El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron

El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron
North American cover art
Developer(s)Ignition Tokyo[a]
Publisher(s)UTV Ignition Games[b]
Director(s)Sawaki Takeyasu
Producer(s)
  • Kashow Oda
  • Masato Kimura
Designer(s)Yusuke Nakagawa
Programmer(s)Katsuya Nakamura
Artist(s)Soutarou Hori
Sawaki Takeyasu
Writer(s)Yasushi Ohtake
Composer(s)
  • Masato Kouda
  • Kento Hasegawa
EngineGamebryo
Platform(s)
ReleasePlayStation 3, Xbox 360
  • JP: April 28, 2011
  • NA: August 16, 2011
  • EU: September 8, 2011
  • AU: September 15, 2011
Windows
  • WW: September 2, 2021
Switch
  • WW: April 28, 2024
PlayStation 5
  • WW: TBA
Genre(s)Action
Mode(s)Single-player

El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron[c] is a 2011 action video game developed by Ignition Tokyo and published by UTV Ignition Games for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It saw later releases on Windows and Nintendo Switch, with a PlayStation 5 port planned for later release. The storyline, based on the apocryphal Book of Enoch, follows the immortal scribe Enoch as he is sent by God to find seven fallen angels and save humanity from a great flood triggered by the Council of Heaven. Gameplay has Enoch platforming through 2D and 3D levels which vary in presentation and art style, with hack and slash combat using weapons stolen from enemies.

Production began in 2007, and included several former members of Capcom's Clover Studio. After being contacted about the project idea, director and character designer Sawaki Takeyasu was given extensive creative freedom, contributing to the simplified game design and focus on art and music. The storyline, based around the theme of self-sacrifice, was described by Takeyasu as being "half-finished" due to production problems. The music was co-composed by Masato Kouda and Kento Hasegawa, with members of music production company Imagine contributing to arrangements.

Announced in May 2010, El Shaddai received an extensive promotional campaign. Journalists praised its art design and music, but the game saw low sales. The game was Ignition Tokyo's only product, as it was closed in 2011 shortly before its release, and planned sequels were abandoned. Takeyasu supervised further El Shaddai-related media, going on to purchase the intellectual property in 2013 and developing a follow-up called The Lost Child.
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