Recently, we began a Q&A segment here on the PlayStation.Blog. Hundreds of you sent us questions about Enslaved, and we’re never ones to shy away from a great opportunity, so here are the answers to some of the questions we’ve received.

1. What gameplay elements in Enslaved will help players become as emotionally invested in Trip as we will be in Monkey?

   Now that you’ve played the demo, you’ve probably seen how Trip and Monkey meet. Their relationship starts out as a harsh one; Trip hacks a slave headband and places it on Monkey’s head. If he tries to leave her or leave her in danger, then he feels the consequences. Basically if she dies, he dies.

   But despite the intensity of this initial meeting, you’ll learn over the course of the story that Trip has her own motivations, fears, and complexities. She’s not a weak woman by any stretch of the imagination. And as she and Monkey take their journey to the West, they also begin to bond and learn more about one another. As much as this is about a physical journey, the characters are also taking an emotional one as well.

2. Do the playable characters have a leveling system where you can enhance your abilities? If so, how does that work?

   Definitely. As you play through the game, Monkey can collect “tech orbs” that can then be used to upgrade items or abilities. As you accumulate enough tech orbs you can give those tech orbs to Trip and she can upgrade the skills that best suit your play style through what we call the “Trip Shop.”

3. As you progress through the game, will there be any other high-profile cities that Monkey and Trip might pass through?

   The world of Enslaved is a rich and vibrant one, and as you’ve no doubt seen in our screenshots and videos so far, a lot has happened to Earth since the great wars and events that devastated it. Vegetation has started to reclaim popular landmarks and the world as we knew it has been consumed by nature itself. New York is the starting point because it’s so recognizable and is a great “anchor.” That said, we are taking a journey West… so there are definitely some other locations they will come across.

4. What types of weapons or special abilities can we expect to see the main characters use in the game?
   
   Monkey will use his signature staff throughout the adventure, and it’s not only a melee weapon but a ranged weapon that can fire different types of ammunition. Plus, in certain areas, Monkey will have access to his trusty “cloud” which is a hoverboard-like device which he can use kind of like a surf board to maneuver around.

   Trip doesn’t come empty handed either: her dragonfly can scan an area to help identify potential dangers. She is also able to get Monkey out of hot water by using her decoy device to draw fire away from him. Plus like I said above, she’s tech-savvy and resourceful in ways that Monkey is not.

5. How long is the game? How much replay value is there?

   Given the comments the development team at Ninja Theory had received on their previous title, Heavenly Sword, and the relatively short length, they took the feedback to heart with Enslaved. Enslaved is on par with other action-adventure games and with the care and focus that Ninja Theory put into creating an incredible story, we’re confident that you’ll feel fulfilled by your experience. Enslaved is also a well-balanced experience that includes a bit of everything – fighting, clambering, puzzle solving and of course engaging characters, gorgeous graphics and a story that benefits from top-notch talent.

6. How many side story post-launch DLC packs are currently planned?
   
   We’ve recently announced that we’re going to be offering a post-launch premium DLC starring Pigsy, the comical porcine character that Trip and Monkey meet in their journey. We will have more information on the Pigsy DLC in the near future. Please stay tuned for more info!
7. Will there be a limited version or pre-order bonuses?

   Yes! We’ve got quite a wide range of bonuses that are available to people reserving or buying the game from certain retailers. All you have to do is pick out your favorite! GameStop (and EBGames in Canada) is offering pre-order customers a special “Ninja Monkey” outfit that gives our hero a dark and mysterious look, but also grants him unlimited stun and plasma ammo for his staff. Walmart and Walmart Canada customers can get the game with a download code card for a special “Classic Monkey” costume that is inspired by the original Journey to the West novel, and also grants Monkey double melee attack power. Or, if you prefer your women scantily clad and gorgeous, you can stop by your local Best Buy store in the U.S. or Canada and pick up a copy of the game with a download code card for “Sexy Robot Trip.” Plus, you’ll also get an extra stunning boost, with double duration for any stun moves in the game including Monkey’s stun attacks and Trip’s EMP blasts.

   And if cool new outfits aren’t your thing, you can always pick up the game on Amazon.com or Amazon.ca and get the game’s official soundtrack , or stop by Kmart (or Future Shop in Canada) and get the game with a copy of the Enslaved mini comic book, which was created by Marvel.

And now, for the moment you’ve all been waiting for! We promised to select one name at random to win a limited edition 12” resin statue of Monkey. These won’t be available in stores, and will only be offered through special promotions we are doing. So we’d like to give a big “Congratulations” to MistaGQ, who was our lucky winner for the statue!

