Enslaved: Odyssey to the West Premium Edition
- October 24, 2013
- Ninja Theory
- 10h median play time
Get on Steam"Enslaved" is a post-apocalyptic adventure game set 150 years in the future, where nature has reclaimed the world and mysterious slave ships capture the remaining humans. The story follows Trip, a technologically skilled woman who escapes a slave ship, and Monkey, a powerful loner who becomes linked to Trip through a slave headband. They form an uneasy partnership as they traverse through dangerous terrain and enemies, with the threat of death for both if Trip dies. The game focuses on the complex relationship between Trip and Monkey as they fight to return Trip to her home.
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- Engaging story with strong character development, particularly between Monkey and Trip.
- Stunning visuals and art direction that hold up well despite the game's age.
- Great voice acting, especially from Andy Serkis, which adds depth to the characters.
- Poor camera controls that can be disorienting and frustrating during combat and platforming.
- Repetitive combat mechanics with limited enemy variety and simplistic gameplay.
- The ending feels rushed and lacks closure, leaving many plot points unresolved.
- story3,134 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of "Enslaved: Odyssey to the West" is a reimagining of the classic Chinese tale "Journey to the West," set in a post-apocalyptic world where the characters Monkey and Trip navigate their way through a landscape dominated by nature and remnants of civilization. Players are drawn into a compelling narrative that explores themes of companionship, trust, and survival, enhanced by strong character development and excellent voice acting, particularly from Andy Serkis. While the gameplay may be simplistic and linear, the emotional depth and engaging story keep players invested throughout the experience, despite some criticisms regarding pacing and an abrupt ending.
“The characters are fascinating, with an uneasy partnership that adds emotional depth to the gripping story.”
“An excellent game with an engaging, emotionally satisfying story, great voice acting, and interesting environments to move through.”
“The story follows Monkey and Trip, two unlikely companions forced to work together as they navigate a dangerous landscape filled with remnants of a long-lost civilization.”
“The story is average, and the ending is anticlimactic.”
“It feels like the devs couldn't figure out what to do and decided to abruptly end the story.”
“The story went in some weird direction, the new character Pigsy was badly written, many escort missions or protect missions.”
- gameplay1,463 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Enslaved: Odyssey to the West" is characterized by a blend of action, platforming, and puzzle-solving elements, often compared to titles like "Prince of Persia" and "Uncharted." While many players appreciate the engaging story, beautiful visuals, and character interactions, the gameplay itself is frequently described as simplistic, repetitive, and linear, with some frustrations stemming from camera control issues and a lack of depth in combat mechanics. Overall, it offers a decent experience, particularly for those who prioritize narrative over intricate gameplay.
“Overall, great characters, funny dialogue, beautiful art, an interesting story, and good gameplay make this game stand out and survive the test of time.”
“The gameplay is fun, if a bit repetitive at times.”
“The gameplay is solid, especially at 60fps, where the fluid movement compensates for the bad camera.”
“Boring gameplay, combat is clunky, the camera is the worst enemy.”
“The gameplay is dull and repetitive and gets boring too quickly.”
“The gameplay is frustrating and repetitive, with simplistic platforming and very basic (though cinematic) combat rendered difficult through poor controls and frustrating camera angles.”
- graphics1,022 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are often praised for their vibrant art style and stunning visuals, which blend gritty realism with imaginative design, making the post-apocalyptic world feel both harsh and beautiful. While many reviewers note that the graphics have aged and can exhibit minor glitches, particularly with shadows, they still hold up well for a title released over a decade ago. Players are encouraged to tweak settings and utilize community guides to enhance the visual experience further, as the game showcases impressive character animations and detailed environments.
“The visuals are absolutely stunning—a perfect mix of gritty realism and imaginative design that makes the world feel both harsh and otherworldly.”
“The art style is raw, intense, and surreal, with bold use of color and dramatic, almost exaggerated environments.”
“The graphics are beautiful despite their age, and especially facial animations and lighthearted comedy are done well.”
“Graphics are quite bad; the combat is super simplistic, the story is meh, and the camera system is this weird hybrid between third person and fixed camera, which is really annoying.”
“The graphics are outdated, but I still liked them.”
“The gameplay is simplistic and clunky, the graphics are dated - even for the time - and plagued with small glitches that make the characters sometimes look awful during cutscenes, to the point it distracts from the (small) amount of story they're trying to tell.”
- music179 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and emotional depth, while others find it forgettable or uninspiring. Notably, the soundtrack by Nitin Sawhney is highlighted as a strong point, contributing positively to the overall experience, though some players noted issues with its presence and impact during gameplay. Overall, while the music is appreciated by many, it often fails to leave a lasting impression.
