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We haven\'t heard much about The Last Guardian since the Tokyo Game Show. But that all changed today as Famitsu published a short interview in which director Fumito Ueda spilled a few additional precious details on the game and its development process.At present, the development staff is pouring its efforts on the eagle-like creature that serves as the centerpiece of the game. This is because giving the creature a feeling of life and actual existence is of the utmost importance, explained Ueda.In addition to the eagle, Ueda asked that players pay attention to the movements of the little boy you control. They\'ve tied the character in greatly to the game\'s physics engine, allowing for in-depth motion.Despite multiple game show appearances, The Last Guardian is still shrouded in mystery.Famitsu asked Ueda if, as with past games, he\'s working on the story board and such artistic areas of the game himself. The answer is yes. However, the amount of work has decreased compared to ICO and Shadow of the Colossus. One of the reasons for this is due to an increase in capable staff who can be left to handle the work to a degree. Additionally, with the advance to PS3 level, there are many areas of expression that can be handled by the hardware. An example of this is that darn physics engine again (every Last Guardian interview seems to mention this). The physics engine actually ties in well with the game\'s realistic direction, said Ueda.Once again, Ueda managed to do an interview without getting into the details of how Guardian will play. Asked about the game content, he simply said that he can\'t say too much at present, but that he\'d like to share additional information this year. They\'ve yet to decide on whether this information will come at E3 or at the Tokyo Game Show.Ueda closed off his interview with a brief statement about release time frame. "We\'re at the stage where we\'re looking into the time frame. Once the time frame has been decided upon, it won\'t be long until release. With Last Guardian, we\'re working intently with the aim of making a game that offers a kind of fun that cannot be experienced elsewhere, so I\'d like everyone to wait just a bit more."Elsewhere in the interview, Ueda reflected upon the year 2009 (this interview was actually part of a feature in which Japan\'s biggest game designers shared their thoughts on the past year). The game industry as a whole did not leave much of an impression on Ueda in 2009, partly because he was working away at Guardian. While there were titles that game fans did look forward to, he feels that there wasn\'t a game that did the unexpected. He joked that this could be because he\'s getting old.Famitsu asked Ueda for his opinion on foreign games, noting that Japanese players have become more accepting of overseas titles of late. Ueda admitted that he personally likes many foreign games and he\'s happy that other users are starting to accept those titles. He was actually wondering why they weren\'t being accepted. Sadly, he did not name names.Of course, for Ueda, 2009 was the year that Last Guardian was announced, first at E3, followed by a video showing at the Tokyo Game Show. Ueda said that he was shocked to see such a big reaction from players. He was also happy with the strong reaction from overseas players. However, he\'s trying to ignore the reactions because he wants to avoid feeling too much pressure.It\'s not just fan reactions that make him feel pressure. Explained Ueda, compared to ICO and Shadow of the Colossus, the development staff is getting greater backup this time around, further increasing the feeling of pressure.
Sony has confirmed that PS3 exclusive The Last Guardian will be shown at this year\'s Tokyo Game Show, which conveniently gets under way next week. Creator Fumito Ueda will present the game to media and then field questions. That session takes place on Thursday, 16th September at 3pm Japan time (7am UK time). The Last Guardian was absent from Sony\'s E3 conference this summer, despite having been announced at the event a year earlier. Sony\'s Andrew House told us Ueda\'s team was "hard at work" but had decided to take a step back from the limelight. The Last Guardian - the next game from the makers of ICO and Shadow of the Colossus - follows a boy and his relationship with a giant (but baby) cateagle. Eurogamer will jet out to the Tokyo Game Show next week. Glue your eyes to the frontpage then.