In addition, we’re also going to be giving out redemption codes to 10 other lucky folks that we drew at random. These codes will give you access to all of our pre-order DLC, so you can pick and choose from your favorite costume selections! Those lucky winners are: Elite_Panda, azezsama, WFMMK, Swimmingninja, Grouken, MarinerBlu, SPIKEBOT, jenifer82, MonkeyMoon22, and Cyber-Gladiator.

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is an adventure that you won’t soon forget, and we can’t wait for you to try it out when it launches next week. U.S. and Canadian gamers will be able to play it on Tuesday, October 5th, and our European fans will have a chance to get their hands on the game on Friday, October 8th. We hope you enjoy the latest offering from Ninja Theory and Namco Bandai Games America!

As PlayStation fans, you probably remember Ninja Theory as the studio that brought you Heavenly Sword, one of the early launch titles for the PS3. Ninja Theory has upped their game with ENSLAVED: Odyssey to the West, with their development focus on merging story-telling and gameplay. ENSLAVED features a rich narrative, deep and believable characters, some of the best talent in the video game, music and motion picture industries, and a production value that’s second to none. It also combines puzzle-solving, combat and platforming to keep the gameplay varied and intriguing.

ENSLAVED: Odyssey to the West takes place 150 years in the future, after several wars have obliterated nearly all of the planet’s population. In this post-apocalyptic future, mysterious slave ships harvest remaining survivors and take them out west, for unknown reasons. You’ll take on the role of Monkey, a loner who has spent his whole life on the run. Monkey finds himself captured by one of the slave ships and uses his brute force to break free from his cell. Meanwhile, he notices a young girl named Trip who uses more refined hacking skills to also break free, though she inadvertently sets the ship on a crash course to New York in the process. Knocked unconscious from the crash, Monkey wakes up to find that Trip has placed a slave headband on Monkey’s head which forces him to obey her and whether he likes it or not – help her get back home safely.

The brilliant team at Ninja Theory enlisted the help of heavyweight Hollywood talent to bring ENSLAVED to life. Andy Serkis, the genius behind Gollum in the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, helped us with co-directing the performance capture and also acting in the lead role of Monkey. Alex Garland, screenwriter for 28 Days Later, co-wrote the story. The team has built a truly deep and memorable experience that we think you’ll be amazed by. But don’t take my word for it. Have a look at our latest trailer.

Now that ENSLAVED: Odyssey to the West has gone gold, we’ve given the press an early look at the game, and they’ve come to love it! Destructoid loved their hands-on time with the game, and even named it their Game of the Show for Gamescom 2010. G4 loved their preview experience of the game, and GamesRadar was so impressed that we left them reeling.

We have a lot of special content planned for ENSLAVED. You’ve probably already seen our retailer bonus item specials, which will give you enhanced bonus costumes for Trip or Monkey when you play the game. We’re releasing regular Developer Diary Videos on our Facebook page to help give you an inside look at what went into the creation of the game directly from the team. We also plan to offer some side-story premium downloadable content for the people that want to explore more in the world of ENSLAVED beyond the main storyline.

Another thing we’d love to do is answer some of your questions about ENSLAVED: Odyssey to the West, and there’s no time like the present!

We’ve set up a special ID on the PlayStation Network to take your questions… just send a message to “EnslavedOTTW” from your PS3. We’ll take the best questions and answer them in a follow-up blog post here, in a few weeks.

To kick things off, we have a special treat we’re offering first to PlayStation.Blog readers. We’re creating a series of unique, limited edition statues commemorating the game’s launch. These will NOT be available for purchase anywhere. We’re only making 200 of these statues, and we’ll only be offering them in special giveaways and promotions leading into launch. Here’s a prototype:

Do you have the perfect place in your home for one of these statues? Then send us a question! Even if we don’t pick your question for the Q&A, you’re automatically entered into our drawing to win one of the statues. We’ll pick the winner at random and announce it in two weeks, when we answer your questions. Ten other winners will receive redemption codes for all of our pre-order downloadable content, giving you access to alternate costumes for Monkey and Trip that are enhanced with some special bonuses like unlimited ammo. Contest available in North America except Quebec.

And even better, North American PS3 owners will get first access to the demo for ENSLAVED: Odyssey to the West when it comes to the PlayStation Store next Tuesday, September 21st.

ENSLAVED: Odyssey to the West has been a labor of love, and we can’t wait for members of the PlayStation family to get their hands on this wonderful game. We hope you’ll take the time to check it out when it launches on October 5th!