When I first picked up this game I was definitely thrilled about it. More so simply because I bought it through Amazon for a mere thirteen bucks, but I had also heard about how it was one of the few "hidden gems" at the time.
When the game was finally in my hands though, I played it for a couple of hours and for some reason I just lost interest in it. This resulted in me putting the game aside for months.
I picked it up once more about two weeks ago but only because I was now reaching the point where I was close to completing every game that I own. So I tried Enslaved once more and honestly, I'm really glad I did.
What put me off the first time around I guess would be how the game begins. It has a slow beginning, a very slow beginning. I did not know who I was in the game, what exactly I was doing, and what exactly was the purpose.
You control the main character by the name of Monkey and you travel alongside Trip, a young girl who has enslaved you with a poisonous headband. If she dies, you die so you basically have to do what she says. The goal of the game is simple at this point. All you have to do is take Trip home and she will free you from enslavement.
The game does away with back story for the most part. As you continue to play things will begin to be revealed but at the same time they will grow even more distorted. The more you progress the more you learn but also, the more you question.
The Gameplay tends to be pretty simple. Basically, playing as Monkey is similar to playing as any other action hero such as Dante or Kratos. The more you fight, the more orbs you collect allowing you to become stronger. It's an action game at heart.
One significant difference though is using Trip to aid you by guiding you when lost and distracting opponents when necessary. Having Trip with you at all times however also results in having to rescue her a couple of times. This might get annoying for some, but I didn't really mind it.
From what I've mentioned so far you would think the game is bland. Average game play, average hero, average damsel in distress. But the game shines in probably the most crucial aspect of any game, the story.
I know I previously mentioned that there is no back story in this game whatsoever. But that is what makes you as the player keep going. You want to know who your characters are, you want to know where they are and what is their purpose. This is a game entirely about answers. You play because you want answers. The goal is to discover "everything" about the story in the game.
The "everything" that you are after slowly starts to make sense through each chapter. Pieces come together more and more until finally you reach the end. The final moments of the game make up for the slow start in the beginning, but they also make the game a much more memorable experience. What follows next is a rewarding conclusion, and I'll just leave it at that.
Aside from the great storytelling, the game itself is absolutely gorgeous in detail and presentation. The colors and the vibe you get from playing the game, you instantly get the feeling that nature has come back to claim the land once more as her own.
The combat though simple, is naturally fun. Destroying Mechs feels the way it should be in the sense that you obliterated the enemy. Trip and Monkey are like-able characters. Monkey is a badass but doesn't act like it, while Trip grows to be less master and more friend. As for the back story being empty, it needs to be this way for the ultimate goal of the game to make sense.
All in all, I had a great time with this game. It really is a "hidden gem," but it definitely shouldn't be. Slow beginning but rewarding end. Simple game play but great variety. Good characters and an excellent story.
This game is best defined in the words of Homer, "the Journey is the thing." It really is.
Grade: 9/10
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