The action-adventure video game The Last Guardian is now out. But while the game might look easy; given its young boy protagonist and the giant Trico, a griffin-dog-bird-like creature, the game is more complex than how it looks at first. The game's main environment - set in ruins - are pretty complex to navigate. This makes The Last Guardian challenging since you have to sneak by fully-armored guards or face them off. If it's your first time to play The Last Guardian, then reading the next tips below would be essential to help your gameplay become easier.
First Things First
Before you go through our dummy guide, you are advised to read the five important things first from this guide. This will help you understand The Last Guardian better and know that even if it looks like a simple story between a young boy and a beast, there's more to this game than meets the eye. Besides, history is very important in every game and you'd do better in the game when you know exactly how it was made and why.
Trico Is A Weird Creature
Obviously, Trico being a giant creature in The Last Guardian means that it's not like other friendly beast in other games. Trico does not look like a dragon but you can hang and climb up onto him, make him swim or climb up walls. Basically, Trico is a mix of many animals like a bird, a cat and a dog to name a few. So yes, Trico looks weird but the elements he has as an animal feels very familiar and lifelike. In short, you can use Trico to do whatever you want him to do as long as he can do it.
Beware Of The World Around You
As an action-adventure game, the world of The Last Guardian is somewhat tricky. The pathways where you may want to go may not always be clear. When this happens, check out for piles of rubbles or keep an eye out for high walls or ledges that you can use to climb or push yourself forward. Make use of the commands so that you can get a move on to where you want to go. Besides, Trico was not made a combination of many animals for just nothing. Use his height, his jumping skills, his climbing ability and everything else he can do to get you to places that you cannot reach on your own.
Understand Trico - Especially His Eyes
Trico is without doubt a weird creature. He even has crazy eyes, which are very important if you want to know his moods. Normally, Trico's eyes should be a dark green color in The Last Guardian. This means that he's affectionate as is normal. If his eyes become white or yellow, this means that Trico is either mesmerized or distracted. If Trico's eyes become pink, then beware because he's feeling hostile. Trico's eyes can also turn purple and this means that he is angry. More than that, Trico also uses different calls to express his feelings. He whines when the boy gets too far away. He howls and grunts when he's ready to take the boy into an adventure somewhere.
Calm Trico Quickly
As a strange animal, Trico is expected to have some ups and downs when it comes to its mood. If you want to calm Trico, the fastest way to do it is to pet his neck. You can also climb his tail and move it anywhere you want by holding O. As a pet/friend in the game, Trico is likely to go to the wrong direction, especially in a platform puzzle. Letting Trico do this might put you farther than where you should be. To remedy that, reset Trico by jumping. Just make sure that the spot you choose to jump is a safe one so you can go where you need to be in The Last Guardian.
Remember The Commands That Trico Follows
You should also take note of the commands that you can use to Trico. If you want to call him, just tap R1. If you want Trico to sit or you want to scold him, hold R1 then press X. If you want to make him stand or praise him, hold R1 then press O. You can also make Trico stomp or swipe things away by holding R1 and pressing Triangle or Square respectively to do the move you want. Hold R1 then press Direction to lead Trico to wherever you are pointing. Of course, you make him do jumps if there's a ledge that he has to reach or a wall that he has to climb. Just take note that these moves will not work in The Last Guardian unless Trico has enough space to move. You'll know that the moves cannot be done because Trico will whine if he cannot do the given command.
Trico Can Call You, Too
If you can call Trico, then he can do the same to you. Trico does not talk but he can howl real loud for you to hear. If you cannot find a way out from wherever you are, just jump on your companion. Trico will likely get you out since he has the ability to climb walls, even on tall pillars. As a good friend, don't forget to pet Trico whenever you enter a small passage in The Last Guardian. Obviously, he cannot follow there given his gigantic size but knowing that you petted him before you go will make your heart lighter even if he'll whine as you go.
You Can Help Trico In Combat
You can also help Trico in combat by ripping off the helmets of those armored soldiers once you knock them down. Also, don't try to tiptoe your way around stone guards thinking that they will not be able to detect you. This will not work. The only way you can avoid detection is when you completely go around the guards which is very impossible given Trico's size. Also, you can make use of your enemies. When you push them away, you can hang on to their backs. When you do this, the stone guards will not throw spears at Trico. But in case Trico attacks, be sure to let go of your enemy's back and get out of the way so you won't get hit and be caught in the middle of combat.
Watch Out For Narration Tips
When you stay too long in a certain place, this can only mean two things: you are thinking about what to do next or you don't have any idea of what to do. Don't worry, The Last Guardian comes with a narration feature where you can hear tips when you hang out too long in a certain place. These tips will tell you what to do next. Listen well because being able to do so will earn you the Silver All Talked Out trophy when you hear every hint. Sweet, right?
Take Note Of The Blue Butterflies
Trico treats come in the form of a glowing Barrel. You will be able to locate these treats when you see blue butterflies flying around you. Seeing three butterflies mean that you are near to the next glowing Barrel. But seeing more than three butterflies also mean that there will be more than just one Barrel that you can collect to feed Trico. Take note that Barrels are the only collectibles found in The Last Guardian. Collecting each one and giving them to Trico as a treat will earn you the Gold Lock, Stock and Barrel trophy.
The Blue Doors Are A Bad Thing
The blue doors in The Last Guardian might look cool but they are actually bad news for you. These doors in the walls are where you'll be if you get captured by the stone guards. Once you get carted through any of these doors, the game will be over for you. So beware of those blue doors.
And that's all we have for The Last Guardian. We hope that this dummy guide will help - and have helped - you with the gameplay. If ever you discover some more helpful things upon navigating Trico's world, don't forget to let us know in the comment section below. The Last Guardian is currently exclusive for play on PlayStation 4.
