The Last Guardian Reviews

The Last Guardian is ranked in the 83rd percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
7 / 10
Dec 5, 2016

Touching on themes such as companionship and trust, The Last Guardian's tale is minimally delivered and powerful. Without spoiling much, it will be a topic of debate for years to come.

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Dec 5, 2016

Yes, The Last Guardian's controls are incredibly archaic and at times can be entirely broken, but two days after finishing it, the story has stuck with me. Studio Japan has continued to show how it can do so much while saying so little. The environment, characters and everything about the narrative captivated me. In spite of the controls I still thoroughly enjoyed the game overall. The story is a simple one, but powerful nonetheless.

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Dec 5, 2016

Everything that would make the game a beautiful and unique classic to match or even surpass its predecessors is here, but like its captivating star the game doesn't always perform as you'd hope.

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Dec 5, 2016

The Last Guardian is a must-play for fans, but it struggles under the weight of years worth of anticipation, due in large part to troublesome AI and a finicky camera.

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7 / 10
Dec 8, 2016

All in all, I didn't really enjoy the game as a whole when looking at its mechanics, narrative and characters separately, thanks to technical issues and bizarre choices that mar it as an interactive experience. But I did find a forever friend in Trico, who I'll remember for the rest of my time in gaming. If you do play The Last Guardian, I surmise that's the takeaway you'll have from it too.

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Dec 5, 2016

The Last Guardian is a frustrating experience, and I'm not talking about its difficulty. While the game is hard, that is more than welcome in a puzzle platformer, a genre no stranger to the easy, cinematic throwaway set pieces.

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IGN
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
Dec 5, 2016

The divide between the highs and lows of The Last Guardian is staggering. For every wonderful moment of absolute beauty and emotional attachment to its lifelike companion, there's an equal and opposite baffling moment that ruins the mood with frustrating controls and camera angles. But I found myself willing to put up with all of these hiccups if it meant experiencing any of its multitude of incredibly-beautiful moments.

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3.7 / 5.0
Dec 12, 2016

Although I've been critical of the gameplay of The Last Guardian, it's actually quite a beautiful title on the PlayStation 4 with a very moving story. So if you can forgive the technical issues of the game and if you enjoyed Ico or Shadow of the Colossus, it's still an interesting experience that is a thoroughly enjoyable and emotional narrative on this console.

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GameZone
Top Critic
7.5 / 10.0
Dec 5, 2016

It can be argued that no game is worth waiting 10 years for, but I thoroughly enjoyed The Last Guardian. It's not perfect by any means, but it is an enjoyable, impactful story worthy of experiencing.

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Emma Schaefer
Top Critic
7.5 / 10.0
Dec 5, 2016

A heartwarming story, a mysterious world, and a slowly-growing bond between two unlikely companions ensure that fans of Team Ico's past work won't be disappointed. Clunky controls and a handful of graphical issues, however, mean that The Last Guardian may not be an enjoyable game for everyone—though, either way, Trico is adorable.

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Ollie Barder
Top Critic
7.5 / 10.0
Dec 5, 2016

Overall, The Last Guardian for all its faults is a good game and one that I have enjoyed. Yes, there are many frustrating elements, amplified by the fact they feel unnecessary and out of character for the series, but the journey this game takes you on is a worthwhile one.

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7.5 / 10.0
Dec 5, 2016

The Last Guardian bounces between highs and lows without ever fully living up to its legacy

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7.7 / 10.0
Dec 21, 2016

Petrified with good intentions, The Last Guardian could have brought a breath of fresh air among this end of year's releases. Carrying the player into a dreamlike, mysterious and fascinating universe, Ueda's latest title is a minimalist gameplay, but ample enough to support its purpose, thanks to its intoxicating mood and a fabulous soundtrack. But all is not perfect, and technical issues arise especially on the normal PlayStation 4 (in comparison to the PRO), with a game engine that seems to lack optimization for the only console it supports. After ten year, I expected a gust of poetry, but we ended up getting just a breeze of lightness and originality.

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7.8 / 10.0
Dec 7, 2016

The Last Guardian is a truly enjoyable game, but it doesn't nearly live up to its own hype. It's impossible to shake the feeling that we could have gotten something of similar quality on the PS3 in exchange for a much shorter development cycle.

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8 / 10.0
Dec 15, 2016

The Last Guardian might have its issues, but it manages to overshadow a lot of them with sheer excellence. The controls, frame rate, and AI can be messes at times, but the storytelling and personality are ingenious.

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4 / 5
Dec 14, 2016

The Last Guardian is a game that's going to give back to you what you put into it. At its 10-15 hours play time, I don't think it is a game that can be tackled lightly or by the only mildly interested. It requires an investment in the core relationship between the boy and Trico as well as some patience, both with the beast and the game's technical issues. This is an incredible experience and one that isn't for everyone, but those that embrace it may find something deeply rewarding, emotional, and memorable.

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Mar 23, 2017

Despite some of its problems, The Last Guardian has some of the most emotionally gripping and powerful gaming moments in a video game I have ever had the privilege to have experienced and have played. Some reviewers have described it as a flop 10 years in the making, I view it as a flawed masterpiece. So if you have between 8-10 hours to spend I can highly recommend The Last Guardian as it is a video game experience you won’t be forgetting anytime soon.

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Dec 14, 2016

'The Last Guardian' is filled with bouts of frustration, but it's also proof that gaming is the most powerful medium for creators. I got to experience a genuine bond with Trico over the course of the game, and that can't be replicated elsewhere as it's dependent on actual interaction. Ueda's third title as a director is filled with flaws and some straight-up bad design in spots, but it manages to overcome its shortcomings to be something truly special.

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8 / 10.0
Dec 12, 2016

The Last Guardian was 10 years in the making, and it feels like it, for all the good and bad that implies. It's a masterpiece in terms of creating a living, breathing AI partner who is a wild and dangerous beast. The atmosphere, the environments and the puzzles are a delight. It's impossible to get around the fact that the game is built with frustration as a feature, and your enjoyment of it will depend on whether you're enough of a cat person to mind spending 10 minutes solving a three-second puzzle. It's a remarkable game that is all the more remarkable for almost living up to 10 years of hype. If you have the patience, The Last Guardian is a must-play for PS4 owners.

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Zoomg
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Dec 13, 2016

The Last Guardian is an unique experience which everyone should have it. Two companions in a mysterious world, create an experience which you cannot easily forget. If you are patient with some of the puzzles and can manage Trico, you can enjoy The Last Guardian. The game has some frame rate and technical issues but they hardly have an influence on overall experience of the game. The Last Guardian should be played because it isn't like any other game.

Review in Persian | Read full review