Heavenly Sword accomplishes something that is rarely seen in gaming today: it makes you want to watch the cutscenes. No, that isn't a typo. The visuals, animations and cinematic direction in Ninja Theory's latest effort are so breathtakingly well-done that not only will you pay attention as the story masterfully unfolds, but you will look forward to interrupting the action to simply put the controller down and watch. That isn't to say the gameplay isn't thrilling, but it certainly won't stir up as much excitement as the stellar sights and sounds. Although Heavenly Sword is a feast for the senses and the gameplay offers some unique characteristics, the entire package is just shy of divinity.

The game tells the tale of Nariko, a fearless amazon trying to protect her tribe from extinction at the sinister hands of Bohan, an opportunistic emperor looking to get his hands on both the fabled Heavenly Sword and our eye-catching heroine. In an act of sheer desperation, Nariko decides to wield the legendary weapon to protect her brethren, thus sealing her fate at the hands of her powerful equalizer. Both blessing and curse, her new-found strength comes at the expense of her well-being as the Sword drains Nariko's life with every twing and twang of its blade. The game tells a clear-cut tale of good versus evil that doesn't leave much time for character development, given the game's meager six- to ten-hour length. However, the one-dimensional nature of its characters and plotline works to its overall benefit.

Heavenly Sword is a visually impressive experience.

Much like the game itself, the strength of the Heavenly Sword lies in its versatility. With three distinct stances to choose from, Nariko has a wealth of options for obliterating her opposition. First is the speed stance; the default position in which Nariko can pull off quick yet devastating combinations using the square and triangle buttons. Holding the L1 button shifts her into the ranged stance, which splits the sword in two and sends the twin blades into a dizzying whirlwind to slice multiple foes in a larger radius. Finally, holding the R1 button toggles the power stance, which slows the slashing down considerably but makes each individual blow much more fatal. Many of the tougher enemies in the game can also switch between the three stances, which are identified by the colored auras surrounding their weapons. Nariko will automatically block their attacks if she can match their stance with the L1 and R1 buttons, and if timed correctly, she can perform neck-cracking and corpse-hurling counters that are exceptionally satisfying.

Apart from the stylish and fluid combat, Heavenly Sword also introduces a semi-innovative gameplay mechanic called the Aftertouch system. Why only semi-innovative? Well, while it hasn't been seen in a third-person action game before, the Burnout series of crash-centric racing games introduced a similar feature with the exact same name in Burnout 3: Takedown. In Heavenly Sword, Aftertouch allows you to slow down the action and guide any projectile to hit a target with pinpoint accuracy. In addition, using the PS3's motion-sensing Sixaxis controller to guide anything from a box to a body in Heavenly Sword is intuitive and enjoyable. This mechanic is mostly used in areas when you play as the endearing cat-like Kai, the game's secondary playable character. Kai's sequences mostly involve guiding arrows to take out waves of enemy bowmen and guards, adding variety to the hack-n-slash experience. Although Nariko mainly uses the Aftertouch system to solve unimaginative hat-throwing puzzles, certain segments - of which the appeal is obvious - involve cannonballs, thousands of enemies, and earth-shattering explosions.

The game is fun for the brief period that it lasts.

Comparisons to God of War abounded during the development of Heavenly Sword, and for good reason. While some aspects of the gameplay are unique and exciting, many of the game's mechanics are derivative and downright ripped from popular titles of the last console generation. Hero sequences, for example - which involve timed button presses that correspond to on-screen prompts - are taken directly from God of War. This time, however, they feel forced because their successful completion is required to finish off all bosses, even after they've reached zero health. It's a good thing the boss battles don't offer much in the way of a challenge, as they're mostly reduced to yawn-inducing affairs that involve learning a simple pattern and repeatedly exploiting it. If Ninja Theory were going to take something from God of War, it should have been the epic bosses, as we're instead treated to an obnoxious flying fruitcake and a morbidly obese cockroach, among others. Other disappointments with Heavenly Sword include its length (or lack thereof) and limited replay value, which offers a "Hell Mode" after beating the original, and the opportunity to unlock concept art and all of the game's cutscenes.

One of the things you'll notice about Heavenly Sword is its exemplary graphical presentation. With help from Weta Digital, the company responsible for the award-winning visual effects of the Lord of the Rings films, Ninja Theory has crafted a beautiful world full of vibrant characters and gorgeous, detailed environments. The strict consideration given to motion capture is displayed through amazingly realistic facial expressions and lip-synching. The sound design is also phenomenal, with excellent voice acting and impressive sound effects. The lifelike nature of the characters makes it easy to get caught up in the storyline of the game, which plays out like an interactive summer blockbuster.

Heavenly Sword is impressively sharp in some areas and disappointingly dull in others. The visuals are the most jaw dropping to date on the PS3, and the brilliant facial animations are unrivaled. The voice acting is first-rate, with credible performances further enhancing the realism of the characters. The story is interesting, but is made more so by the exceptionally well-directed cutscenes. While the gameplay certainly offers thrills and excitement, it sometimes feels formulaic and too traditional. Heavenly Sword feels like an amalgamation of many popular concepts from the last few years in game development and it succeeds on many levels in providing a compelling next-generation experience, but given its brevity and inadequate replay value, it can only be recommended as the perfect weekend rental.