I never played Heavenly Sword =[
Dont feel bad alot did not, it came out when 6 people owned ps3z an they costed like 600 bucks an had no trophys, it and metalgear solid were all there was and haze
Yeah, Heavenly Sword was a really early PS3 title, but it did a really phenomenal job showcasing the types of things that could be accomplished on the PS3.
The game gets a bad rap for being too short and too repetitive, which certainly is true, but the quality of all the other aspects of production made it more like an interactive movie than a video game for me. The motion-capture is fantastic, the writing is good and the voiceovers are solid, they have thousands upon thousands of different sounds that sometimes you don’t even realize are different until you really listen to them, like the jangling of chains and stuff, it all just feels so organic.
Still probably one of my favorite games for PS3.
Yeah HEavenly Sword is still to this day one of my favorite PS3 titles. It’s production values and graphics and mo-cap surprisingly enough are alot better than alot of games on ps3/360 that have come out in the past 2-3yrs which is pretty crazy thinking about how old that game is. And the game length never bothered me. It’s always been about quality over quantity for me and if during my playtime if I enjoyed myself based on the content. And I did.
I will look into it then 
Quick question about one of my BnB’s. N3 --> U2 --> j.U2 --> j.N3 --> j.N1x3. It’s super basic but I’ve noticed something strange about it. It nets 100 AP and in training mode will give you AP burst…however, in game it always just ends at 100 AP with no burst. Does anyone else use this combo in game and noticed the same thing?
Sometimes I’ll start it off with D2 --> N3 if my opponents decide they don’t like to block after I use D2. I don’t know if this makes a difference at all (I almost never get the D2 --> N3 link).
TK (really low jump) j.u3 needs some love. It’s a really good zoning tool 2v2, and combos well (including her level 2, or level 3 chain grab).
It stops drakes barrel, destroys sack boy camping in corners (toss it straight & above him, it will ricochet diagonally downward), and a lot of other projectile / zoning tools.
Combos below use the diagonal downward version of j.u3
TK j.u3 TK j.d3 d1 TK j.u2 j1 j1 j1 (150AP)
[S]I also do TK j.u3 j.d2 j.u3 walk forward 3… Etc if they are too far for a j.d3 (elevation dependent)[/S]
TK j.u3 short hop j.d1 3 / u2 is also very solid if your too far for a j.d3
Do you have any advice for linking j.d2 to j.u3? I’ve been trying to do that in training mode but it’s been acting funny. When the computer is set to stand (with no blocking), the combo meter counts them as linked together, but if I set the computer to autoblock they always block the j.u3.
I’ve been trying to get j.d2 --> j.u3 --> (land on ground) --> level 1 super to work, but I’ve been confused about the j.d2 to j.u3 link.
What do you mean AP Burst? If you’re talking about getting a Level 1 Super, you have to link n3 off d2 in order to get the full amount required for a super assuming you start with no meter.
When done on its own, the BnB you posted gives (I think) 120 AP which is not enough for a super, since Nariko’s Lv1 requires 150.
I’ll do some messing around with j.d2 > j.u3 > Level 1 when I get home from work tonight.
If I’m not mistaken, AP Burst is the game’s anti-infinite system. Once you reach 100 AP in a combo on a single opponent, it should eject the opponent from the combo and give you an additional 30 AP. So if on the last hit of my combo, I hit 100 AP exactly, I should get 100 AP (from combo) + 30 AP (from AP Burst). If on the last hit of my combo, I am at 120 AP (if say, you were at 90 AP and you end with a move that gives you 30 AP), then you would gain 150 AP from that combo (120 combo AP + 30 Burst AP). Also, the opponent that was ejected from the combo will be invincible until they hit the ground.
That’s my understanding of the system, although it might not be that simple. Sometimes when I would do a Dante combo in training mode, I would end at 101 AP with no Burst, so perhaps I don’t have the whole story. (Someone correct me if I’m wrong about anything AP Burst system wise).
I believe the combo that I posted above (N3 --> U2 --> j.U2 --> j.N3 --> j.N1x3) gets you 100 AP alone, but for some reason only triggers Burst in training mode for me and not games online.
Good luck with the j.d2 > j.u3 > Level 1! Make sure to try it with autoblock on. I’ve been itching for a nice combo into level 1 aside from randomly throwing j.u3 (aimed down).
