Everything We Know So Far About The Last Guardian

3. How Trico 'Works'

Much of the interest surrounding The Last Guardian has to do with the mysterious creature seen in all the promotional material. What exactly is it and what role will it play in both the story and the game design?

Well, while its exact identity has been purposely left to be discovered when the game comes out, we do know some things. The creature's name is Trico, and when the boy first discovers it early in the game it isn't immediately friendly. The dynamic between the boy and Trico will develop gradually over the course of the story; it will initially resist obeying your commands, and you'll have to train it, care for it, and even take the time to periodically feed it.

All of this is a way to ensure that Trico feels like a believable creature with realistic behavior and animalistic personality quirks, making it hard for gamers not to grow attached in the same way one does with their pet. Certain behaviors and visual cues from Trico will even play a role in the gameplay. For instance, it's been said that the color of Trico's eyes will change in accordance to its emotional state as a way of letting the player know if it is angry, cautious, or curious.

So we know that at its core The Last Guardian is a game about the burgeoning relationship between a boy and a mythical creature, but how does this dynamic play out within the actual game? Well...