20 More Cult Classics Trapped On Old Consoles

With a passionate fanbase despite it never getting a sequel, 2007’s Heavenly Sword was an excellent hack and slash title for the PS3, and was far more than a God of War clone. 

Developed by Ninja Theory, the game follows protagonist Nariko as she fights enemy forces with the Heavenly Sword, a mythical blade that is said to lead the world to peace (after being used to kill people, I suppose). The game is memorable for many who played it, with engaging combat, actually successful motion controls (yes, in 2007) and an excellent motion captured performance of villain King Bohan by none other than Andy Serkis. 

The game still holds up today, and features a cinematic quality to its eastern inspired story that wouldn’t be the norm in video games for a few more years. While the game did eventually spawn a very poor film which many people are unaware even exists, it’s a shame that Heavenly Sword didn’t spawn a sequel, something that only adds to its cult classic status.

 It is representative of a time in gaming where developers were more experimental than they are now, with new IPs and creative one offs far more common than in the risk averse, remake filled gaming landscape of today. Sadly, this underrated gem will probably be stuck on the PS3 forever, but it is still well worth playing if you have access to the console.