“The soundtrack is amazing, and helps to accentuate the rest of the game's high points.”
“The music brilliantly done, too.”
“The soundtrack sets the mood right in every scene, whether being chased by a mechanical rhino or chilling in a boat gazing at the stars, the soundtrack is mesmerizing.”
“The soundtrack is boring and uninspiring.”
“The music was for the most part forgettable and I can't remember a single piece from the game; it wasn't terrible, just not anything amazing either.”
“The music in the main game is serviceable but forgettable.”
- humor174 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, characterized by witty dialogue and engaging character interactions, particularly between the main characters, Monkey and Trip, as well as the comedic relief provided by Pigsy. While many players appreciate the humor's ability to balance lighthearted moments with serious themes, some critiques highlight instances of cringeworthy or outdated jokes. Overall, the game successfully combines humor with a compelling narrative, making it an enjoyable experience for players.
“Great voice acting and sometimes hilarious dialogue.”
“The characters are awesome, and there are some funny moments.”
“The humor and insults exchanged throughout the dialogue are quirky at first, and there were a few words said that I wasn't expecting to hear from a game such as this, but I found it hilarious and strangely comforting.”
“He was designed to be comic relief, but was just unfunny, and the whole thing with him liking Trip and being jealous of Monkey was cringeworthy at best, making him come off as creepy.”
“They try to fill the story gaps with small moments that are supposed to be funny, but almost all of them boil down to Monkey is an asshole and Trip is a nice girl.”
“Monkey is the usual sexist depiction of the male hero: far too muscular to be able to jump (but jumps and climbs like a monkey nonetheless), manly grunts each time he makes the slightest effort (like opening a door), comically stupid (except it's not funny).”
- stability166 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent bugs and glitches, particularly with graphical elements and performance issues on various systems. While some users experienced smooth gameplay with only minor issues, others faced significant problems, including crashes and game-breaking glitches that hindered progress. Overall, the game is described as a buggy port, with stability issues that can detract from the overall experience, though it still has its share of supporters who enjoyed the gameplay despite these flaws.
“The movement is nice and fluid; everything runs great.”
“Fast, bug-free engine and gameplay.”
“I personally have had no glitches or bugs.”
“The native configuration of the application simply doesn't work correctly and, nowadays, some glitches with shadows and textures (especially one that makes strange lines appear on characters) break the game's immersion completely.”
“Game is buggy and crashes regularly; I'm stuck, keep crashing at the same point.”
“One of the worst PC ports I've ever seen, full of glitches and problems that never will be fixed.”
- optimization135 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The optimization of "Enslaved: Odyssey to the West" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant performance issues such as stuttering, crashes, and poor mouse and keyboard controls. While some users report a smooth experience with consistent frame rates, others highlight the need for extensive tweaking and configuration to achieve playable performance. Overall, the game is seen as a solid title with great voice acting and visuals, but it suffers from a lack of proper optimization for PC.
“The game runs smoothly and remains visually stunning, with its great art style and impressive motion capture for its time.”
“The visual performance is really nice; it stayed up to 60 fps all the time, and you can easily bump it up to 1440p if you're willing to fiddle with some config files.”
“Great story, great character development (a rare thing to see), great gameplay, and excellent optimization for the PC.”
“2 full system reboots, 7 game crashes, 9 soft locks, a camera system that was designed by 5 year olds, music (stuttering) and menus that clearly do not work properly.”
“The optimization is also pretty bad with glitches, mouse acceleration issues and no keybinding options for PC controls.”
“I have tried several guides and modifications and whatnot but nothing works that stops this game from stuttering and freezing at irregular frequencies.”
- character development106 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with many reviewers praising the strong dynamics between the protagonists and the depth of their relationship, enhanced by excellent voice acting and animation. However, some critics feel that the character development is rushed or superficial, lacking sufficient dialogue and depth to fully engage players. Overall, while the character design and interactions are often highlighted as strengths, there are calls for more substantial development to elevate the narrative experience.
“Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is a masterpiece of storytelling, world-building, and character development that is unfortunately marred by a few missteps.”
“The character development is quite well done, although the story could have been better.”
“The champions of this game are the story, the character development, and the voice acting.”
“The story isn't too bad but it feels a bit rushed, there's not as much character development as I'd liked and the ending seemed a bit abrupt.”
“Most of the journey that you are meant to go on actually occurs offscreen, along with the character development that the party supposedly is building between the cast.”
“Sadly, the character development sucked.”
