Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom
Encyclopedia
is an action-adventure
puzzle video game with puzzle elements, developed by Game Republic
and published by Namco Bandai Games
. It was released on November 23, 2010 in North America.
As the game progresses, Majin 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 Majin and Tepeu. For example at certain points, the characters will be separated and Tepeu must dispatch enemies using stealth, as he does not have the strength Majin does.
2009 trade show. Takahiro Sasanoi, director for Tekken 6
, also served as the director for this game. The original title was Majin: The Fallen Realm however, this was later changed during development. 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." In March 2010, Namco Bandai confirmed the game for a western release.
awarded the game an 8.0, stating that it was a fun game with an enjoyable story, but felt that it didn't accomplish anything different in the genre. The review also stated that the graphics were not as crisp as they could be, and was particularly critical of the game's voice acting. GameSpot
awarded the game 7.0 out of ten and said "Simplistic combat and tedious backtracking don't fully diminish the pleasures of this attractive and festive fable."http://uk.gamespot.com/ps3/action/majinandtheforsakenkingdom/review.html
X-Play
gave the game a 2/5 stating that while there were "clever puzzles and level design" and that the "companion system works well" it ultimately suffered from "dreadful dialogue", "sloppy controls", and a "cliched story".
http://g4tv.com/games/xbox-360/63357/Majin-and-the-Forsaken-Kingdom/review/
Action-adventure game
An action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres...
puzzle video game with puzzle elements, developed by Game Republic
Game Republic
was an independent video game developer based in Tokyo, Japan. The company, which employed just under 300 individuals before its closure, was founded on July 1, 2003 by Yoshiki Okamoto after he departed from successful Japanese game developer and publisher Capcom. Okamoto is seen as somewhat of a...
and published by Namco Bandai Games
Namco Bandai Games
is an arcade, mobile and home video game developer and publisher based in Japan which is the product of a merger between the video game development divisions of Bandai and Namco. Namco Bandai Games is a wholly owned subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings and specializes in production and sales of...
. It was released on November 23, 2010 in North America.
Plot
Majin's 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, whom the Majin refers to as Tepeu, sets out to free the mythical Majin - an all-powerful and mystical beast, to reclaim its power and restore the land to its former glory.Gameplay
The game is an action/platformer, with puzzle elements thrown in at different intervals. Players control Tepeu, while Majin is A.I. controlled. Though the player takes no direct control over Majin, they can give him commands, which are often used for solving puzzles or during combat.As the game progresses, Majin 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 Majin and Tepeu. For example at certain points, the characters will be separated and Tepeu must dispatch enemies using stealth, as he does not have the strength Majin does.
Development
The game was first announced during Namco Bandai's press briefing in GamescomGamescom
gamescom is a trade fair for video games held annually at the Koelnmesse in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is organised by the Bundesverband Interaktive Unterhaltungssoftware...
2009 trade show. Takahiro Sasanoi, director for Tekken 6
Tekken 6
is a fighting game developed and published by Namco Bandai. It is the eighth game in the Tekken franchise. It was released in Japanese arcades on November 26, 2007 as the first game running on the PlayStation 3-based System 357 arcade board. The game received an update, subtitled Bloodline...
, also served as the director for this game. The original title was Majin: The Fallen Realm however, this was later changed during development. Although the game shares many conceptual similarities with Team Ico
Team ICO
Team Ico is a Japanese video game development team led by game designer Fumito Ueda. It is part of SCE Japan Studio's Product Development Department #1, Team Ico developed the games Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, both for the PlayStation 2...
's The Last Guardian
The Last Guardian
The Last Guardian, known in Japan as and previously referred to by the working title Project Trico, is an upcoming video game developed by Team Ico, to be published exclusively for the PlayStation 3 video game console by Sony Computer Entertainment...
, Namco Bandai states that Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom "was in development long before [The] Last Guardian was announced." In March 2010, Namco Bandai confirmed the game for a western release.
Reception
Game InformerGame Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
awarded the game an 8.0, stating that it was a fun game with an enjoyable story, but felt that it didn't accomplish anything different in the genre. The review also stated that the graphics were not as crisp as they could be, and was particularly critical of the game's voice acting. GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
awarded the game 7.0 out of ten and said "Simplistic combat and tedious backtracking don't fully diminish the pleasures of this attractive and festive fable."http://uk.gamespot.com/ps3/action/majinandtheforsakenkingdom/review.html
X-Play
X-Play
X-Play is a TV program about video games, known for its reviews and comedy skits...
gave the game a 2/5 stating that while there were "clever puzzles and level design" and that the "companion system works well" it ultimately suffered from "dreadful dialogue", "sloppy controls", and a "cliched story".
http://g4tv.com/games/xbox-360/63357/Majin-and-the-Forsaken-Kingdom/review/