The Last Guardian

To this day, The Last Guardian is my favourite work of art/entertainment/storytelling for one simple reason:

The realism with which the process of trust-building is portrayed and implemented into the core mechanics and narrative.

No other arc is as important, or effective, as that of two beings learning to trust each other.

Sadly the most common critique for this title is that 'it does not control well'.

It seems to have completely soared over the heads of these people that that the boy's frantic, flapping (and yes, non-video gamey) and anxious animations,

As well as the stop-start, sometimes incongruous, and ultimately unknowable (in the same way that we could never fully control or predict the behaviour of a cat, for instance) behaviour of the creature,

Were not only designed intentionally that way,

But serve double-duty as powerful metaphors for the development of the title itself.

The boy *is* Fumito Ueda, and the beast *is* the game itself.

As we know from TLG's prolonged development, the boy/Fumito really and literally struggled with getting the beast/the game to go where he wanted it to go.

So much so that a whole other platform - a whole other approach - was needed.

This turning point, from PS3 to PS4, is actually noticeable in-game.

After about 5 hours of gameplay, one notices that the creature does respond more keenly to your cries. In turn, you as the young adventurer also have grown more patient of and respectful towards the creature,

Who is just as young and just as scared as you.

I believe this was the moment that Ueda and his team 'cracked' The Last Guardian - when developer/boy and game/beast stopped fighting each other,

And instead listened, compromised, and strived forward together.

Just revisiting my memories of the title makes me want to experience this singularly master-crafted work of art once again.

Could not recommend enough, but it is only for those who are patient and have the capacity for understanding, surrendering to and appreciating *not* being handed everything immediately, no-lag, give-it-to-me-right-now.

This title will one day be used (if it isn't already) to help people who have the obsessive need to control everything in their lives, or who have succumbed (as far to many of have) to entitlement and instant-gratification.

The Last Guardian gently and powerfully invites you to let go of what you think a video game should be (namely super snappy controls, for the impatient and simple), and allow yourself to be literally swept off on the back of an unforgettable adventure,

One that becomes more and more powerful each time you revisit it.