Did the patch decrease Nariko’s Super bar AP requirements?
Feels as if I’m hitting level 1 and 2s much faster with her now.
Not that it matters much since her supers suck =/
Did the patch decrease Nariko’s Super bar AP requirements?
Feels as if I’m hitting level 1 and 2s much faster with her now.
Not that it matters much since her supers suck =/
Her Ap numbers are still the same
Nariko’s level 2 is hilarious. Level 1 is okay in corner situations if you can condition your opponent. I find building meter with her is tolerable, but definitely not good. I can deal with 130-150 AP in a relatively easy combo.
I still enjoy playing with her the most, even though she’s not that great. I really enjoy her d2 shenanigans. jd2, ju2, jd2, d2 is hilarious to witness.
I’ve gotta put some more time into the game, but I’m really having even more fun than I expected. It’s got just the right amount of proper fighter mechanics to hold my interest, but not scare everyone else away that I would normally play with.
Nariko is actually pretty viable in 2v2. I have mostly been playing her FFA where she struggles to find openings, but in 2v2 I definitely think she can be competitive. Ideally she needs a character with range or control, or both. Victheslik and I have had decent success at WNF running Big Daddy / Nariko, but against teams that are entirely ranged focused (Nathan Drake / Cole, for example, which is who we lost to in losers) we have a lot of trouble.
Once Big Daddy starts connecting with his ground pound combo, level 1 super is free.
It’s also helpful to use Level 1 Super to cover areas of the stage, like if my teammate is running away from a 2v1 and they are chasing, I will aim my super near my teammate just to get them to back off, regardless of the wasted meter (but hopefully I’ll hit one of them with it lol).
Also, the ability of her u2 (disc throw) to knock down is incredibly valuable. Throwing it before closing into melee range and engaging or throwing it while your teammate is getting picked on is a great way to throw off an opponent. I only wish the disc moved just a little bit faster, or that Nariko recovered from it a little faster. That would make it a more useful tool in close range.
Also, her f1 combo string has an interesting property in that after the first string (when she gets the yellow circle), the first hit of the next string causes crumple if it hits. But you have to be careful not to hit 1 too often because it can cause you to go into the follow-up.
What do you all think of Narikos viability in FFA? I am a Dante main, and well, he gets interrupted all day, and its not so fun haha. I tend to play E.Cole in FFA nowadays for his utility, but Nariko looks too fun to pass up.
Nariko’s viability in FFA is overly dependent on the skill level of the other players.
Because Nariko’s neutral 3 locks her and the opponent into a fairly long animation if it hits, another player can super you both for two immediate kills. Nariko’s Level 1 functions similarly but it’s pretty slow, so for optimal use you have to wait for players to group up fighting each other before surprising them with the Level 1. Her air d1 and d3 also have considerable startup time, as she is basically stuck in the windup animation until she hits the ground, with no way to speed up her fall. This makes her Super bait if you start the attack from too high, if someone is paying attention.
Assuming you can get away with those things, you’ll be fine. But I’m pretty sure the longer the game stays out, the more people will get to understand those things and learn to counter them, and at the moment I don’t see how Nariko has an answer for the counters.
I think she’s solid 2v2, but very poor FFA.
I’ve been using Nariko as my main since the second week or so of this game and I’ve had some decent results. I’ve been floating up and down as brown belt now for a bit in FFA. I’ve also run into another Nariko (name is something like MrCheeze) who is 100+ black belt points. No disrespect to SnakeAes, but I think she’s much better in FFA than Snake seems to believe. I don’t presume to be anywhere close to a Nariko master, but here are some tips for FFA:
I feel Nariko in FFA is best used outside of the combat ball. The way I like to play is to force the opponents to come to me. Attacking into the combat ball is very dangerous (do you really want to get blown up by Drake’s level 1 with no way to escape or snuck up on by Sly Cooper’s quick level 1?). Nariko has poor crowd control (S1 is decent, getting to the second string of N1-1-1–1-1 is unreliable), and few ways to easily eject people from it, so she cannot control the flow of the game if she simply attacks in. In addition, one of her main combo starters, N3, has a looooooooong animation as SnakeAes mentioned, and therefore is more or less useless in the combat ball (even though it has super armor on it, you’ll just get hit after the animation finishes).
