3 & 2. The Characters and The Actors
Video-game developers have fallen into the unfortunate habit of neglecting characters of late, with even best-sellers like Black Ops 2 and Crysis 3 ignoring characterisation more than EA loathe their customers. Heavenly Sword, on the other hand, boasts a range of unique characters more comparable to those you might find in a Grimm fairytale or a Tolkien novel than the standard console experience. Nariko remains one of the strongest female leads ever to grace our screens, taking the role of a brave warrior fighting selflessly against the oppressive and sadistic leader of her land and, best of all, she never once jiggles her tits in the process. Shes perhaps the most likeable protagonist Ive ever played, with her big sister/mentor style relationship with mentally-repressed orphan Kai causing players to form an emotional interest towards both characters. In a world filled with a series of six foot five piles of muscle taking the lead roles, such as in the case of Gears of War, God of War, Army of Two, The Last of Us, Aliens: Colonial Marines etc etc etc... it really is refreshing to have a powerful female lead, so the franchise should realistically be revived for that reason alone. But while Anna Torv and Lydia Baksh are faultless in their portrayal of the heroes, its the voice-acting of the villains that really makes an impact. King Bohan is a vile creation, a monster who abuses his deformed son, massacres villages, and kills his subjects for entertainment. And who plays this ultimate bad-guy? Why, Andy Serkis of course! Thats right, the king of sinister and slightly pathetic villain depictions works his magic on the role to make Bohan an iconic PlayStation caitiff. Clear resemblances to King Herod (of Bible fame) make Bohan instantly intimidating and give him an edge that makes him a strong enough antagonist to carry off at least one more game. Another outstanding character from the game is Flying Fox, an adviser to the King that whispers corruption in his ear like a biblical serpent (noticed the theme yet?). Played by the exceptionally talented Steven Berkoff, the characters sadism out-does even Bohans and he quickly becomes the most detestable figure in the game. His speed also makes him incredibly imposing, leaving players with a sense of anxious dread over the inevitable boss battle, while his hatability has them simultaneously desperate for his downfall. He, like many of the games villains Ive yet to mention, exemplifies the remarkable ability Rihanna Pratchet must possess to create such beings, showing she could undoubtedly be trusted to continue creating unique and compelling characters if the series were to be recommissioned.