How To Play Guide for The Last Guardian

The Last Guardian is a complex game driven largely by interactions between the Boy and Trico. As such, there's some caveats to playing.

Controlling Trico
Trico is a character that controls like a real, living creature. As such, you don't specifically tell it how to do something - rather, you suggest what you want, and if it doesn't feel like listening, it could very well ignore you, and even if it does listen it might do it the way IT wants to. Because of this, you need to consider what you're asking Trico. You can use the R1 button and a direction on the thumbstick to direct Trico, as well as simply hit R1 to call Trico to your location.

The key here is trust. After every fight, you need to console Trico, and throughout the game, your relationship builds. If Trico trusts you, he's more willing to make scary jumps or do actions that are questionable, whereas early in the game, if you don't have his trust, he'll outright ignore you. The R1 button with the Triangle button can make Trico jump, as long as he trusts you.

The best way to control Trico is to ride him when possible, giving directions from his neck or head. This will allow you to generally control where Trico is looking.

Navigating the Ruins
When you're moving through the ruins, more often than not you're going to find yourself wondering where the heck to go next. You can use our Walkthroughs to navigate these areas, but there are also some general tips for smaller sections. Use high vantage points, scaling rock faces and Trico to see the entire area. This will help you find hidden holes and doors in higher rockfaces.