Enslaved Odyssey to the West is a Ninja Theory action-adventure inspired by Journey to the West. Monkey and Trip in a beautiful green post-apo world. Humanist narrative, remarkable facial animation. Underrated.
Your verdict
Category
Action Adventure1 player16+
Description
Action-adventure from Ninja Theory and Namco Bandai adapting Sun Wukong's Journey to the West in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by machines. Published by Namco Bandai, released in Europe in October 2010. Evolving relationship between Monkey and Trip, fluid combat against robots, assisted platforming, cinematic storytelling, and quality voice acting.
Enslaved - Odyssey to the West review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
MAX
Story
★★★★★
"Masterful"
Nature reclaiming a post-apocalyptic world: lush vegetation, colourful ruins and warm light compose a surprisingly luminous future. The polished character design, overseen by Andy Serkis, gives a rare expressiveness. This art direction, lively and inspired, stands apart from the genre's greyness.
Signed by Nitin Sawhney, the music blends orchestra, world sonorities and moving voices to carry the journey of Monkey and Trip. Each post-apocalyptic landscape bathes in a melancholy, luminous beauty. This sonic richness, sensitive and inspired, raises the adventure well beyond a mere action game.
Forced by a mind-slaving device to escort a young woman across a post-apocalyptic America, a taciturn colossus slowly learns to grow attached. Loosely inspired by a Chinese classic, the tale banks on the evolution of a duo and genuine tenderness. Carried by careful writing, this humanist journey deserves better than to be forgotten.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"Pleasant"
Addictiveness
"Engaging"
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Average"
Technical info
💾5 GB📅05/10/2010
Published by Namco Bandai
Enslaved - Odyssey to the West (PS3) price, value & rarity
Enslaved Odyssey to the West, a Ninja Theory action-adventure loosely inspired by Journey to the West, praised for its writing, characters and verdant post-apocalyptic world, yet a critical rather than commercial success. Fairly common, its collector interest lies in this status as an underrated gem and a niche demand rather than scarcity, the Korean version being harder to find.
An underrated gem
A post-apocalyptic retelling of Journey to the West, this action-adventure shines through the touching bond between its two heroes, its polished writing and its vistas of nature reclaiming the world. Its slightly bland gameplay hurt it commercially. A human, luminous adventure waiting to be rediscovered by lovers of powerful stories.
Is Enslaved - Odyssey to the West still worth playing in 2026?
Enslaved Odyssey to the West is a Ninja Theory action-adventure loosely inspired by the classic Chinese novel, and one of the finest underrated games on PS3. In a post-apocalyptic world reclaimed by lush nature, the bond between the rugged Monkey and the resourceful Trip carries a story of rare humanity, heightened by facial animation ahead of its time and the touch of writer Alex Garland. The platforming and combat gameplay stays conventional, but the emotion and the art direction win you over. A narrative gem that amply deserves a second life.
