Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom

After freeing the Majin from its castle prison, the thief Tupeu is disappointed. This towering creature was supposed to be his homeland’s savior, helping to eradicate an encroaching darkness. Instead, it was childlike and clumsy. The beast certainly looks imposing, with a massive frame and powerful arms, so Tupeu hopes for the best and heads back to his threatened forest.

While Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom may kick off with feelings of disappointment, producer Daisuke Uchiyama says their bond will grow. “This Majin will become an important part of the experience—not only to the main character, but to the user himself.”

After playing the game for a while, it was easy to see how this worked in action. Tupeu is quick and weak, and his melee attacks do little damage compared with his gigantic friend. Using the right trigger in conjunction with face buttons allows you to direct the Majin in battle or to solve puzzles—or sometimes both simultaneously. The Majin can stun opponents with his powerful physical or elemental based attacks, letting Tupeu finish them off with his blade or by utilizing team attacks.

In one encounter with a mid-level boss, I entered a large room from an elevated path. I directed the Majin to attack, and I dove in afterward. We were quickly overtaken and both died within a few seconds. On my second attempt I looked around a bit more before initiating the battle. There, I noticed a weakened wall above the larger room. I commanded the Majin to lean against it and wait for my order. Dropping down, I lured the group of dark warriors toward the trap. Once they were in position, I gave the Majin the signal, and he leaned into the wall, knocking it down and crushing our foes. From there, we made short work of the few who survived.

Afterward, Tupeu was himself covered in the same mucky goo that composed his enemies. The Majin took the break in the action to inhale and absorb the darkness, restoring Tupeu’s health. Even after spending a few minutes with my new stony friend, it was easy to see that Uchiyama is well on his way to achieving his goal of creating a character that players care about. I couldn’t have imagined a better companion against the darkness.

The Third Time’s The Charm
The Majin you see in the game now wasn’t the character’s first design. Uchiyama says the first attempt was more cuddly, covered in fluffy fur. His team took the design to students in San Francisco, who made their opinions clear. “Basically, they ripped the crap out of it,” he says. The second iteration was more menacing, but Uchiyama and his team found that players had a difficult time relating to such a scary figure. After eight months of work, they finally came upon the Majin’s current design. As he grows more powerful, the foliage on the Majin’s back will become more robust, sprouting trees and filling in like a lion’s mane.