Games, anime and other Japanese media has taken inspiration from Judeo-Christian themes and imagery in the past, as any fan of Evangelion, Xenogears, or Shin Megami Tensei will attest. Still, none have done so in quite as bonkers a way as El Shaddai, Ignition Tokyo’s first and only game, which turned an apocryphal Jewish text into a hack-and-slash game.

You played as Enoch, a celestial scribe. However, he wasn’t hitting the books but on a mission from God to become an action hero. He journeyed to Earth to seek seven fallen angels to prevent a flood from destroying mankind. Helping him was Lucifel, an archangel who had the Big Man Upstairs on speed dial via his mobile, and special holy armour that acted as his health bar.

The more damage you took, the more pieces broke off your armour, gradually leaving Enoch in a state of undress

(you were able to repair it using silver hearts you found throughout levels). It wasn’t necessarily curtains for you if you got knocked down without any

It’s hard not to marvel at the fantastic visuals. armour as a bit of button-mashing could get you back in the fight.

The combat was simple yet effective, with just one attack button that could string light and heavy combos based on the timing of your presses. So while you could mash out a quick combo, it would be weak and easier for enemies to block. You needed to find the right rhythm based on each of the three weapon types – the arch, the longrange gale, and the heavy but powerful veil. The three also had a rock-paperscissor hierarchy with one another. Your weapons dulled over time, meaning you either had to purify them, during which time you were vulnerable, or you could steal an enemy’s weapon.

Despite these neat ideas, the combat was arguably limited compared to the likes of Bayonetta or Devil May Cry. It

THE GAME HAD AN ANIME AESTHETIC THAT WAS POSITIVELY GHIBLIESQUE.

Your perspective shifts as much as the art style.

Expect to get knocked down by antagonist Azazel.