12 cert, Bitsmith Games, iPad ***

12 cert, Bitsmith Games, iPad ***

Remember that bit in The Táin when Kú fought the half-spider, half-man cannibal? Yeah, me neither. The debut from Irish developers Bitsmith Games is a strange beast, part mystical folklore and part steam-punk sci fi. The third-person action takes place in a post-apocalyptic world. So while the art style and scenery look like The Book of Kells, there are monsters and inventions hitherto unseen in Irish mythology. You play Kú, a young, aspiring warrior who sets off on a quest to find a special ring (which supplies power for machines). The gameplay mixes combat (swordplay and magic,

a la Torchlight) with light exploration, puzzles and some role-playing elements. Kú gets darker and more engaging as it progresses, gently unveiling its surprises. It’s a rough diamond: imaginative, charming and persistently attractive, but some of the controls could be a little more precise: Imperfect, but effective, Kú is a hugely promising debut.