Enslaved: Odyssey to the West

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West
Cover art featuring protagonists Monkey and Trip
DeveloperNinja Theory
PublisherNamco Bandai Games
DirectorTameem Antoniades
ProducerMat Hart
DesignerMark Davies
ArtistsStuart Adcock
Alessandro Taini
WritersAlex Garland
Tameem Antoniades
ComposerNitin Sawhney
EngineUnreal Engine 3
Platforms
ReleasePlayStation 3 & Xbox 360
  • NA: 5 October 2010
  • AU: 7 October 2010
  • EU: 8 October 2010
Windows
25 October 2013
GenreAction-adventure
ModeSingle-player

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is a 2010 action-adventure game developed by Ninja Theory and published by Namco Bandai Games. As a loose adaptation of the Chinese novel Journey to the West, the game is set 150 years in a future post-apocalyptic world following a global war. Only remnants of humanity survive, along with the still active war machines left over from the conflict. The game's story follows Monkey who is forced to escort a girl named Trip home safely after they survive a ship crash. Players play as Monkey, who must combat enemies using his staff from a third-person perspective, engage in different platforming challenges and solve puzzles.

Initially pitched as a CGI film, Enslaved's development began after the teams had halted the development of a sequel to Heavenly Sword. TV series Life After People influenced world settings, while the video game Ico inspired the dynamics between the two protagonists. The team decided to shift away from the wuxia theme of the novel to science fiction as it was a genre many staff on the development team wanted to explore. Alex Garland was invited to write the game's story, eventually becoming involved in the game's design to ensure it was consistent throughout. Andy Serkis and Lindsey Shaw provided performance capture for the game, and Nitin Sawhney composed the soundtrack. The team used the Unreal Engine 3 game engine to power Enslaved.

Announced in 2009 as Enslaved, it was released on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in October 2010. Enslaved: Odyssey to the West received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its graphics, world design, Serkis' performance and Garland's script, while the game drew criticisms for its gameplay and technical shortcomings. The game was a commercial failure and sales failed to meet Namco Bandai's expectations. A single-player downloadable content, titled Pigsy's Perfect 10, was released in November 2010. A complete version, featuring all downloadable content, was released for PlayStation 3 and Windows on 25 October 2013. A sequel was planned but cancelled due to the game's financial underperformance.