El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron Reviews
Like the original release, El Shaddai is a great game with constrained potential due to the unfortunate circumstances that may come with game development. The Steam release gives new players a chance to explore what this cult classic is all about while giving old players the opportunity for a replay. This character-driven action game is a really fun time that doesn't overstay its welcome but may make players crave more.
I looked forward to giving an game like El Shaddai a try, but its aged...everything...fails to hold my attention.
While I wouldn’t want to play it time and again, El Shaddai is an experience well worth having. Some of the sights and sounds in this game are so different from anything I’ve ever seen in a game that I can only marvel at them. The gameplay may be simple, but its ever-changing stages keep things fresh long enough for you to reach the end. It isn’t quite a holy experience, but it’s one I won’t soon forget.
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron is truly a unique game, and despite its bland gameplay, feels like a genuine cult classic.
Its setting and story are basically unheard of in gaming, given how devs are not exactly comfortable tackling Abrahamic religions in this kind of medium. As a concept, it’s fantastic. As an action game, it’s quite shallow.
It has the occasional wrinkle of age, but don’t let that put you off. El Shaddai is a mad, colourful and beautiful adventure that, whilst not quite Devil May Cry levels of greatness, is still very entertaining. Don’t overthink it, go in and enjoy the pseudo-silliness of this over-the-top brawler.
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron uses numerous elements to create a unique experience. Accompanying Enoch on his journey to defeat the fallen angels is quite engaging because of the constant mix of 3D action, platforming and combat. The impactful art direction is one of the highlights, and the title is not afraid to dare with drastic changes in visual style and gameplay. But not everything is wonderful: the simplicity of the systems and mechanics can make things a little boring, after all most of the adventure is very linear and the battles are repetitive. Furthermore, the PC port is extremely basic, lacking customization options. In the end, El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron is an exotic and imperfect game that is hard to forget.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
El Shaddai has a lot to offer players with its art direction and stunning visuals though I found it difficult to appreciate them when dealing with graphical issues, generic combat, and a ham-fisted story. This port should have been a great introduction to new players and giving veterans a clean way to view it. Instead, we are left looking at a port with missed potential in various ways.
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron is a strange experience. The platforming is basic and the combat gets tedious after a while, but the surreal presentation of its loose interpretation of the Book of Enoch makes it an intriguing journey from start to finish, with beautiful art and music that help it stand out. If repetitive combat doesn’t bother you, it’s well worth a look for the spectacle alone.
El Shaddai: Ascension of Metatron has always been a title I've enjoyed but often struggled to recommend. It's repetitive due to shallow combat and few and far between set pieces. Visually the game is untouchable, but in such a way it almost damages the game by trying to make such rich visuals with an experience that's otherwise average at every turn. It's not all bad, the game does what it sets out to do and provides a memorable and unique experience. It's just a pity that shallow gameplay and a lack of significant improvement in the PC version knock it down somewhat. I do think gamers who enjoy more cult classic titles will find enough to love here to justify a few nights of angel chasing.
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron is a unique experience, with a very strong identity. It has some playable problems, and above all, some things to improve in the conversion to PC itself, but the narrative and the audiovisual section are captivating enough to overlook them and give it a try. Its short duration also works in its favor.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Overall, I step away from this new port of El Shaddai with much the same opinion I had as when I played the original ten years ago. It’s an intriguing premise with absolutely stunning audiovisual presentation, but the repetitive gameplay struggled to hold my interest. The story I’m mostly neutral on – it’s just plain odd and told in a weird way, which somehow works in the full package.
Overall, El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron is an interesting experience. It’s understandable why this game is considered a cult classic, with the interesting battle system and beautiful designs surrounding the game. The one downside of this game is some aspects of the gameplay. It’s easy to fall into a loop of frustration due to missed jumps and the wrong placement of the camera. If all enemies decide to charge you at the same time, it’s very easy to end up dying before you truly realize it. I do think that this is a game that will appeal to a small niche of people. But with that though, I would say to at least give this game a chance and check out more information about it. Because if nothing else, it is a memorable experience.