There are not enough games that make you simply smile. Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom aims to do its part for the cause, with a title that looks set to be one of the most adorable and endearing pieces of software ever made. It’s about a young thief and a huge troll-like creature. They work together to fight the “Darkness” and they’re absolutely darling together.
Check out our full preview, while I give you my own Jimpressions.
The game made me smile from beginning to end. Much of it’s in the animation. For example, the thief can bring bombs for Majin to ignite by breathing fire. Once Majin breathes fire on the bomb, it becomes very hot and the thief starts dancing in pain from burnt hands. Majin sees this and gets a look of utter worry on his face as he realizes what he’s done. It’s so subtle, so easy not to spot, and yet it transforms the experience tremendously. This animation is woven throughout the whole game, and it brings the entire thing to life.
Gameplay is centered around these interactions. Although the thief can fight, he is weak, and needs Majin to storm in. However, Majin’s a big target and can get overwhelmed, so the thief must used his less obvious physique to help the big galoot out. The two characters can perform great finishing moves together, and individually they each have their own tricks for taking out enemies, from stealth executions to pushing walls on groups of shadowy foes.
Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom is a beautiful little game where subtle touches make huge differences. It slapped a grin on my face that was almost impossible to wipe off, and I think everybody should be paying it far more attention.
