Kameo: Elements of Power

"More than just a pretty plant"

Rare. Before I had really known anything about this company, before I even knew its name, I had liked it. And why, Donkey Kong Country. This company, since the time I was three, has always impressed me time and time again. Even though the company hardly makes that many games any more, when it does, it is almost always going to be great. Donkey Kong 64, Banjo-Kazooie, CONKER, and Perfect Dark, are all great games, which have come out from Rare in the past.

But, being probably one of the first companies's to jump at the 360, Rare decided to not only make one game, but two. Perfect Dark Zero, and of course, Kameo: Elements of Power. Two very different games, but two of probably the most talked about, and love/hate relationship games in years.

If you have been following this game, unlike I had been, you might know that Kameo was originally supposed to be released a long time ago, on the Gamecube. Talk was even aroused that it was supposed to be for the N64 but, do to circumstances, such as the console dieing out before the game was released, it never made it. Then, talk about this game for the X-Box came, now with even better graphics, and over 150 elemental warriors. But, then the 360 was announced. This had been just what Rare was waiting for. Finally a console that could hold their long held off project, and it paid off.

Kameo starts off amazing. The opening cut scene shows what has happened, and what the deal is really. You, Kameo, have been given the Elemental Powers, which is the ability to transform into an array of different warriors, to save the day and be strong. But, your sister, Kalus is furious about this, saying she was the rightful heir to the Powers, and that she deserved them, not Kameo. So she goes anal, and releases Thorn, a monster Troll King from past times, that tried to rise against the elves, but was beaten and enslaved by your Father and the Elemental Warriors.

Now, Thorn is a pretty bad ass dude. For one, he is over twenty feet tall, green, controls an army of trolls and technological advances, such as tanks, and has a real knack for causing trouble for Kameo and her family. But, Kalus and this evil King team up, to seek revenge on the family. So King Thorn sends his men to capture the four main family members, and all seems lost, as the only thing left in saving the Kingdom is Kameo, and her little book.

The actual game starts though, right in the think of things, as you as Kameo march through Thorns castle, and up to save your relatives. You start with three of the ten Elemental Warriors at the start of the game. Pumble Weed, THE BEST, who is a big plant creature with huge boxing spike hands to knock out enemy's. Chilla, a big yeti type monster who throws ice spikes at people. And Major Ruin, a big armadillo type rock monster, who rolls over enemies and is used to get across large gaps. All three of very cool and go into a lot of detail background wise, and attack and graphically wise. As you progress through the game, you will earn many more Warriors, all that have their own abilities and strengths.

But anyway, the game starts right in the think of things, and doesn't give you time for any type of tutorial or anything. I thought that it was awesome, because if you read the little side notes and listen to the Wotnot Book, you will learn everything you need fast. But the enemies you face, and the puzzles you solve, will get you aquatinted with the game a lot quicker and more hands on than a tutorial can.

Going into the game play area, Kameo really flows great on the 360 controller. I thought it was a really cool way of doing it like they did. The A/B/Y/X buttons, all are used to transform make and forth with the Elemental Warriors and Kameo. You can have three Warriors at once, but by simply holding down the button, you can choose them on the go. Only problem with that is, while surrounded by enemies, and having to stop what you're doing and go up and down the wheel, you are bound to get hit. The shoulder buttons are used to toggle your Warriors or Kameos moves and attacks.

But other things like riding a horse, buying upgrades, fighting large groups of trolls on the main map area, are all very cool additions. Riding the horse, while not essential in getting you from place to place, does make it go faster, and is a good helper to laying down the pain on Trolls in your way. It gives the game a kind of, Ocarina of Time feel to it, and I thought that was really awesome. Plus, small little things like day and night passing regularly, even though it's not in real time, and NPC fighting even while your not there, is all very cool.

Another thing that Kameo brought to the table was its great voice acting. Now, some of the voices, are a little weird and far fetched, like the Mystics', and some other people, but overall they did a very good job of matching their characters. The few lines that Kameo has throughout the story, gives her more of that normal character feel, like your not just the one silent person and everyone else talks to you and you magically agree.

All of your attacks and movements are very finely tuned also. Simple things like walking through a forest can be heard in great detail. The crunch of the leaves under your feet/paws/roots/hooves and other walking tools, sound just as bit realistic as they would in real life. Your attacks, and your enemies attacks, while not realistic sounding, so sound very fantasy sounding, like in a Disney movie or something. While they are more of a childish type of sounds and dialog, by no means is this just a child's game. Everyone can find something good with Kameo,

But moving right along, I don't think this game would be anything, with out its amazing visuals. The one scene, where you are standing up against over a hundred plus Trolls, looks so freckin stunning, your mouth will be open in awe. Never have I seen so many enemies, all in one place, and not one thing looks bad. The details that go into everything, from the moving clouds, to the harsh, jerky movements of the trolls, to just transforming into one of your Warriors, are all great in detail and have so much more than almost every other game I have ever played.

Character models, are very good in Kameo. While they all are very cartoonish and childish, they still look spectacular. Take Kameo for example, her war paint on her face, has the little smudge marks and streaks on it, that would be there as if in real life. Her cloths all move with grace and freely in the wind or while just walking, and her hair will be seen flowing down her face exactly in real life. And that's just her regular human form. Most of your Warriors are all super cool and impressive visually. Some of them, like the Ash the Dragon, while not greatly detailed as say, Pumbel Weed, it still looks amazing.

The 360 is truly the system for graphics, and if Kameo is just the beginning, I can't wait to see what it has to offer a few years from now.

Kameo is one of my new instant favorite games. While it may not be as much fun, to play it over and over again, your first play through it, while a little quicker than I thought, is still great fun for every kind of gamer. I didn't think I would like this game, nearly like I did, but that just goes to show not to judge a game by its cover. I would tell anyone who asks to buy this game, renting it will just make you want it more. Spectacular graphics, fun and new game play areas, and a story line that will interest you from the beginning, is enough to make Kameo one of the first must haves for the 360.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 02/14/06