PixlBit

When was the last time you smiled while playing a video game? I don’t mean because you were laughing at a funny line of dialogue or because you killed some dumb noob in a multiplayer game. I’m talking about playing a game that made you feel so good that you had a smile of satisfaction on your face the entire time. That’s the feeling I had during much of Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom, a gem of a game that was overlooked almost across the board when it was released in 2010.

Set in a world overrun by the Darkness that has pervaded nearly every living thing in its vicinity, you control the young thief, Tepeu. Raised in the wilderness and gifted with the ability to talk to animals, Tepeu breaks into the castle and stumbles upon the imprisoned Majin. The Majin is a creature of legend, which was said to be a fearful beast that could destroy the Darkness. What Tepeu finds, however, is a gentle, soft-spoken giant with a taste for fruit. The two set out to defeat the four dark generals and break the seals on the main chamber of the castle to defeat the Darkness for good.

I’d describe Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom as a “buddy” game. The relationship between Tepeu and the Majin is core to the story, as well as to the gameplay. As the duo defeats enemies together they fill two different experience meters. The first is Tepeu’s level, which increases his damage output, while the second increases the friendship between the unlikely pair. This grants access to stronger and more devastating team up attacks. The only way to truly kill the enemies in this game is to either stun them long enough for the Majin to absorb their essence or blow them away with one of these team combos.

Combat is easily the weak point in this game, and a large part of that stems from the fact that only the Majin can defeat enemies. All Tepeu can do is render them a helpless pile of inky-black goo, but unless the Majin is close enough to absorb their essence, enemies pop right back up. Naturally, there are plenty of points in the game when Tepeu needs to strike out on his own, either to solve a puzzle or find a way to make a path for his gargantuan friend. Even though it’s easy to sneak through these sections and stun the enemies with a “stealth kill”, the actual combat is shallow and repetitive, and only ever picks up when Tepeu needs to save Majin from smaller enemies that cling to him.

Since the game features only two characters, it’s paramount that their relationship work for the story to matter. Cut scenes show snippets of the Majin’s forgotten past, and the simple-minded giant displays a great deal of empathy and compassion for his new partner. This camaraderie is brought to life thanks to the vocal talents of Paul St. Peter, who voices the Majin with care, sure not to make him sound stupid while maintaining a level of sweetness to the character. Whether it was the Majin calling for Tepeu to wait up, or his salivating in anticipation of a large piece of fruit, I had a smile on my face the entire time.

The areas around the castle are structured like a Metroid game, with sections walled off until a certain ability has been learned or a boss has been defeated. The levels flow together well, and I found myself exploring every nook and cranny of the land. I rarely make time to find everything in games these days, but I sought out every piece of gear for Tepeu and every bit of fruit for Majin.

Within these levels, various puzzles need solving. These are never brain teasers, and they tend to rest on the crutch of finding ways to get the Majin through the environments. The boss battles add a little more thinking to the mix, but the game is quick to help out and does a little more hand holding than I would have liked. It’s an easy, breezy type of game, but I enjoyed it from beginning to end.

Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom isn’t going to win any awards. It’s not flashy. It doesn’t have an epic storyline. It doesn’t have complex gameplay. What this game does have is a charming personality and the ability to bring me genuine joy, and sometimes that’s all I need from a video game. This is a delightful romp that ends right when it needs to, and I highly recommend tracking down a copy if you’re looking for something off the beaten path.