| Heavenly Sword | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Ninja Theory |
| Publisher(s) | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| Release date(s) | NA September 12, 2007 EU September 14, 2007 AU September 20, 2007 |
| Release type | PlayStation 3 exclusive |
| Genre(s) | Action, Adventure, Hack and slash |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
| GameID(s) | BCUS98132 (IRD), BCES00078 (IRD), BCAS20016 (IRD) Demo NPUA80103, NPEA90016 |
| Quick links | Check Compatibility Open Issues Search Google Wikipedia Page |
Heavenly Sword was a launch title for the PlayStation 3, and follows Nariko, who uses a weapon called the "Heavenly Sword" which changes into one of three forms depending on what attack stance the player uses as part of a unique fighting style. Speed Stance provides an even balance between damage and speed, where the sword takes the form of two separate blades. Range Stance allows fast, long-range, but weaker attacks, with the sword being two blades chained together. Power Stance is the most powerful, but slowest style, where attacks are made with the sword in the shape of one large, two-handed blade. For exploration and certain battles, the game also makes use of quick time events (QTE). During a QTE, a symbol for a certain button or for an action such as moving the analog stick to the right or left appears on-screen and the player must match what is shown to successfully complete the scene.
In addition to Nariko, a secondary character, Kai, is controlled for some portions of the game. Many of Kai's stages take the form of sniping missions, using her crossbow to pick off enemies, in some cases to protect characters. While Kai cannot perform hand-to-hand combat, in stages that call for her to explore the level she is able to hop over objects and to free herself from an enemy's grasp by temporarily stunning them.
Projectiles can be maneuvered to their targets using the motion-sensing capabilities of the Sixaxis controller through a feature known as Aftertouch. Such projectiles include guiding Kai's arrows after she has launched them, and for Nariko, guiding a cannon or rocket launcher, or picking up and throwing objects.
Configuration
Options that deviate from RPCS3's default settings and provide the best experience with this title are listed below.
GPU configuration
| Setting | Option | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-aliasing | Disabled | Anti-Aliasing uses a lot of VRAM especially when paired with resolution scaling and can introduce crashes |
Known Issues
The short Picture-in-Picture scenes can use a ton of VRAM when Anti-Aliasing is enabled and Resolution Scaling is cranked up. This results in crashes if your GPU doesn't have enough VRAM. Disabling Anti-Aliasing is highly recommended.
Rough VRAM estimates with Anti-Aliasing Disabled:
- 4GB GPU = Don't go over 175% scaling
- 5GB GPU = Don't go over 200% scaling
- 6GB GPU = Don't go over 225% scaling
- 8GB GPU = Don't go over 250% scaling
- 10GB GPU = Don't go over 275% scaling
- 11GB GPU = Don't go over 300% scaling
Rough VRAM estimates with Anti-Aliasing Enabled:
- 4GB GPU = Don't go over 100% scaling
- 5GB GPU = Don't go over 125% scaling
- 6GB GPU = Don't go over 125% scaling
- 8GB GPU = Don't go over 150% scaling
- 10GB GPU = Don't go over 175% scaling
- 11GB GPU = Don't go over 200% scaling
Special Notes
Custom Icon Art by Jjw410
Custom replacement icon art by user Jjw410. Can be switched with original icon by renaming the image "ICON0.PNG" and replacing the file of the same name in the game's "PS3_GAME" directory (it is recommended to retain the original art for safety).
