Heavenly Sword is one of the first PS3 exclusives with Nariko and her heavenly sword against Bohan's army. Epic cinematic narrative by Ninja Theory, revolutionary facial animation for the time. Short but memorable.
Your verdict
Category
Action Adventure1 player16+
Description
Action game from Ninja Theory plunging the warrior Nariko into an epic battle to protect the cursed Heavenly Sword. Published by Sony, released in Europe in September 2007. Spectacular combat with multiple styles, sequences chased against hordes, polished cinematic storytelling, Andy Serkis voice acting for King Bohan, and focused duration.
Heavenly Sword review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
4/5
Story
★★★★★
"Captivating"
A flamboyant Oriental epic, a red-haired heroine and colossal settings: the game unfurls a cinematic action fresco of great beauty. The expressive motion capture and the richness of the panoramas elevate every fight. This visual direction, vast and polished, stood as a technical showcase at release.
Signed by Nitin Sawhney, the music unfurls an epic orchestra and poignant choirs worthy of a grand martial fresco. Each of Nariko's battles rises with a tragic, flamboyant grandeur. This symphonic breadth, sumptuous and moving, raises the adventure to the scale of a cinematic blockbuster.
A cinematic action game by Ninja Theory, a technical showcase of the early PS3 carried by a memorable heroine and careful theatrical staging. Its Korean version, less widespread than the Western editions, draws fans of this notable title from the console's youth. Its interest owes to the meeting of a work praised for its visual ambition and a regional pressing hard to find complete outside Korea.
Is Heavenly Sword still worth playing in 2026?
An action game from Ninja Theory, Heavenly Sword follows the warrior Nariko, bearer of a cursed sword that consumes her life, in an epic revenge served by cinematic staging and an Andy Serkis performance as the tyrant. The three stance combat, the beauty of the settings and the dramatic intensity of the narrative win over fans of cinematic action. The short length and a repetitive system temper the whole. A fine action adventure for fans of polished staging and intense heroic narrative.
