Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom explained

Developer:Game Republic
Publisher:Namco Bandai Games
Director:Yoshiki Okamoto
Takashi Shono
Producer:Daisuke Uchiyama
Designer:Sosuke Honda
Yohei Yanase
Composer:Toshihiko Sahashi
Platforms:PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Genre:Action-adventure, puzzle
Modes:Single-player

is an action-adventure video game developed by Game Republic and published by Namco Bandai Games. It was released in November 2010 internationally and January 2011 in Japan.[1]

Plot

The story is set in a once prosperous and fruitful kingdom, which is overtaken by a mysterious "Darkness" and thrown into disarray. While many citizens attempted to explore and find out what's going on, they were never to be seen again, and the decay continued. To cleanse this forsaken kingdom of the darkness, a young thief sets out to find and free the mythical Majin - an incredibly powerful mystical beast, to reclaim its power and restore the land to its former glory.

Gameplay

The game is an action-adventure game with puzzle elements thrown in at different intervals. Players control the thief, Tepeu, while the Majin, Teotl, is A.I. controlled. Though the player takes no direct control over Teotl, they can give him commands, which are often used for solving puzzles or during combat.

As the game progresses, Teotl will gain powers, such as the ability to produce electricity. These elements will be used both in combat and puzzle solving.

The game is intended to emphasize the differences in Tepeu and Teotl. For example, at certain points, the characters will be separated and Tepeu must dispatch enemies using stealth, as he does not have the strength Teotl does.

Development

The game was first announced during Namco Bandai's press briefing in Gamescom 2009 trade show.[2] Takahiro Sasanoi, director for Tekken 6, also served as the director for this game.[3] The original title was Majin: The Fallen Realm however, this was later changed during development.[2] Although the game shares many conceptual similarities with Team Ico's The Last Guardian, Namco Bandai states that Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom "was in development long before [The] Last Guardian was announced."[4] In March 2010, Namco Bandai confirmed the game for a western release.[2]

Reception

The game received "mixed or average" reviews on both platforms according to video game review aggregator Metacritic.

The Daily Telegraph gave the X360 version a score of 9 out of 10 and called it "one of the most memorable, enjoyable games I've played this year." However, 411Mania gave the same version 6.9 out of 10 and stated that it's "worth a weekend rental, or possibly a pick-up if you’re in need of an action-adventure game with some backtracking."[5] The A.V. Club gave the PS3 version a B− and said that while the game "isn't overtly a kids' game, the translations and voice acting are almost comically silly."

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom: Befriending the Beast . Clements . Ryan . April 14, 2010 . . October 25, 2015.
  2. Web site: GC 2009: Majin Incoming from Bandai Namco . Wales . Matt . August 19, 2009 . IGN . October 25, 2015.
  3. Web site: Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom (PS3) - Credits . . https://web.archive.org/web/20141115002205/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=71926&tab=credits . November 15, 2014 . dead . October 25, 2015.
  4. Web site: Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom Hands-On . Donlan . Christian . May 24, 2010 . . June 5, 2010.
  5. Web site: Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom (Xbox 360) Review . Larck . Adam . December 12, 2010 . 411Mania . October 25, 2015.