5 Reasons Why The Last Guardian Is One Of The 2016’s Best Games

It’s been 10 years in the making, but The Last Guardian is finally here — and it’s great! Here’s why.

Trico Rules!

Trico isn’t exactly a virtual pet. He’s a wild animal that shows signs of domestication. Climb up on him and you can pet the giant beast on the nose (or anywhere) to calm him. His big doe eyes sometimes return your love and compassion. Yet he’s feral. Like a homeless cat or dog, he’s unpredictable. He can lash out. He might knock you over during a wild spell. He’ll also conquer your enemies like a behemoth Godzilla and he shoots fire and lightning from his tail.

Trico Has His Own Temperament

No, it’s not a game glitch. It’s just that sometimes Trico doesn’t want to fly you over that crumbling castle wall to get to the next area. He has other things on his mind. Maybe he’s tired. Maybe he needs food. Maybe he’s distracted. Maybe he just wants to splash in the water. But stick with luring him and coaxing him. Be patient with this mythical creature. Eventually, he’ll help you out.

Who Is The Boy Who Trico Follows?

It’s a good question. At the game’s beginning, the bare-footed boy wakes up in a dank cave. He’s covered in strange markings. He recalls dreaming of flying and remembers the odd phrase, “Be among the chosen ones.” Nearby, you find an injured, chained Trico and you nurse the gray-feathered giant back to health. You hope he’ll lead you out of a beautiful but maze-ridden castle that’s in ruins. But that castle is full of mysteries, some grim, that try to prevent you from fleeing.

The mystery includes stone guards with glowing blue eyes who kind of look like golems. In addition, you’ll find glowing blue apparatuses and sealed stone doors. At one moment high above you, you spy what may be another Trico-like beast. So the mystery is manifold.

The Challenging Puzzles

Puzzles include getting Trico to help you out. Sometimes, he doesn’t want to, so you have to give him commands, or pet him or just wait until he’s ready. At one point, Trico has to jump across a wide divide. But the only way to get him to jump is to climb into a crumbling tower, and then climb up Trico’s tale. Hold on! It’s a long jump, but you can to it together.

Why Does It Work?

Yes, the puzzles are intricate, the landscapes are glorious and the action gets your heart to beating. But The Last Guardian works because it’s all about the lasting, touching bond between human and animal. There’s a long history of heartwarming movies, everything from Old Yeller to The Secret Life Of Pets, which show the importance of these ever-growing relationships between lifelong friends. While there have been games about the links between people and creatures before, there’s been nothing as deep and affecting as The Last Guardian. It’s not just one of the best games of this year. It’s a game that will be fondly remembered for years to come because it touches your heart constantly without being too silly or too sweet.