So what do you do if you’re not attacking in. My answer is U3. Her little disc/shield throwing move is amazing. Short hop U3’s (usually aimed downwards) are amazing at gaining AP. Each one does 20 and sometimes they’ll bounce to hit a second opponent. It also causes opponents who are hit to fall on their butt. If you are doing the short hops correctly, you can actually combo one into another (this will cause the opponents to flatten/be knocked down - if a butt fall move hits an opponent who is already on their butt, they become flattened). This projectile has pretty long range, so you can gain A LOT of AP from a distance, especially if they aren’t paying much attention to you hanging out at the side. Imagine Sack Boy prenerf with his Jam session (purple ball), but with much less recovery. In addition, this move is her best way (as far as I know) to combo into her level 1 and level 2 supers. You can also follow up with a D2 if you are in range of them. Make sure you are able to use this move well!
Okay, so you’ve spammed a bunch of discs and someone finally comes to you. What do you do? Well…fight him. I feel Nariko has the tools to do pretty well 1v1 against most opponents, although some matchups are definitely worse than others. Here are some notes about the combos I personally like to use - each one comes with an asterix, so be careful!
N3 --> U2 --> j.U2 --> j.N3 --> j.N1x3 ---- 100 AP online with no AP burst??
This one is the one I probably use most. Sometimes if you start off with a D2, you’ll be able to go right into this combo (this is especially the case for button mashers and people with a lot of meter (they don’t want to be thrown, so they jump - N3 snatches them out of this). Like SnakeAes mentioned above, you have to be careful with this one because of the long N3 animation. Be aware of other people’s super meters! If you don’t feel safe with N3 after a D2 because of the long animation, you can try skipping the N3 going directly into U2. This should still hit the jumpers (although it might be too slow and lose to the button mashers). This is also what MrCheeze…the Nariko black belt guy tends to do (from what I noticed in my games with him). Also depending on the terrain, characters like Drake may be able to capitalize on the j.N3 animation (also long), but in general you are pretty safe in the air. It should be noted that most of the AP gain for this combo is at the end of the combo…so if you think you are gonna be hit out of it, just don’t do it…it’s not even worth it. N3 gives you 10 AP for its long animation. The j.N1x3 at the end gives you 40…so yeah. Oh yeah, one weird property about this combo…even though it gives you 100 AP, it does NOT give AP burst online. It will in training mode, and it will in versus mode, but for some reason it will not online…so you only get 100 AP instead of 130 AP. I’ve posted this in the bug forum, so maybe it’ll be fixed?
Next combo. j.D2 --> j.D1 --> U2 --> jump forward --> j.U2 --> j.S1. Gives 110 AP + 30 AP burst.
This combo is nice because it gives you a lot of AP from a jump in attack. You are a vulnerable to other players for a short time with the j.D1, but you are only on the ground for a relatively short amount of time with this one. The key is to make sure you are not too high off the ground with the j.D2…if you are, your j.D1 will hit to slowly, and it will be blocked (and again, as SnakeAes mentioned, it is very punishable on block). Learn the height that you need to be at well! This is a pretty practical combo and builds a lot of AP.
Last one that I use quite a bit is N2 --> take a step forward --> U2 --> j.U2 --> j.N3 --> j.N1x3. Gives 110 AP + 30 Burst.
Sometimes…you just have to parry. Honestly, I have a lot of trouble dealing with Kratos’s square attacks, so I usually just parry when I get the chance and follow up with this. Builds nice meter, doesn’t spend much time on the ground.
I should note, if you want to stay off the ground to avoid throws, j.U1 --> j.N3 --> j.Nx3 is a nice combo that gives you some decent meter.
This post…has gotten really long. Sorry guys! For completeness, I’ll finish by talking about supers.
Okay, most people hate Nariko’s supers, but I definitely think they have their pluses. She’s one of the few (only?) characters that can combo into her super from long range…this is very valuable. You don’t have to put yourself in danger in order to get a kill like many other characters do. Just toss in an U3, see them fall on their butt, activate level 1 or 2.
The key to her super is patients. Look for opportunities and try to combo into super as much as possible! You don’t want to be wasting meter when you can be getting guaranteed kills.