Several online retailers have suddenly listed Team Ico’s The Last Guardian for a 7th of October release date. The game, which is a follow-up of sorts from both Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, has been penned by Tesco, ASDA, The Hut, Zavvi and Woollies, suggesting somebody’s told somebody something.If this is true, then the silence from the likes of GAME and other specialist stores is slightly odd, as they’re not featuring the game with any specific date – yet.Bear in mind, too, that most of the sites above fall within The Hut’s umbrella, so a blanket memo from one central location could have prompted all of them to ping up with the date simultaneously.We’ve talked at length about The Last Guardian, which featured at number two in our top 100 of 2011. “The Last Guardian isn’t just an incredibly appealing game from a technical and artistic perspective, it’s also a clear, resounding gesture of gaming’s intention of growing up and of its aspiration to progress,” we said, “cementing itself as a recognised and meaningful medium.”“You don’t have to like The Last Guardian based on its gameplay or aesthetics, but you should at least appreciate what impact it will have – and is having – on the industry.”We asked Sony whether the date was official, but were told that they hadn’t announced a date yet at all.
The latest issue of PSM3 is carrying an extensive feature on Team ICO’s upcoming game, The Last Guardian. One of Gamersmint’s readers has an issue with him, and we’ve collected all the juicy details for you below.For the first time ever, we get to know a lot of details regarding the game and it appears that the game is poised to be a masterclass. Fumito Ueda split the beans to PSM3 regarding his upcoming project.The magazine got some hands-on time with the game and they got to experience the first level of the game which showed the very first “emotional interactions” between the boy and Torico. The game looks stunning according to the magazine and the world is filled with vibrant colours.We’ve rounded up all the important details which the magazine carried about the game below:[list=a]The Last Guardian will be similar to Ico The game’s original music is not the one presented in the trailer. It’s just a test track being used. Ueda stated that he’s allowed to achieve things with the PS3 which he couldn’t manage to fulfill due to the tech on offer with PS2. Torico’s feathers, butterflies, dust, particles, everything is managed in real time, many great animations were all made by hand. The game we will not be as confined as in Ico. Torico can apparently eliminate the guards, the child however can’t do that (so he will be playing undercover when he is alone) Ueda didn’t reveal who the Last Guardian is, Torico or the boy. He said we’ll have to find out. Team ICO has sought technical advice from all in-house Sony Studios wherever possible. Torico-AI will focus on that moods and reactions to the environment. The game will be based on its relationship with the child to solve puzzles and explore the fortress. Guards in armor are actually shadows, when their armor glows, they can vanish. Ueda, does not consider his work as art. It could go much, much further in the concept art but that would make it difficult for some fun and commercial viability of titles. He must find the right balance. Ueda would love the game to release on time, however he won’t rush things. Ueda is wary not to make the game’s puzzles too difficult, however, he wants to maintain a good amount of challenge and hence they’re constantly beta-testing to measure the difficulty of puzzles and find the right balance. There will be less fighting sequences in TLG than in ICO Ueda has assured that the game will be released by the end of this year, atleast in Japan. The Last Guardian is exclusive to PS3 and is scheduled for a holiday release in 2011.
Famitsu has a four page feature on The Last Guardian. It apparently includes a demo play session along with an interview of Fumito Ueda.Here\'s some of the info that has leaked out of the feature:[list=a]You initially can\'t communicate with Torico, so he\'ll quickly fall asleep.Torico can\'t eat everything. If he eats something he doesn\'t like, he\'ll spit it out.The game uses a collision system with similar capabilities to that of Shadow of the Colossus.Even if you\'re caught by the guards that fill the dungeons, the game doesn\'t immediately end.Torico may have a life gauge.They\'re currently looking into the possibility of showing gauges to support the player -- this is one area that Ueda is worrying over.In its impressions of the game, Famitsu commented that it exceeded expectations -- it\'s real that exceeds real.Torico actions are very detailed -- down to the level of his reacting differently depending on the sound in the area.The game uses a fake languageFamitsu commented that the boy main character\'s movements are also incredible. Ueda responded that when the boy approaches a wall, he will naturally extend his arms out, and as he approaches Torico, he will touch the creature. To show the feeling of existence for the characters, you need to show such actions that make it look like the character himself knows that there\'s a wall there.Ueda also talked quite a bit about the game\'s expressive and physical computation power.Regarding Team Ico\'s PS3 remakes, Ueda said that Shadow of the Colossus is amazing when you see it in 3D. For ICO, he said that they\'re remaking the opening scene.
