7 Mages
- March 15, 2016
- Napoleon Games, s.r.o.
"7 Mages" is a single-player Role Playing Game with sensational gameplay and pretty visuals. Players protect peasants' homes and crops from magic prospectors on the magical island of Roven, visiting gloomy crypts, icy mountain passes, and more. The game features unique turn-based combat with combat magic, elemental magic, and the option to split up your team.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- 7 Mages is a fun and engaging old-school turn-based dungeon crawler with innovative mechanics and a variety of puzzles.
- The game features beautiful graphics and a great soundtrack, enhancing the overall atmosphere and experience.
- It offers a unique party-splitting mechanic that adds depth to both combat and puzzle-solving, making it a refreshing take on the genre.
- The game suffers from a clunky user interface and controls that feel more suited for mobile devices, leading to a frustrating experience on PC.
- Combat can be slow and tedious, with many players finding the turn-based system lacking in excitement and flow.
- There are numerous bugs and performance issues, including crashes and unresponsive controls, which detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- story18 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it lackluster and uninspired, often comparing it unfavorably to other titles in the genre. While some appreciate the character development and the potential for an engaging narrative, others criticize it as shallow and derivative, suggesting that the game is better enjoyed for its mechanics and puzzles rather than its storytelling. Overall, the consensus is that the story does not meet the expectations set by similar games, making it a secondary focus for players.
“A great game, some of the mechanics appear weird at first, and it takes a bit to get used to, but then it offers interesting locations, likable characters with a good story tying everything together.”
“We want games fun and though the game has huge potential to be good, the story and dialogues are good.”
“I know that these games are not primarily played for the story, but compare it to other similar games, e.g. Darkest Dungeon.”
“Very bad game design, very bad controls, lame story, borrowed from famous western (and similar samurai movie).”
“Don't play this game for the story, you will end up very disappointed.”
“The story 'hints' are misleading and can lead you to a dead end.”
- graphics17 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the effort put into creating beautiful and detailed visuals that modernize the classic dungeon crawler experience. While some users noted that the graphics are generally good, they also reported performance issues, such as crashes and high system demands, which detracted from the overall experience. Overall, the game is seen as a significant improvement over its predecessors, with potential for further enhancements.
“Clearly a lot of effort has been put into some beautiful artwork, and it has fair graphics.”
“The graphics were surprisingly good, especially since this game has its roots in mobile.”
“It's fair to say that a lot of work has gone into it, in particular the graphics which are excellently detailed.”
“The visuals are average, the sound is average, the story is average, the character development is average.. the game starts out slow and doesn't gain any momentum.”
“My rig has a 3GHz quad-core i5, 8GB RAM, and a 2GB graphics card, well within the 'recommended system requirements', yet when I started playing with game settings at full-screen and 'advanced' graphic quality, the game crashed after a short period of play and the crash dump indicated I'd run out of memory!”
“Even running the game full screen at only 'normal' graphics quality results in my system fan going into overdrive and my PC running hot when there are multiple characters moving around!”
- gameplay15 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "7 Mages" is characterized by its old-school turn-based mechanics combined with innovative features, such as unique dungeon puzzles and varied combat scenarios influenced by level design. While some mechanics from the original game have been removed, new additions like double-wielding and music-based elements enhance the experience. However, the tactical battle system and quest design have received criticism, with some players finding the writing subpar despite the engaging gameplay.
“7 Mages is a very old-school turn-based dungeon crawler with some innovative mechanics thrown in.”
“Unlike Grimrock, where every puzzle is built from the same building blocks, in 7 Mages each dungeon features its own set of unique puzzle mechanics, and many of them are inventory-based like in adventure games.”
“Unfortunately, this is not Legends of Grimrock and not even close... the tactical battle mechanics don't seem to work, and the quests are boring.”
“My only gripes with combat are that each dungeon only features two enemy types (with one exception), and most of the time they are much fewer in numbers than your party.”
“The gameplay is vastly better than most other first-person party-based RPGs to have come out in recent years.”
- music9 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its imaginative system and integration with gameplay mechanics, such as unique interactions with weapons and instruments. While the soundtrack is considered good and atmospheric, some reviewers feel it could be enhanced further, suggesting a more dynamic approach similar to "Pillars of Eternity." Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's experience, earning a score of 7.5.
“I appreciated the music/instrument system of this game.”
“The soundtrack in the game is very good and the game has great atmosphere.”
“The need to have at least three shares (except perhaps musician).”
“Unlike the dialog, the music system was imaginative.”
“Music: 7.5”
- grinding4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be less intense than typical turn-based RPGs, but still criticize the slow movement and tedious inventory management. The combat is described as slow and repetitive, leading to frequent reloads due to unwinnable situations. Overall, while not excessively grindy, the game suffers from pacing issues that detract from the experience.
“+ not grindy like most turn-based party-blobbers.”
“Movement is slow, inventory management is tedious and impractical, controls are all over the screen and you know what, you cannot change the mapping of keys.”
“The graphics are great but unfortunately the combat is tedious.”
“The turn-based combat is tedious and far too slow; I've lost count of the number of times I've had to reload because there was no way I could win or withdraw from a fight.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is noted for its variety, but some players find it veers into absurdity, particularly with over-the-top mechanics like shooting arrows from behind corners. Additionally, those who struggle with puzzles may not appreciate the humor, suggesting it may not appeal to everyone.
“It has a nice variety of humor.”
“When you get a battle skill that allows you to shoot from bows behind a corner and hit up to 3 enemies, the game becomes so ridiculous it's not even funny anymore.”
“If you are not good at puzzles or don't find them funny—like I do—do not buy this game.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised, featuring a captivating soundtrack and exceptional art direction that evokes a sense of nostalgia. Each location is uniquely designed, contributing to a beautifully immersive experience, even on mobile platforms.
“The soundtrack in the game is very good, and the game has a great atmosphere.”
“The game immerses you in the atmosphere of old times.”
“Even though it's been optimized for mobiles, the game is beautiful; the art direction is top-notch, and each location feels very unique and atmospheric.”
“The game breathed on me the atmosphere of old times.”
“The environment felt lifeless and uninspired, lacking any real immersion.”
“I expected a rich, immersive world, but instead, it felt flat and uninviting.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game is visually stunning with excellent art direction, and while it has been optimized for mobile devices, some users still report performance issues. Overall, the optimization allows for a beautiful experience, but it may not run flawlessly on all systems.
“Even though it's been optimized for mobiles, the game is beautiful - the art direction is top notch and each location feels very unique and atmospheric.”
“I played this again to highlight the performance issue I mentioned.”
“Then there's the system performance.”
“Edit 29/07/16: I played this again to highlight the performance issue I mentioned.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some users report a lack of bugs and glitches, others describe it as a buggy experience, suggesting that the game may feel abandoned in terms of support and updates.
“Buggy and abandoned dungeon crawler.”
“But at least no bugs and glitches.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is perceived as average, with players noting a slow start that fails to build momentum throughout the experience.
“The visuals are average, the sound is average, the story is average, and the character development is also average. The game starts out slow and doesn't gain any momentum.”
“Character development feels shallow and uninspired, leaving me disconnected from the characters and their journeys.”
“I expected more depth in character arcs, but they remain one-dimensional and predictable throughout the game.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, while fans of the genre may find enjoyment in the game, its replayability is considered to be quite low.
