Enslaved: Odyssey to the West

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is a futuristic adventure game that puts players on a post-apocalyptic Earth, ruined by a disastrous global war. Playing as an agile escapee named Monkey, you must explore and navigate the crumbles of cities on a mission to return your partner Trip to her hometown. However, violent weaponized mechs remain active from the long-ago war, presenting obstacles along the way. Full of third-person action, platforming, and some environmental puzzle-solving, this rich sci-fi story is an underrated gem, but there are a few rough spots along the way. Despite its few shortcomings, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West offers lots of fun for fans of story-driven solo adventures.

Main Game Features

• Explore a post-apocalyptic Earth
• Intense third-person platforming and combat
• Upgrade your abilities and discover collectibles

Story

In Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, you play as Monkey, a gruff prisoner who breaks free from confinement on a slaver spaceship, forcing it to crash land on a destroyed Earth. Waking up on the desolate planet, 150 years after a mechanical war spells the end of humanity, Monkey strikes up an uneasy alliance with a fellow survivor named Trip. Under Trip's command, due to a slave headband that forces him to follow her instruction, Monkey must protect the pair as they make the trek to her village home. Along the way, further tragedy continues to befall them as they battle against the deadly mechs that still scour the Earth looking to destroy enemy targets.

Overall, the story in Enslaved is excellent, with a great concept, setting, and backstory. Monkey and Trip have some interesting chemistry together as they travel through the post-apocalyptic wilds, encountering surprise after surprise. When compared to other games of its time, the narrative has a lot of depth, posing unique philosophy on some of the universe's biggest questions. As both an adventure and a sci-fi story, Enslaved is a success, with only some minor misses here and there.

Gameplay

With the world in ruin and nature having more than a century to reclaim its domain, the land you explore in the game is treacherous and full of danger. Across the game's fourteen chapters, you'll guide Monkey and Trip through a variety of death-defying encounters, ranging from adventures in the overgrown forests to assaults on enemy mech strongholds. The game plays out in a linear fashion, tasking you with fighting, jumping, and narrowly escaping a variety of obstacles during your journey. A big element of the game is third-person platforming, as Monkey has the ability to wall-run, jump long distances, and clamber around small ledges. Briskly running through the gorgeous levels feels like Assassin's Creed with more speed, highlighting fluid movement during moments of action.

Although Monkey can reach most places with ease, you can never leave Trip behind, often requiring you to figure out ways to help her through the environment. While escort missions can be a pain in most other games, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West keeps it interesting by throwing elements of puzzle-solving into the mix. Occasionally, you'll have to do battle with various enemies, usually intimidating mechanical death machines that lurk in the shadows. Monkey has a powerful staff that can be used as both a melee and projectile weapon, offering more options than your standard hack 'n slash game. You can upgrade Monkey's abilities by finding tech orbs and other collectibles hidden around the levels, steadily becoming more formidable with each chapter.

Conclusion

It's a shame that more people don't play Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, because it's definitely one of the better third-person sci-fi games from its era. The plot is full of cool sci-fi ideas, the platforming and fighting feel solid, and the emphasis on protecting your partner is actually quite fun.

Pros

• Great world-building and atmosphere
• Combat stays fun thanks to upgrades
• Platforming feels chaotic and cinematic

Cons

• Controls can be awkward at times
• Annoying camera
• Poor technical performance