El Shaddai: Ascension Of The Metatron Preview

El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron might have slipped under the radar of some gamers, but it is hard not to notice this surreal, beautifully crafted title by Devil May Cry creator Sawaki Takeyasu. The title doesn’t give much away, so what is this game actually about?

As the protagonist, Enoch, you are tasked with saving the world from a flood of Bibilcal proportions threatened by God himself. The only way to stop this catastrophe is to capture the souls of seven Fallen Angels who have become obsessed with the world and humanity.

Enoch himself doesn’t come with any weapons straight out of the box. Instead, El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron’s combat system requires you to take the weapons straight out of your enemies’ hands before you can dish out the ass whooping. This is done via the “purification system”. Once you have knocked the living daylights out of your victim, a quick press of the LB button will relieve them of their arms.

Combat is relatively simple in that it requires only one button to attack, thus allowing you to mash the attack button with reckless abandonment. However, some weapons suit certain enemies better than others, so there is a degree of depth to be found in choosing which weapon to use when.

There are a total of three enemies in the demonstration we played. Each one has a significant weakness to one of the two weapons you can find at this stage, lending an air of tactical play to proceedings. In the more complicated sections, you are going to want to carefully plan out which enemy you wish to isolate and attack first.

What is most interesting about this title however, is how it handles boss encounters throughout the campaign. The guys over at UTV Ignition were kind enough to inform us that although you will have numerous chances to defeat the Angels within the game, if you fail this will not be the end for your hero. The story will continue to progress regardless, giving you the opportunity to see various different outcomes. This means that more often than not you will put up against enemies you have very little chance of beating the first time you meet them.

This makes El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron one of the most solid games to come our way since Ninja Gaiden and to a lesser extent, Demon Souls. Although numerous outcomes await players, if you get through a boss battle first time, you will be rewarded handsomely and given a different storyline.

Ignition Entertainment are not entirely without remorse, and in keeping with the theme of being an angel, Enoch can’t actually die. If you find yourself in a tight spot of bother, rapidly pressing every button available to you will nevertheless give you a second wind.

The visuals for the title are gorgeous to say the least, and are reminiscent of a water colour painting in motion at times, each part blending seamlessly with the other. Platforming sections take advantage of this fluid art style to trick you, as you are never quite sure what is solid and what isn’t.

Overall, the title looks splendid and is without a doubt looking like it should be on your gaming shortlist. Those aching to give it a try can find the show floor demo on Xbox Live and PSN right now!

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