Heavenly Sword: Part Deux

[Jaeyden]

Just started chapter four in Hell mode. I have to say that if hell mode would have been the default difficulty, this game never would have heard anyone peep about the length. I've got about nine hours playtime in on this run through and I figure about the same to finish 'er up. Then probably another 4-5 to finish the glyphs.....I am getting all 3 glyphs on alot more missions this time through, though. I am definately enjoying it more this second time. It really forces you to get good with the combat system, and that in turn = more carnage = more fun.

As for the AA, I'm really wondering what people are seeing. I'm going to agree with deepbrown. Maybe I'm not scrutinizing it enough, but I'm playing on a 67" 1080p and I think the AA is some of the best I've seen in a game.

DeanoC, I'd like to request that you ninjas manage to get a trophy built for beating your game in Hell Mode with all the glyphs....cause I want one on my mantle when Home comes out. :smile:

 

[wco81]

What exactly do the glyphs get you?

Also, is there a way to see all the cinematics after you unlock them?

There was a glitch on the middle one of the Whiptail battle. There was no audio and you could see Whiptail but you only saw water where Nariko was suppose to be. So I have no idea what happened.

 

[SolidSlug]

Finished the 3rd Chapter. Solid chapter overall. Picking guys with Kai is pretty fun, although a little repetitive.

One thing I didn't mention before, the musical score is great. Sound effects are kind of weird here and there, as if they were not in context.

Fighting Rhon was easy. I got him on the first try.

In this chapter, frame rate drops were sometimes distracting. Stuttering in cutscenes was often quite bad and bothering. I don't understand how one can have stuttering in cutscenes. Maybe the stuttering happens in scenes rendered in engine only, but I have the impression it also happens in pre-rendered cutscenes, which is odd.

From a technical standpoint, you can tell a lot of great work has been done with the lighting, all of the animation, the design of environments and the "cinematography".
Probably many of these technical achievements go unseen by action gamers.

[My main worry with game development these days: Developers exhausting themselves pushing technical boundaries that add little to the entertainment value of their games.]

My score at the end of Chapter 3: 8.5/10.

PS: It's becoming quite God of Waresque at this point.

 

[Daozang]

Ugh, cant beat the last boss for the 3rd time. Played him about 8 times now.

Just dodge his attacks with the right stick. At least that's what I did...

Edit
Missed the part were you finished it!

 

[-tkf-]

The aliasing isn't to bad, its not bad enough to list as a negative. I believe R:FOM uses 2xQAA.

The reason I'm seeing aliasing is most likely due to the size of my TV, I have yet to see a game without aliasing on my TV.

Seems more like an issue with your Television, what brand and model number? And what Video Connection do you use?

 

[Daozang]

Come on guys... It's normal to see aliasing on a big screen. I'm playing on a 720p projector and the aliasing is, although not distracting, evident.
But no game I've played on my pj is aliasing free. Besides games with lots of vegetation and 2d parts will always have aliasing... On a big screen it's harder to miss...

 

[djskribbles]

of course its normal to see aliasing in most games, but this all stemmed from someone listing the AA as a con, and imo, the aliasing is not bad enough to list it as a con. in fact, it could possibly even be listed as a positive compared to most games.

 

[patsu]

Fighting Rhon was easy. I got him on the first try.

Perhaps I played the game too quickly. Who's Rhon ?
EDIT: Did you mean "Roach" ? If so, I agree he was easy, but fun to fight.

Spoiler

I died in the final QTE sequence though. Good thing the game was quick to reload the QTE section to continue

In this chapter, frame rate drops were sometimes distracting. Stuttering in cutscenes was often quite bad and bothering. I don't understand how one can have stuttering in cutscenes. Maybe the stuttering happens in scenes rendered in engine only, but I have the impression it also happens in pre-rendered cutscenes, which is odd.

I think the stuttering is due to the preparation and loading in-between areas (e.g., cutscenes, walking from point A to point B). The play areas are pretty smooth.

 

[SolidSlug]

My update of the day, after finishing Chapter 4.

Good chapter overall. Great fight against Fox. I died twice before I got him.

Very lush environment and good cutscenes.

The door-opening-bounce-this-against-that puzzles are getting old fast at this point.

The story is well paced, not too much happens, but it makes sense. Still little emotional attachment to Nariko. I feel more for Kai.

Score update: 8.5/10.

 

[Betanumerical]

Seems more like an issue with your Television, what brand and model number? And what Video Connection do you use?

Samsung - SP61K3HXX/XSA and I'm using HDMI. It's not a issue with the TV, its just that aliasing is easier to see on a larger screen, and since its 60" I think you get what I'm trying to say.

 

[Jesus2006]

Samsung - SP61K3HXX/XSA and I'm using HDMI. It's not a issue with the TV, its just that aliasing is easier to see on a larger screen, and since its 60" I think you get what I'm trying to say.

I don't have any problems with aliasing on my Sony KDF 50" Bravia (native 720p panel) the game is very smooth in deed one of the best anti aliased PS3 games so far, however Vsync issues are noticable sometimes (mostly in cutscences though).

 

[Betanumerical]

I don't have any problems with aliasing on my Sony KDF 50" Bravia (native 720p panel) the game is very smooth in deed one of the best anti aliased PS3 games so far, however Vsync issues are noticable sometimes (mostly in cutscences though).

Yeah its a native 720P panel. Maybe, im just a AA whore. I have been playing on my PC a lot with a poo load of AA.

 

[-tkf-]

Samsung - SP61K3HXX/XSA and I'm using HDMI. It's not a issue with the TV, its just that aliasing is easier to see on a larger screen, and since its 60" I think you get what I'm trying to say.

I´m playing a 110 inch Screen, maybe my senses are weak or i look at the complete picture

 

[rabidrabbit]

I'm playing on a 92" screen from 3 meters away. The display is a native 720p DLP front projector and I haven't been distracted the slightest by jaggies in any PS3 game thus far.
Heavenly Sword looks jaggie free to me. There might be some slight shimmering of texturing, especially I remember parts of the mad king's costume that were gold
embroided... but gold shimers anyway, so...

 

[Betanumerical]

of course its normal to see aliasing in most games, but this all stemmed from someone listing the AA as a con, and imo, the aliasing is not bad enough to list it as a con. in fact, it could possibly even be listed as a positive compared to most games.

If you were talking to me I was never listing it as a con, I was just merely stating that it isn't the most aliasing free game on the PS3, which would be R:FOM. The AA is great, but coming from a very PC orientated background and being used to 8x and above, it is noticeable for me.

 

[deepbrown]

If you were talking to me I was never listing it as a con, I was just merely stating that it isn't the most aliasing free game on the PS3, which would be R:FOM. The AA is great, but coming from a very PC orientated background and being used to 8x and above, it is noticeable for me.

play skate or tony hawks...

 

[Phil]

I've played the game using a projector and a *very* large screen (native 720p) and there's no aliasing at all....

 

[Arwin]

I've played the game using a projector and a *very* large screen (native 720p) and there's no aliasing at all....

You know that a projector has this dial thing where the lense is that you can use to put the image into focus, right?

*I kiiid, I kiiid*

 

[djskribbles]

If you were talking to me I was never listing it as a con, I was just merely stating that it isn't the most aliasing free game on the PS3, which would be R:FOM. The AA is great, but coming from a very PC orientated background and being used to 8x and above, it is noticeable for me.

no actually, it was blakjedi.
he actually listed it as a con, and i was just saying i disagree.

 

[BoardBonobo]

Noticed how all the PS3 owners have huge screens? Only quality kit for these guys...
Though I admit I have a 40" bravia I bought just for the PS3...