This central dynamic is then overlaid with elemental considerations (in the usual rock, paper, scissors style) and so the player must decide which elemental set of Kenpu moves to use against which elemental enemy. The more Kenpu move tokens that you fill each Bugei with, the more moves at your disposal. The Bugei must be filled in with 'Kenpu': collectable tokens that represent attack moves that can be strung together into sequences. 'Bugei' are special combat scrolls that you must equip Shinbu with to unlock his moves.

The battle system is inventive and, initially at least, compulsive. The beauty isn't all skin deep either this is one model that has clearly tried to better herself with a little education. Hero Shinbu's attack moves dance and twirl eloquently across the PSP's delicious screen and, for public transport show-offs, it's exactly the kind of pretty faced companion to inspire jealous stares. It's long, good-looking and mostly spectacular (if a little soulless) in its kinetic visual appeal. It's rather a well-presented, PSP-exclusive Action RPG mixing up the immediacy of beat-'em-up style fight mechanics with RPG-lite levelling and questing. So, let's start this gratefully: Key of Heaven (Kingdom of Paradise in the US, Tenchi No Mon in Japan) is neither a port nor a cross-platform hedged bet. It's unlikely that any publisher would lay down the same kind of financial and temporal investment that a grown up console's AAA RPG would need for what's essentially a little pocket gamble in a niche and expensive genre. On the other hand, sprawling macro-narratives populated by WETA-style leathery-faced orcs and chisel-chinned polygonal heroes all lit cinematically by a continuous graphical firework display take a load of people with a load of time and a load of cash to make. After all, we might know that sprites can still be totally amazing, but they hardly inspire tech envy from the eyes peering hungrily over your shoulder on the bus. Quit whining and actually think about it for two seconds: simple-looking 2D adventures based on the form and function of the SNES role-playing heyday, while affordable to make, don't fit the aspirational futuristic branding too well. It's no surprise that PSP-exclusive RPGs are so scarce.

Kingdom of heaven game