Review- Kameo: Elements of Power

Change is Good?

(Xbox 360; $49.99; Rated T for Animated Blood and Violence; kameo.com)

(four stars)

“Kameo,” like its sister “Perfect Dark Zero,” has a long torrid history of development. It was scheduled for release on the Nintendo Gamecube before its developer was purchased by Microsoft. It promptly became an Xbox-bound title, where it made yearly appearances at E3’s, but was never actually released on the system.

She finally makes her debut on MS’s sophomore system. But is it worth the wait?

As the fairy princess set to rescue her kidnapped family from her wicked sister, Kameo embarks upon a mystical adventure, harnessing the power of the elements and exploring vast landscapes, while battling trolls and other assorted baddies in an attempt to free the Elemental Warriors and her family.

Each Elemental Warrior adds a unique strength to Kameo’s arsenal: Chilla, the yeti-like creature, has the ability to hurl ice spears at its enemies, whereas Major Ruin can roll up into a large ball to launch itself across large chasms. Ten Elemental Warriors, each with distinct power upgrades, can be rescued in total. The challenge comes in solving puzzles that require a distinct elemental power, or in multiple personality changes to crack more complex riddles.

The game is entertaining and beautiful, but the game has as much of an identity disorder as its main character- it just feels out of place on a game system that’s defined by intense action and shooters. The animated look and “Zelda”-inspired visuals target an audience that’s much younger than the demographic of the X360 itself.

Truthfully, I have no idea who is supposed to purchase this game. Are the 15-35 year old males that make up the demographic of the new Xbox supposed to play? If so, it feels too kiddy-oriented. Or is it for their younger siblings, or children, or wives?

Ultimately, “Kameo” is a solid game without an audience- and the best darn looking Nintendo game to ever be on the Xbox.