Pros: Great graphics and music, nice controls.
Cons: Story is not terribly original. Combat can be repetitive. Short game.
The bottom line: As the first game I logged lots of time into for my Playstation 3, I would have to say I came away impressed and wanting to play more.
Having just acquired a Playstation 3, I went out and got a few games. Among these was Heavenly Sword - an action game that reminded me immediately of another stylish action game - God of War.

Graphics: Overall the graphics are very good. The cut scenes remind me of a movie - especially the inset ones. The blur on aftertouch arrows is impressive. Character models are good and the amount of enemies moving around on screen can only be described as impressive. The backgrounds can be breathtaking at times as well.

Sound and music: The sounds are effective, but a bit repetitive. Lots of grunting and crying out. The music is good though, and compliments the graphics and overall tone of the entire game. The voice acting is quite good as well - some of the best I have heard to date, and it really helps to sell a somewhat mundane story.

Game play: The controls are pretty good. It's impossible not to compare the game to God of War, and the ability to shift from stance to stance is fluid. However, the blocking is handled awkwardly - you don't press a button, you simply stand still and auto block. Not sure I'm a fan of that. Still, the button pressing sequences work pretty well for the most part and the game handles fine. Another neat feature is the aftertouch - which makes use of the 6-axis controls. When you fire an arrow or cannon ball, you tilt or lean your controller to help change the direction of your projectile.

Intangibles: Overall I like the game. It was pretty fun, though the storyline could have been a bit better. Still, the graphics and sound make it an enjoyable experience. My only other real gripes are that the action can get a bit repetitive and that the game it self is not terribly long.

Overall, I will give this game 4 out of 5 stars, because it was fun and fun to play again. The only thing I would question, is whether it is a good investment - it is an expensive game, even used, for how long it is. Additionally, this is not a game for children. The themes and violence are quite grownup.