Even though it's only a few hours long, it's certainly a few hours you won't regret indulging yourself into.
I'm the type of person who doesn't like to rent video games, only purchase them, but after reading several reviews about how short this game is I was hesitant about dishing out $60 for this. So I decided to wait until the price dropped and I could buy it at a better deal. Unfortunately it took over a couple of years just to do that. Once I found for $20 I seized my opportunity. And now after being able to enjoy this game, I don't know if the wait was worth it. I still don't think I would have wanted to spend $60 for a six hour single player game, but I should have at least sucked it up and rented it.
Heavenly Sword is a great game. You are Nariko, the daughter of a clan's leader who's mission is to protect the sacred Heavenly Sword from those who wish to obtain it. That's basically the jist of it. And as you venture through the game you will see gorgeous visuals and backgrounds that are quite pleasant to look at.
As Nariko you will cut your way through several enemies to complete your mission, and it's ever so satisfying pulling off those smooth stylish kills. The combat system sort of resembles that of the God of War series. Although with Nariko can switch between three different combat styles which allow for different attacks for different occasions, and to just make the combat look even shinier. The only thing about the combat system that I find feels a bit awkward is that there are no buttons to push if you want to block. All you need to do to block, is nothing. Nariko automatically blocks attacks when you don't push any buttons. So when you're in the heat of battle doing your thing, it takes getting used to to be able to block effectively.
In certain chapters of the game you will also be able to play as a different character, named Kai. She uses her crossbow to kill her enemies, and that is a lot of fun to do. If you hold your fire button, you will be able to control which way your arrows go in slow motion by tilting the Six axis. Those are probably some of my favorite parts of the game.
Along with Heavenly Sword's fun battle system, there is a great story to tell. One of the main things I look for in a game is a good story. Although the story isn't the most original, it's still fun to experience. It's almost like playing through an action packed movie, because the cut scenes are so awesomely done that you can't help but be sucked into the story. In here you will find terrific voice acting, good dialogue, and certainly some interesting characters. As an extra to the game you will be able to watch the "behind the scenes" of the making of the game.
In closing, Heavenly Sword may not be ground breaking, but it certainly is underrated. I wish I never would have listened to some of the reviews about this game and just went out and got it a long time ago. It may be a bit on the short side, but it's definitely not a waste of time.