Kameo: Elements of Power – Review

It seemed an absolute age that Kameo Elements of Power was in development, when it all went quiet many gamers thought the bells of doom had chimed and this title would never see a release, then came the announcement, it would release on the first neo gen machine, the Xbox 360, as a launch title. Given the sheer amount of time in development this game was set to be an absolute stonker, let’s see if it is.

This is a fantasy title and our hero of the piece is Kameo. She’s a beautiful, big-eyed fairy who has an evil sister (don’t they all? – Ed), who’s out to cause trouble. The story is straight out of a fairy tale, which is hardly surprising given the fairy tale setting. This is essentially the quintessential good versus evil storyline. As your sister teams up with Thorn and the evil trolls, the world is in trouble, and you are here to fix things with 3rd person platforming / puzzler action. In story terms it’s your initial task to regain all of your powers of transformation. This transformation and use of other creatures is really what sets Kameo apart from other games, though it could be slated as picking up weapons upgrades, just done in a differing way. It makes the title more interesting and is fairly absorbing. Each character has 3 special attacks, these are assigned to the triggers and both at once, this is intuitive and isn’t a problem to use, far better than multiple button presses. Characters can also be assigned to the coloured buttons. That makes it easy for selection and as you continue to gather more elemental spirits, you can make use of the intuitive wheel type choice system for choosing the right character. Don’t think when you begin that this is some shallow platform title, the depth will come with time spent. You should also know that it isn’t a hugely long game, but this also halts the problems that thwart really long titles with the “one more samey level” design.

A point of note, the game starts off by throwing you straight into the action, this is odd, given the following level acts as a sort of tutorial. This for me seemed a little ass about, as though the first playable section had been stuck onto the front as an afterthought. It’s all a little odd. Persevere however and rich rewards do await.

Graphically this is obviously a very nice looking title. The detailing and overall care that seems to have been taken with it seems fairly exceptional. It is truly a gem with regards to the graphics and fairly frightening that this title was meant for the last generation of machine, you certainly can’t tell that is the case. Draw distance, character animation, environmental detailing, lighting, textures and more are all done to the nth degree. The only problem the graphics have is that, at times, they make no sense to the task at hand. Gaps that your character can clearly fit through given a size comparison don’t necessarily mean you will fit through it unless you utilise the ‘correct game mechanic’ to do so. This aspect doesn’t take away from the graphics per se; it’s just a shame that’s how some things worked out. Back to the character animation, the fact you can see Kameo within other creatures is beautifully done and a clever addition. It is very cute seeing her little legs peddling away like mad when you’re inside Rubble for example. A very nice touch overall and it’s just another example of great animation. The way that your characters leave behind different footprints is also excellent. I particularly liked Chilla and how he makes use of ice and leaves icy prints behind. There’s certainly no complaining about the graphics and the beautiful lush scenery really shows off the Xbox 360, particularly if you have it hooked up to a good TV.

Rare have also made a lot of effort with the sound in Kameo. The musical score is used in a similar way to that of movies, it enhances the action or subdues when needed. Voice acting and the incidental sounds in Kameo, like the graphics, are all done with great care. Given this fact the game is a stand out title with regards to sound. You know you’re in trouble because the soundtrack swells to tell you about it. It’s a very classy piece overall and it fits in well. The only complaint would be that the Wotnot book can irritate at times as he constantly reminds you he’s there.

Female gaming characters are too few and far between, so it was gratifying to see two of the lead out titles for the 360 utilising female characterisation in a pivotal and main role, but with this joy comes grief. Both characters, Kameo less so than her Rare counterpart ‘Joanna Dark’ are scantily clad, but worse than that, they lack their male equivalent. I do suppose this can be overlooked, because the majority of other games do not lack the male lead, but it still has to be said that choice of gender is important in a game, regardless. Kameo also is fairly weak when examined as a character in her own right. It is in fact the male characterisations that she can transform into that hold all the real power. Although it’s doubtful there is some sub conscious message here, it’s still annoying. Still, can’t complain too much, this title could so easily have had a male hero so it’s nice to see the ladies getting some attention and being the centre of the story.

Rare include a download pack for the Holiday Season

Yes, this title shows off the power of the 360 and it is beautiful in its creativity, but gameplay wise it is lacking in a few areas, at least for the veteran gamer. You may feel that the initial excitement of being able to change and transform will wear off and you may wonder whether your true gaming genius is being tested. It isn’t the most difficult game around and it’s fairly accessible to most gamers. Overall, you can’t help but be impressed with its charm and the sheer magnitude of its levels. Given the vast amount of FPS, driving and sports titles that encompass the Xbox 360’s launch line-up, Kameo is something a little different that could be played by gamers of all ages and will definitely keep you occupied for a while. Take time to become absorbed in this game, it will happen and when it does you’ll be one happy gamer.

Review by Eden