Level 1 super:
The key, again, is being patient. Even if you see 3 characters balled up fighting, it’s still better to throw in an U3, watch them fall on their butt, and combo into her level 1. Even if a second player uses a butt fall move on the player that your U3 had it, sure the initial player will be flattened, but you will almost always get a kill on the second player (does that make sense?). Also, you want to learn how that barrel of fireworks appears relative to you. It varies a lot on terrain, and can appear in some funky places on some levels (like in the middle of the trees on the Little Big Planet level…ugh, super annoying). Know this well. But again…be patient! Don’t waste your supers, and make sure you look for opportunities. A nice way to trap people is to kind of tech chase but with your U3. If you notice someone is always rolling a certain way on wakeup, go ahead and throw an U3 in that direction. If it hits, that’s a free level 1 kill (I’m still working on this quite a bit myself).
Level 2 super:
You should try to combo into this one the same way as level 1, but it has some other nice ways to kill characters. If someone is standing next to you when you activate level 2, an explosion will cause them to be knocked away from you and be flattened on the ground. If this happens, you have a guaranteed kill on that player as long as you can use the super. Depending on terrain, no matter which way they roll or get up, you should be able to hit them pretty easily (naturally, this works on opponents who didn’t flatten yourself, but are flattened nonetheless). Play around with this to make sure you get that kill. Try not to get too greedy and aim elsewhere (at other players) and the miss the person right in front of you. Once you kill that person in front of you, then aim at someone else. You can pretty much be sure you will get 1 kill off of level 2, but usually with decent aim, you can get 2 or even 3. Learn the areas where you can best activate this and be able to hit your opponents. Setting up in the right place is key, especially if you want multiple kills. A couple notes about the explosion on startup…if the opponent is in the air (not standing), the explosion will not cause a flattened knockdown. It will instead just knock them back into the air. Some characters will be able to escape your super from this position if they have good mobility. Also, the start explosion can be blocked! I don’t see very many people doing this online, but it can be done (and this is really bad news for you if this happens).
Beware of this super’s extreme immobility, if someone is able to walk up next to you, you are a free kill for them if they have meter! And even if they do not have super, you cannot hit them in this state (they just have to roll onto the side that you are not facing).
Level 3 Super:
I don’t have much to say about this one. I noticed that many Nariko players (including our black belt friend (at least in the games I had with him)), seem to favor simply rushing to this super. I’d just recommend making sure you use it on the right level. It can be extremely difficult to catch opponents on some stages, so if your initial triangle attack doesn’t kill 2-3 people, you might be in trouble with this one. I’ve been doing some experimenting with the square attack lately, and even though it has a much longer animation, it seems to track people down a little better in many situations for the guaranteed kill. It also DOES kill multiple opponents if they are in the area. Lastly, in case you didn’t know, you can extend the time of this super (a little) but doing a circle attack at the very end. The super will not end until the circle attack (or any attack Nariko is performing) finishes.
So yeah, give Nariko a shot in FFA! She’s fun to use for sure. Just be patient and look for opportunities to super. Keep in mind that one level 3 costs 750 AP, that’s 5 level 1 supers (each level 1 is 150 AP). That’s 5+ kills you could be getting from level 1! Use that U3 a lot to stay out of danger and still build a ton of AP, and when they come to you, start combo’ing for lots of AP!
Okay, way too long of a post. Hope this will be helpful to someone!
Thank you very much for the detailed analysis. The only other thing im curious about is if anyone know how tight the d.2 n.3 link is, because it seems like bread and butter at this point.
Many people are quoting it as a “1 frame link”, but I’m not sure how precise that is. I personally do not rely on D2 --> N3 during a match, as I cannot consistently link it and N3 is very punishable on block.
Try doing D2 and waiting to see what they do. Many players will try to roll/evade - if they do, you can do another D2 on reaction and bring them right back towards you (giving you another 20 AP). If they roll again, then do it again. If they block, do a downward throw - this will flatten them and you can play with wakeup mixups. Once they get sick of you throwing and D2’ing them off of rolls, they will probably start jumping or attacking you after you D2. At this point, throwing out N3 will hit them regardless of if you get the link (N3 will grab them out of the air if they jump).