- emotional85 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with players noting the depth of character relationships, particularly between the protagonists, Monkey and Trip. The story is described as touching and thought-provoking, effectively tackling themes of love, loss, and redemption, while the voice acting adds significant emotional weight. Overall, the game is recognized for its ability to evoke strong emotional responses, making it a memorable experience for players.
“The game's bold reimagining of Journey to the West, captivating characters, stunning environments, and emotional depth make it a truly unforgettable experience.”
“The emotional hurdles and payoffs that present themselves throughout the game all landed perfectly for me, and I can confidently recommend the game solely on this.”
“By the end of the game, I felt connected to Monkey and Trip; you could see an almost tangible emotional connection form between the two of them.”
- atmosphere79 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning visuals, immersive sound design, and engaging storytelling, creating a captivating post-apocalyptic world that resonates with players. Many reviews highlight the emotional depth of the characters and the unique environmental design, which together enhance the overall experience, making it a standout feature despite some criticisms of gameplay mechanics. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as beautiful, atmospheric, and integral to its narrative, often overshadowing any gameplay shortcomings.
“Awesome story with great character arc progression and a beautiful atmosphere!”
“Beautiful sceneries of nature slowly taking back and swallowing former civilization creations creates a unique melancholic atmosphere where you look at something beautiful but you feel the history.”
“The atmosphere this strange waste of studio recording equipment and voice talent creates is frankly akin to replaying a level in Mario for the optional stars and dealing with the titular Italian stallion reminding you every thirty seconds that he won't be able to get his bing-bing wahoo's off until you jointly get to the final stage, which for him, delusionally features a warp-pipe leading directly beneath Princess Peach's chaste, perpetually knackered frock, to which I would respond: 'save you and myself some time and just go for Daisy, man.'”
“The atmosphere, the story, the whole scope of the game should be absolutely enthralling, but to me... it feels like a soft-spoken echo I've done before.”
“I will say, this game is almost 100% atmosphere and combat, as there is no real story to speak of.”
- grinding67 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 9 % neutral mentions
- 88 % negative mentions
The reviews consistently highlight that grinding in the game is a significant drawback, often described as tedious and time-consuming. Players express frustration with repetitive combat, excessive backtracking for collectibles, and a lack of engaging gameplay variety, leading to a sense of monotony and diminished enjoyment. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a major factor that detracts from the game's potential, making progress feel laborious rather than rewarding.
“The upgrade system is great in that about twice per level you can upgrade in a way that makes a difference to your play style, not grinding for 2-3 levels for one upgrade that you may not ever use.”
“A lot of grinding.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The setting and story are interesting, but the rest of the game makes the progress tedious.”
“The gameplay is boring, tedious, and repetitive.”
- replayability51 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has limited replayability, with most players completing it in a short time frame of 7-12 hours. While some users mention the potential for achievement hunting or playing with different character variants, the linear structure and lack of multiple endings significantly reduce the incentive to replay. Despite its enjoyable first playthrough, many reviewers agree that the game does not offer enough content or variation to warrant multiple playthroughs.
“Game has excellent replay value because you get to keep all the skills you have unlocked and you can start any chapter again.”
“It delivers until the very end and its 'game +' style replay value makes it one worth keeping in your collection.”
“Most players, however, will play a playthrough on easy/normal to see how the game presents itself, another for achievements, and maybe a last one on hard with all upgrades to squeeze a last breath of replayability from it.”
“Sadly, it doesn't offer replayability.”
“The game has little to no replay value as you will unlock almost everything in the perk tree and there are no alternate ways to progress.”
“It's tedious, and lacks replayability, and the upgrades basically break the game.”
- monetization8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 63 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game is praised for its absence of microtransactions, reflecting a pre-microtransaction era that many players miss. The premium edition includes all DLC, which adds value without resorting to exploitative practices. However, the game's lack of marketing and visibility has hindered its success and potential for sequels.
“No microtransactions (pre-microtransaction era).”
“If they included quests and microtransactions, it would be the perfect storm of game misfeatures.”
“So many games today have lost sight of simple principles in favor of creating an online sandbox with soulless multiplayer driven by microtransactions and endless grinding.”
“So many games today are lost on those simple principles in replacement of making the game an online sandbox with soulless multiplayer driven by microtransactions and endless grinding.”
“Unfortunately, mostly because of flawed marketing and lack of advertisement, the game didn’t even remotely reach the success the publisher expected, and because of that, all plans to make a sequel were shelved.”
“At first glance, Enslaved appears to be quite an obscure release, with no major first party push or advertising.”
