Sony shocked the world by showing off ‘The Last Guardian.’ But was it any good?

Team Ico / Sony Computer Entertainment

‘THE LAST GUARDIAN’ LIVES

The Last Guardian was once the definition of a game caught in development hell, beginning development in 2007 as an early PlayStation 3 game and then vanishing completely from the public eye. (It’s been so long, the game’s director has left Sony and is finishing the game as a consultant). It’s been a long time, but Sony finally made good on its promise that the game wasn’t cancelled and kicked off their E3 conference with not just a trailer, but a full gameplay demo. Now a PlayStation 4 title, The Last Guardian is slated for release in 2016.

But with all the mystery surrounding its production, is The Last Guardian going to be worth it? In short, yes. The demo featured the player character hopping around ancient ruins and using his beat companion (Team Ico calls him “Trico”) to cross gaps and make bridges. The game itself oozed atmosphere and charm, with wind whipping through the ruins and the minimal music allowing for every call from the boy or growl from Trico to seemingly cry out in the void. Trico himself is impressive, looking like a cross between a dog and an eagle, and behaving just like one. It’s been a long road for The Last Guardian, but it looks like the game will be every bit as intimate and atmospheric as Team Ico’s previous games. Overall, though, for once, it looks like it may have been worth the wait.

Were you shocked to see ‘The Last Guardian’? Do you think it’ll be worth the delays? Tweet me @MaxMielecki. And be sure to follow us @YouNerded.