Kameo: Elements of Power

"The 360 takes a stab at the Zelda formula and, surprisingly, does pretty darn well with it."

This is the prime example of a well thought out and fun game that wound up going under the radar. Kameo: Elements of Power is essentially the Xbox 360's version of the Zelda series adventure format, and while it isn't quite in the same league, it is a very functional substitute for a console that doesn't yet have a whole lot of games like this.

Gameplay appears simple at first, but has a surprising amount of depth. Kameo, the game's elvish heroine, has the ability to transform at will into elemental warriors and utilize their special abilities to defeat her enemies and find her way through the complex environments she encounters. There are 10 warriors in all to unlock, each with its own talents; from a rolling armadillo that can roll up steep inclines, to a fist fighting plant that can move underground, to a yeti-like creature that can scale icy walls. It would have been nice if Kameo's normal form was more useful, but it really serves no purpose other than that it can hover above ground and move a little faster than most of the warriors. Engaging normal enemies in combat is generally a very simple matter since there is no blocking or dodging function to speak of, though a few enemies are more vulnerable to a certain element than others. Where the fighting gets its depth is in playing around with each warrior's abilities and finding the more extravagant ways to dispatch the array of trolls (which compose about 90% of the game's enemies) that Kameo encounters. The unique boss battles are a different matter, as they will usually force Kameo to use a recently acquired warrior's special skill to exploit the boss's weakness. Kameo's maximum health and the elemental warriors' abilities can be upgraded with special elixirs and fruit that can be found or purchased throughout the game.

Easily the game's weakest element is its plot. There really isn't that much to talk about here. The story starts in the middle of the action with Kameo invading the castle of the troll king to rescue her family from her sister Kalus, who betrayed the kingdom and allied with the troll king (the back story of both the troll king and Kalus is incredibly thin, unfortunately). After falling at the hands of the troll king, Kameo loses her control over the few elemental warriors she has, but her captured mother manages to magically whisk her safely back to the kingdom. From here, Kameo embarks on a journey to reclaim the 10 warriors and give the invasion of the troll king's lair another go. And that's about it. Nothing much in the way of twists and turns….a couple overworld battles here and there…..the game pretty much follows this course with no real change. Pretty much all of the characters, even Kameo, are static and bland, not giving the player much reason to care about any of them. It's clearly evident that there was a lot of additional depth that could have been added to the story, but it simply isn't there. Hints of a sequel are present, so perhaps we'll see a more substantial story in the next game.

Visually, the game is positively gorgeous. A lush variety of environments compose the game's world, and the Xbox 360's additional graphical horsepower is very evident. There's a certain cartoony feel to how the game looks, but this approach allows it to use very bright colors and contrasts to create a vivid (if not particularly realistic) landscape. Special detail is given to particle and fluid physics, which look incredibly natural. Sound quality is also a positive point in this game. The soundtrack is very well composed with a mix of soft and powerful music, and it captures the adventure aspect of the game quite well. Voice acting is simply okay: neither particularly good nor particularly bad. There are a couple extra diversions as well. Besides the single player mode, some events in the game can also be played co-op with a friend. You can also find alternate skins for your warriors and unlock special content by getting high scores in each of the game's sections.

For what was an early XB360 game, this is pretty good stuff. A solid adventure title in most respects, Kameo succeeds in delivering a unique “Zelda-like” experience while preventing itself from being a complete clone. No, it isn't Ocarina of Time or Twilight Princess, but if you own a 360 and haven't had the opportunity to play those games, pick this one up.

GAMEPLAY – 8/10
STORY – 5/10
VISUALS – 10/10
SOUND – 8/10
SWING – 8/10

OVERALL – 7.8/10

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 02/09/07