Having spent an eternity in development on both the N64 and Xbox, its a marvel that Rares magical adventure ever got to see the light of day. But now that Kameo: Elements Of Power has finally arrived, the charming experience is over much too quickly.
A candy-coloured quest that will be familiar to fans of Rares work on the N64, Kameo casts players as a shape-shifting Elvin princess who can transform into a menagerie of mythical beasts and use their powers to solve puzzles and butcher enemies.
The game itself looks fabulous, the designers having spent years creating a beautiful storybook land with stunning attention to detail, each of the sprawling levels feeling like a completely different world and presenting its own unique challenges. The action itself is also irresistible as it liberally mixes exploration, combat and puzzle-solving challenges, keeping the story moving at a brisk pace and ensuring the action never gets dull.
But as the entire game can be cracked in a little under eight hours, and with precious little to entice you back for more, its a mystery why Rare dragged its feet for so long before unleashing Kameos fleeting quest.