Magatama is an action game from Kawai Hiroshi, lead programmer of Final Fantasy VII and IX, in itself enough to make some people sit up and take notice. Comparisons between this game and two of Capcom’s higher profile offerings – Onimusha and Devil May Cry – are obvious, yet from the outset it’s clear that Team Breakout have tried to find some comfortable middle-ground; attempting to marry the atmospheric formality of the former with the stylised action of the latter. In some ways, they even succeed.

Presentation-wise, Magatama is a mixed bag. The menu and level introduction screens are beautiful, and special mention must go to the game’s cut-scenes, which are visually and aurally stunning. Enemies are well designed and animated, whether back-flipping lizard men, electric demon dogs or club-wielding giants born of the earth, they move smoothly and confidently over the terrain. Locations are more hit and miss, ranging from beautiful mansion interiors, through sweeping forest clearings to drab underground caverns - although pleasing music and spot effects do much to create a foreboding atmosphere. Unfortunately, the game’s camera is lacking – although it can be centred at the click of a button, it’s erratic behaviour can lead to intense frustration during moments that require a more expansive view. In wider spaces, the problems are not so evident but in more enclosed surroundings, it’s not uncommon to find yourself fighting an enemy you can’t see.

Structurally, the game has a staccato, choppy feel. Each level, accessed from a central hub, is broken up into short stages marked by a floating, glowing bell, and the action follows a set pattern: kill preset number of enemies, the bell’s mystical seal breaks, the bell is destroyed, the player moves on. Repeat. It’s unfair to berate an action game too much for following a simplified template, but the system here is enforced with such rigidity that the game rarely gets up enough momentum to flow. The forced repetition of levels to complete different objectives does little to alleviate the feeling that you’re simply being shepherded to the next section. Despite the pretence of a sizeable and coherent game universe, it’s clear that you’re essentially only ever travelling in a straight line.

Magatama promises action, and action it delivers, albeit with varying degrees of success. Basic combat involves a startling lack of finesse – there’s little room here for majestic sword strokes and noble posturing. Instead, progress is made by bludgeoning to death hordes of enemies that block your path – at times it might almost seem that Shinato could sheath his blades and pull out a baseball bat. The end result would be much the same. Whilst it’s initially stimulating to wade into a swarm of enemies, offering them all a taste of cold steel, the novelty soon dissipates – the adrenaline rush is short lived, and not replaced with anything substantial enough to keep you interested. Enemies re-spawn at every turn, which, although loathed by some players, doesn’t necessarily have to be a problem – if combat is interesting, varied and requires skill and mastery of technique, the more enemies there are to deal with, the better. All too often though, Magatama descends into an exercise in aimless thrashing, leaving the player feeling murderous yet unfulfilled. Compounding the uninspired combat is the ungainly movement of the protagonist himself; although he has back-flip and side-somersault commands, Shinato’s clumsy movement and near-useless air attack render him perhaps the least athletic ninja in history. Whilst one-on-one boss battles offer a little more opportunity for tactical play, the arena settings often lead the camera to fail at the most inopportune moment, positioning Shinato at the working end of an enormous stamping hoof or slashing claw.

In fairness, the smartly executed special attack system goes a little way to redressing the balance. Tapping the B button once, twice, three times chains basic cuts together – momentarily holding the button down allows Shinato to administer a special attack, finishing off the combo; the outcome differs depending on which juncture in the sequence the button is held down – two taps and a hold produces a different combo to three taps and a hold. There might be a balletic flurry of steel, a powerful uppercut, or a kick to an enemy’s torso. Experimenting with this simple system is fun for a while, but you can’t help feeling that some lacklustre enemy AI renders special attacks an overly extravagant method of despatch. In the brawl situation you’ll often find yourself in, it’s no more effective than just stabbing the attack button. You wouldn’t wear a tuxedo to a barn dance, so why use an elaborate combo to despatch an enemy who’s neither physically nor mentally the protagonist’s equal?

Unquestionably, the best part of the game is Orochi, a spirit (looking rather like a flying Squid), who accompanies Shinato on his quest. Whilst not the first time a gaming sidekick has been employed, it’s rare to find an example this useful – through violence, Shinato’s aura gauge fills. If he slashes an enemy enough within a certain time period, a tracking symbol appears – tapping X unleashes Orochi’s Dragon Attack, where he’ll make a beeline for the targeted enemy, handily damaging anything else that gets in the way, perfect for use when Shinato is surrounded (which is a lot). Dotted around the game are glowing jewels, or Orbs Of Influence, that when acquired can be affixed to Orochi’s head, augmenting his power – there are more jewels than there are jewel-slots, so you’ll need to experiment with combinations to discover which is the most effective. By uncovering Orochi’s eye emblems, his ability to track multiple enemies increases – making him an even more powerful ally. As if that weren’t enough, using Orochi’s attack fills his berserk gauge, which when full turns him into a screen-clearing smart bomb; the usefulness of which is again dictated by the combination of orbs attached. Orb descriptions are in Japanese, but there’s a handy training room in which to test out different jewel combinations, maximizing Orochi’s damage potential. The sidekick system is beyond a mere gimmick as Orochi’s presence is invaluable when faced with a bridge packed with enemies or a particularly nasty boss – and it’s simply great fun to watch him skittle multiple enemies at once.

Magatama is a brave attempt to capture a piece of the action game market, yet, in trying to breach a tantalising gap, it ends up as less than the sum of its parts. For the most part it looks and sounds great, and there are definite glimpses of brilliance, which it sadly counter-balances with too many average or frustrating elements. A definite missed opportunity.