The long in-development PS4 exclusive The Last Guardian receives its ESRB rating, which reveals some previously unknown details about the upcoming game.

Fans have been waiting for years to get their hands on The Last Guardian, and after yet another delay, the game is finally slated for release this December. Even with its release right around the corner, much of the game is still shrouded in mystery, with Sony remaining highly secretive about what fans can expect from the long-gestating project. Unfortunately for the developers and Sony, the game's ESRB rating has leaked some details ahead of its launch.

The ESRB rating reiterates some information fans may already know about The Last Guardian. For example, it explains how combat works in the game, with players commanding Trico to shoot his lightning attacks at enemies. The new information from the ESRB rating details what the enemies look like, and apparently they will consist of soldiers, as well as foes equipped with suits of armor.

When the "young boy" and Trico kill an enemy that is wearing a suit of armor, the armor simply breaks into pieces with no blood. However, the ESRB notes that when players kill the soldiers without armor, they "emit blood-like flashes." Even though the game allows players to kill their enemies, the general lack of gore earns it a T for Teen rating for blood and fantasy violence.

Beyond how combat damages enemies, the ESRB also made it a point to mention what happens when Trico is attacked. Apparently this will mostly take place during cut-scenes, with Trico being attacked by spears and swords, and bleeding from the wounds he sustains. The ESRB rating is unclear if this kind of dynamic damage will be displayed during gameplay or only during cinematics.

Overall, the ESRB rating and description for The Last Guardian is not all that surprising, especially if one is familiar with Fumito Ueda's previous games. It seems in line with what fans would have expected from playing games like Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, and seeing The Last Guardian's E3 2016 trailer. Some may be surprised to know that the massive Trico gets roughed up during the proceedings, but considering the emotionally-charged stories of Ueda's other games, it should be expected.

Regardless of why The Last Guardian received a T for Teen rating, the fact that the game has a rating at all is a good sign for fans. While some demo reports haven't been positive, fans are still excited to have a chance to play the long in-development game, and its ESRB rating shows that it is finally nearing the end of development after nearly a decade.

The Last Guardian will be available on December 6th, exclusively for PlayStation 4.

Source: ESRB