Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom

I grabbed this when it was on sale over the holidays. The reduced price made it worth picking up. Even though I had heard some pretty negative things about the game, it seemed to be exactly the kind of game I tend to like. A true adventure with a fantastic world and a great quest.

It turns out the bad things I had heard were spot on. The acting in this game is so bad, I can only assume it was done by complete armatures. And unfortunately, the story of the Majin and the hero need to be told through this really bad acting. But the world and the main characters do have some charm and you just may find the world a fun place to spend some time.

The combat also suffers from its share of issues and tends to lend itself to button mashing. Animations can take to long and allow for what feels like very cheap hits. The camera can betray you and leave you wondering which way is up. And the Majin can end up getting in your way instead of helping out.

But, despite these flaws, the game is still fun to play for the most part. Its a classic fantasy adventure and is nothing new but they gameplay does have you and the Majin working together to solve light puzzles as well as combat. This is where the game stands out. It does a pretty good job of making you feel connected to the Majin and you want to work towards leveling up his abilities as much as your own. The level design did seem kind of odd at times and the progress of getting new powers suffers from some pacing issues. A few times I was wondering if I had missed something or if I needed to progress and backtrack. This can lead to a bit of frustration. At least there is the much needed map because without that, I probably would have quit.

The world is also very colorful, though it has its dark side, and I really like the art style. The music? I am not sure. It must not be that memorable because I can't think of any impressions.

So, its a decent, Zelda style adventure game with some decent combat. Its not going to change the lanscape of gaming but its fun. The only real shame here is that giving a bit of polish and some time spent on acting and music, this could have been a very special game. Instead, it just an above average game with lots of potential. This would be a good rent or a good pick up once its price drops again.

A game that's wonderfully charming and sweet without ever becoming annoying or cloying, with a genuinely interesting story and characters that remain with you long after finishing the game. The gameplay feels at once traditional and unique with a good mixture of adventure, puzzle solving, exploring new areas, fighting/sneaking and unique friendship between two main characters..the overall experience is both remarkable and memorable with the rare ability to appeal to all age groups.

Highly recommended to those who enjoyed Ico, Zelda, Shadow Of The Colossus, Okami.

I don't understand the few reviews here... the game is a bit linear, basically multiple paths you can go down, but it doesn't force you down any one path at all. The graphic style and color scheme is awesome and the gameplay is a lot of fun. Like I said, this game offers nothing new, but it does have gameplay elements from Zelda, Uncharted, Tomb Raider, Sly Cooper, and more. This game seems like what the ICO sequal will be like, only less dark. Do you wanna bull through and fight hand to hand in the game? Go ahead, but it'll be hard. You can do that or scan the area and look for environmental hazards or traps you can use to smite your enemies. Everything from scaling walls and cliffs to working together with the Majin to using catapults and more was simply fun. And you can find this game some places for 22 bucks, and it's definitely worth that. 1UP just recently gave the game a "B".