Embers of Magic

About

Embers of Magic is a single player casual action adventure game. It was developed by ithaqualabs and was released on April 6, 2017. It received positive reviews from players.

Embers of Magic is a short, adventure visual novel that tells the story of Liana the witch. She takes an airship down to the surface of the dangerous and corrupt earth beneath her flying city home.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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84%

Audience ScoreBased on 75 reviews

story10 positive mentions

monetization7 negative mentions

Embers of Magic features beautiful, colorful artwork and engaging character designs that draw players into its fantasy world.
The voice acting is of high quality, adding depth and emotion to the characters and enhancing the overall experience.
The game offers a captivating story with intriguing characters, despite its short length, making it a delightful free visual novel.

The game is very short, often feeling like a prologue or teaser rather than a complete story, leaving players wanting more.
The narrative ends abruptly, which can be frustrating for players expecting a more developed conclusion.
Some players feel that the game lacks substantial gameplay and is more of a visual novel with minimal interaction, which may not appeal to everyone.

story
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
64%
8%
The story in "Embers of Magic" is praised for its engaging characters, beautiful art, and professional voice acting, but many reviewers note that it feels incomplete and too short, often leaving players wanting more depth and resolution. While it serves as an enjoyable introduction to a larger narrative, the linear plot and limited choices may disappoint those seeking a fully developed experience. Overall, it is seen as a charming yet brief visual novel that hints at a richer world and story yet to come.
- “The actors breathe life into the characters, adding depth and emotion to the story.”
- “Beautiful art style, characters are nicely and fully voiced, and a good short story!”
- “The story doesn't hold back information the audience can piece together on its own; it knows you probably already have connected the dots, and then it goes deeper, and takes you on a more thrilling, engaging ride.”
- “Is it still a visual novel when you have only one choice, and the story seems unfinished, leaving you with many unanswered questions?”
- “It basically just stops where you would expect the story to really get started.”
- “Similarly to perceptions of the dead, the studio's other free project, this feels more like a prologue to a bigger game than a self-contained story, so don't expect anything more than a stylistically interesting, but brief and inconclusive introduction to a new setting and characters.”
graphics
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
20%
15%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful and engaging art style, featuring colorful visuals and well-designed characters. While many reviewers appreciate the aesthetic appeal and atmospheric music, some note that the substance of the story does not fully match the quality of the visuals. Overall, the artwork is considered a standout feature, making the game enjoyable, especially given its free access.
- “Very cute game - the character art and visuals were beautiful and engaging.”
- “The visuals are great and the music atmospheric, which almost makes it quite worth playing on its own.”
- “Beautiful art style, characters are nicely and fully voiced, and a good short story!”
- “Free visual novel with more aesthetic than substance.”
- “A beautiful artwork visual novel game but sadly, the good story comes up short.”
- “I am still giving thumbs-up despite the mangled closure since the plot is thrilling, characters sympathetic, visuals cute and voice acting pleasant.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
24%
13%
The music in the game is generally praised for its atmospheric quality and smooth transitions, enhancing the overall experience. While some users noted that sound effects can be intrusive, the soundtrack and voice acting are considered enjoyable and well-executed, contributing positively to the game's immersive setting. Overall, the music is seen as a strong point, complementing the art and writing effectively.
- “The visuals are great and the music atmospheric, which almost makes it quite worth playing on its own.”
- “Very nice music and great voices.”
- “The music is wonderful and it's short enough to enjoy in one sitting :) it did end kind of abruptly, or maybe I just want more!”
- “The background music is pretty and not distracting.”
monetization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of this title has been criticized for being misleading, as it is essentially an advertisement for another product rather than a standalone game. Users express frustration over its classification as a full game on Steam, arguing that it occupies space that could be better utilized by actual games, and highlight its poor writing and lack of meaningful gameplay. Despite being free, it is viewed as a misplaced DLC that fails to meet the standards of a proper game.
- “This is an advertisement/misplaced DLC for another, full e-book called 'Brilliant Shadows'.”
- “While it might seem like an innocuous mistake, publishing demos and advertisements as if they are full games is misleading and in some ways harmful.”
- “This advertisement is taking up marketing space and visibility that would be better made available to a developer that's done the right thing and created a full game.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers praise the character development for its stunning and diverse designs that effectively convey each character's personality, making them appealing and memorable. The vibrant art style and high-quality voice acting further enhance the overall experience, sparking interest and even inspiring fans to consider cosplaying as their favorite characters.
- “The character designs are amazing; colorful, diverse, and I kind of want to cosplay half of them!”
- “The character design was good, easily showing what kind of personality each character might have.”
- “The character designs are beautiful, and there is just the right amount of intrigue.”
gameplay
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The gameplay is criticized for being minimal and largely consists of clicking through poorly written dialogue, lacking any engaging or interactive elements that would justify its presence as a game on platforms like Steam.
- “As an advertisement for a visual/interactive novel, this doesn't feature any notable gameplay; it's just a lot of clicking through badly written dialogue that would never have been accepted or published in print, which presents the question, 'how did something this badly written end up on Steam?'”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Users find the grinding aspect of visual novels and e-books tedious, likening it to a frustrating experience where progress is slowed by the need to click through text at a snail's pace. This repetitive clicking detracts from the enjoyment of the narrative, making it feel laborious and time-consuming.
- “Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
- “The grind is satisfying and offers a real sense of progression.”
- “Visual novels/e-books are tedious at best... imagine the best novel you ever read, be that Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or 2001: A Space Odyssey, but then translate that to a format where the words dribble out and you have to click your mouse every time you want to read the next sentence, instead of just turning the pages.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its stunning visuals and immersive music, creating an experience that many players find compelling enough to enjoy independently of gameplay.
- “The visuals are stunning and the music creates an immersive atmosphere that makes the experience worthwhile on its own.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is highlighted by stellar writing and high-quality voice acting, which together create a genuinely funny experience.
- “The writing is stellar as always; the voice acting is funny and surprisingly high quality.”
- “The humor is sharp and clever, making every interaction a delight.”
- “I found myself laughing out loud at the witty dialogue and hilarious situations.”