his life for the sword.

Heavenly Sword is a single-player hack and slash game strikingly similar to God of War. Both games feature excellent combat, incredible voice acting and heroes who aren’t afraid to show a little skin. The game is a bit short — six hours if you’re taking your time — but the story is epic.

Nariko starts off with a pretty basic combo system for her attacks, but as the game progresses, she can learn several new moves. When you start to use the Heavenly Sword, you are presented with three options for combat: speed, range or power. Each type has its own unique combos, and switching between the three can be done with the push of a button. There is also a counterattack, which if timed right, can instantly kill your opponent.