Early reviews of "El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron"

ARCHANGEL METATRON WATCH: The new game El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron came out in North American yesterday and the reviews are already appearing. I don't intend to link to every review that comes out, but here is the first wave according to Google:

Louie Villalobos at the Arizona Republic:

El Shaddai is a brilliantly designed visual experience that leaves a wonderful story up for interpretation. It's unlike any game I've ever played in terms of the artistic vision and execution. The game is worth a play off that alone.

But the nuts and bolts of this combat game leaves something to be desired. All the artistic achievement in the world doesn't cover up what is a really simple slashing game. So go play this game, but expect the same dodging, block, and slicing you get from far less creative titles.

Gieson Cacho at the Contra Costa Times:

If Ignition Entertainment had a more balanced approach, "El Shaddai" could have been a transformative game. It relies too much on visual fireworks and forgets about building a solid structure to support. The gameplay unfolds unconventionally and avoids the linear video game tropes, but the plot isn't explained well.

Despite its flaws, "El Shaddai" is a worthwhile experience. Just don't expect anything well-rounded or polished. For a game dealing with angels, it falls short of being heavenly.

Billy O'Keefe at the Bellingham Herald:

he visual variety makes an unpredictable game that much more surprising, but it's the insane skill with which "Metatron" brings them to life that makes it impossible for even screenshots to do the whole thing justice. Whether altering character states, swapping dimensions or continuously redrawing entire horizons as you race through them, "Metatron's" animation drops jaws with a relentless brilliance that has very few peers.

Jason Cipriano at the MTV Multiplayer blog:

Some people might play through "El Shaddai" and think it's all over the place due to the variety in levels and gameplay, but it's the variety that makes this game so enjoyable. "Ascension of the Metatron" feels like it's an indie game that was made with a major budget. Making use of topics that generally don't used for games, art styles that you'd never see in the same game (if at all), and gameplay that doesn't get old quickly, "El Shaddai" keeps you playing because you don’t know what to expect next, and that's what great games should do.

Heidi Kemps at Game Pro:

A game like El Shaddai is something that comes along only a few times in each console generation. The beautiful visuals, fantastic environments, solid (though slightly flawed) gameplay, and rich mythology combine to make a game quite unlike anything you've ever played. It has its occasional frustrations, but when the overall experience is this fantastic, you will be more than willing to put up with a few little annoyances. Above all, El Shaddai is a gaming experience you won't soon forget, and one that's worth every penny of its price of admission.

JC Fletcher at joystiq:

The occasional irritation from getting knocked off a giant clock face by an intentionally low-poly arm, or of not being able to see my shadow in a shifting miasma that's supposed to be a rock, fades away. The experience of a game so elegantly, artfully designed in both mechanics and visuals is something that will stay with me, even if the plot wasn't totally coherent.

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