Three Speech would like to say a big welcome to our newest recruit to the team, Keri Allan. And also welcome you to the first of Three Speech’s new regular columns where we’ll give you an insight into how game characters were created, how they’ve evolved and what we think of them. Disagree with our top trump rating? Well let us know! We begin with the PS3’s first pin-up girl, Heavenly Sword’s Nariko…
She may be called a ‘Hell-Whore’ by the baddies, but we’ll take that as a complement, thanks! Sword-wielding warrior Nariko kicks ass and looks cool doing it, but how did writer and co-story designer Rhianna Pratchett turn her into a fully fledged character, rather than just a hot chick with a big sword?
“When I came onboard Nariko was already established as the main character in the game, and had a very distinctive visual look,” she tells ThreeSpeech. “My role was to help flesh-out and define her character; work out what makes her tick, how she feels about her father, Kai, the clan and, of course, the Heavenly Sword itself. Certainly for me, her evolution made her more of a believable person – a character with flaws, emotions and drives. She became more human. I think as the process went on she started to look a little bit more like Anna Torv, the actress that played her, at least facially. But that was true of several of the characters.”
Nariko may be a youngster in the world of gaming characters, but she’s already got some fans. With such a story-led game it’s her characteristics rather than her playability that gives her appeal, endearing her to us, the gamers, and creating an emotional attachment. She’s strong, beautiful and a little screwed up, which has it’s attraction but there are things about her even her co-creator dislikes.
“I’m not crazy about the way she’s dressed, striking as it is,” says Rhianna. “It’s not particularly suitable for fighting, regardless of how good a warrior you are.” Well said Rhianna, and with those wind effects, we reckon she was probably a bit chilly whilst slicing and dicing though Bohan’s warriors!
Truly a dichotomy, having both vulnerability and strength, Nariko has made her mark, but will she be short-lived? When we quizzed Rhianna about a sequel, she was suitably tight-lipped.
“That, I can’t tell you. Primarily because I don’t know and also because Sony know where I live!”
But do you, the gamers, want Nariko to find a way to live on? Perhaps she’s had her time and place, and should be left to rest in peace. We’d love to know what you think about a possible return…
Please refrain from trying to bury all the irrate posts from earlier with utter drivel.
And while you are at it can you answer some of the more important questions people are asking you instead of the ones where you answer someone who already has GT5p about whether or notit has 2 player split screen.
Comment by Ton Capone — Mar 28, 2008 @ 6:02 pm
box says 1 player and 2-16 network play. So no split screen.
Comment by noboard — Mar 28, 2008 @ 6:20 pm
@ Ton - Hey! These are posts we had already created so I hope you understand we aren’t burying. You personally know that if you mail me I will get back to you so feel free to get me at the blog address. Have a great weekend you.
Comment by Three Speech — Mar 28, 2008 @ 6:20 pm
Like the idea ts, but maybe change the gradient on that, thats a tad common. In photoshop or illustrator try #000000 on top with #716f6f on the bottom, also try changing the layer styles on the type.
yea I’m a big head! stuff it.
Comment by E-ROLE — Mar 28, 2008 @ 6:21 pm
oh and I’ll read the post properly next time *blush*
Comment by noboard — Mar 28, 2008 @ 6:21 pm
Please refrain from being such a grumpy bugger. Yawn.
Comment by Dan — Mar 28, 2008 @ 6:23 pm
sex appeal 9? she’s ginger…
Comment by Trigga_Tybalt — Mar 28, 2008 @ 6:58 pm
@ E-ROLE - Thank you kindly
Will brush up my skills!
Comment by Three Speech — Mar 28, 2008 @ 7:00 pm
I liked Heavenly sword, great game =) and I´m hoping for a second part…
Comment by GeordieNinja — Mar 28, 2008 @ 8:00 pm
hopefuly we will get online next time
they promist us this time and it would be a downloadbal extra but sadly it did not happen
Comment by bignatt — Mar 28, 2008 @ 11:13 pm
I “mean” to make a witty and insightful comment regarding this…but sadly I’ve only got one hand free to type right now
Comment by JohnSketch — Mar 29, 2008 @ 1:53 am
I agree with Ms Pratchett about Nariko’s comely but highly impractical clothes. Moreover, Nariko might want to invest in a couple of hair clips, because that hair of hers can get really wilful when it gets blustery. A thought for the sequel.
Comment by rooee — Mar 29, 2008 @ 9:12 am
Due to 12-hour QA shifts for a certain cross-platform title due out soon and so many games to get through, I didn’t get to finish this until recently. I have to say, I was tremendously satisfied with the ending and would be quite unhappy if no sequel were made.
Comment by Michael — Mar 29, 2008 @ 9:17 am
@ Trigga - Some guys like redheads, dont they? Guess you dont like the ‘fiesty’ types! Seems JohnSketch does though!
Comment by Keri A — Mar 29, 2008 @ 12:55 pm
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Pingback by TS Trumps - Number 1: Nariko | GameBlews PS3, XBOX 360, Wii, PSP, DS News — Mar 29, 2008 @ 1:59 pm
I would definitely like to see a Heavenly Sword sequel, I do not really see how it could continue on the story seeing as how (SPOILER) - Nariko dies - (SPOILER) but I felt that the game had a decent amount of promise and I would like to see it fulfill that promise with a sequel.
Comment by Mace — Mar 29, 2008 @ 2:51 pm
@Ton: I have the game and it supports split-screen and yes like noboard said it says only 1 player on the box but it isn’t, well not in europe.
OT: I loved Heavenly Sword and Nariko, hope the next one just will be a little bit longer although it’s kinda sad that we can’t play with Nariko anymore…
Comment by revenge — Mar 29, 2008 @ 5:38 pm
You forgot one more rating: Laughability = 10.
Comment by Zed Zee — Mar 30, 2008 @ 12:36 am
Nariko is my baby-sitter!
Comment by punguinoozy14 — Mar 30, 2008 @ 3:45 am
@ post 1 and 2
GT5 Prologue has 2 player head to head offline splitscreen, the 1 plyer on the box is a typo
Comment by ShankTown — Mar 31, 2008 @ 11:05 am
the box isn’t a typo:
SPEC I of the game (before you install the update) does not have 2 player split screen
SPEC II (the update) does support it, along with many other things (new cars, new track etc etc)
Comment by sabs — Mar 31, 2008 @ 3:08 pm
i’d love a sequel, cause i loved the game thought it was great, but i’m not sure whether a sequel would be good as Nariko is dead and Kai has hidden the sword, a sequel could just ruin it all.
Comment by samthelost — May 15, 2008 @ 11:26 am
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