The Last Guardian

After years of waiting, we’re finally let loose in PS4’s most enigmatic game

There’s a certain sense of irony in The Last Guardian’s opening credits. As a camera pans across pages of an illustrated bestiary, beginning with familiar animals before moving on to unicorns, griffins, dragons and, finally, the dog-cat-bird Trico, we can’t help but smile. Of course it should begin like this; given its protracted development time, the game itself feels every bit as mythical as these legendary creatures.

And then we’re in. Almost a full decade after work on the game began, and seven-and-a-bit years after its first announcement back on PS3, we’re exploring the follow-up to cult PS2 favourites Ico and Shadow Of The Colossus. Within seconds of our journey’s start it’s abundantly clear it shares DNA with those titles: soft, painterly visuals; loose movement mechanics; awe-inspiring environments; and the cute yells our small, defenceless boy belts out with a tap of u all combine to open the memory floodgates.

Eyes on the prize