A new video game tells a story so big, violent, raucous, and action-packed that its inspiration could only have come from a Bible-era text.
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron–made for Xbox and Playstation, and created by Tokyo-based Ignition Games–is based on the apocryphal Book of Enoch, purportedly written by the great-grandfather of Noah.
In the Bible, Enoch is notable only for his death: the text says that “God took him.” The Book of Enoch is a much more flamboyant story. It describes the fall of a group of angels known as Watchers, and then tells of Enoch’s repeated visits to Heaven. “Metatron,” one of the angels, is where the game takes its name from; as for the rest of the title, the main character receives one-way phone calls from a higher being, never named, but assumed to be God (“El Shaddai” is a name for God in the Bible).
So far, reviews have been mixed. Gamer site UGO says that Ascent is easily the best art-directed game in years, but IGN claims its plot is incoherent and the game falls flat. Public reaction has been overwhelmingly positive: There are already El Shaddai-branded action figures and jeans.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
