Magenta Horizon

94%
Game Brain Score Based on 52 reviews
  • music
  • graphics
  • story
Magenta Horizon Game Cover
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"Magenta Horizon" is a challenging 2D precision platformer set in a vibrant, abstract world. Players control Maddison Baek, who uses a variety of skills and abilities to navigate treacherous environments filled with spikes, saws, and other hazards. With permadeath and randomly generated levels, each run is unique and requires quick reflexes and strategic planning to survive.

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Reviews

94%
Audience ScoreBased on 52 reviews
music8 positive mentions
grinding1 negative mentions
  • Magenta Horizon features a unique and colorful art style, complemented by an excellent soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience.
  • The combat system is engaging and rewarding, allowing players to learn and master a variety of moves and combos while facing a diverse roster of enemies.
  • The game offers a challenging yet forgiving experience, with generous checkpoints and a healing system that encourages aggressive play.
  • Some players have noted issues with difficulty balancing, where normal levels can feel harder than boss encounters, leading to frustration.
  • The level design can be maze-like and occasionally overwhelming, making navigation and platforming segments feel tedious.
  • There are complaints about the combat mechanics feeling clunky at times, particularly with issues related to enemy projectiles and movement sensitivity.
  • music15 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many players praising its excellent blend of prog rock, classical, and jazz elements that enhance the overall experience. The soundtrack's dynamic nature, featuring seamless transitions between exploration and combat tracks, adds to the game's immersive quality. While most levels boast impressive music, a few players noted that certain tracks, like in level 7-2, fell short of expectations.

    • “The excellent prog rock style soundtrack is a standout feature, with my personal favorites being 'The Intended Way', 'There's No Straight Road', and 'Sanctuary Consumed'.”
    • “Thankfully, Magenta Horizon's OST is really great. I love the mix of rock with classical instruments, reminiscent of games like Xenoblade Chronicles. Each stage has a calming song that transitions into a combat version, which really pumps me up when it happens.”
    • “The soundtrack is solid and fits the setting of the game well, enhancing the overall experience.”
    • “Every time I open the game, the music and GUI work fine, but now all there is is a black screen.”
    • “Level 7-2 was the worst by far, not only because it was so excruciatingly long, but this was the only level in the game, as far as I know, where I didn't like the song at all, and it made for a really painful experience for me.”
    • “The other thing to mention is the soundtrack; I tend to really care a lot about video game music, especially because it affects my enjoyment of playing a game.”
  • graphics8 mentions

    The game's graphics are highlighted for their unique and expressive art style, which features grotesque enemy designs and visually striking story panels. While some reviewers noted that the level visuals could be improved, the overall aesthetic, combined with a compelling soundtrack, enhances the immersive experience. The art style draws comparisons to titles like Rayman and is praised for complementing the engaging combat and narrative.

    • “The super unique and strange art style is what drew me in when I watched a streamer play it, but I was immediately hooked on the music and combat as well.”
    • “I loved the art style, with the often impeccably gross and expressive enemy designs. I enjoyed the story and characters, with Gretel being an overall pretty compelling protagonist, and I really liked the soundtrack, loving the implementation of a stage having two tracks that seamlessly swapped depending on if you were exploring or in combat.”
    • “Comes included with a banging soundtrack and great visuals too, the serious story panels look absolutely amazing.”
    • “The level visuals are a bit lacking, but everything else is amazing. Combat is really fun, and I'm interested in the story so far.”
  • story8 mentions

    The story is surprisingly engaging, featuring a compelling protagonist in Gretel and enhanced by hand-drawn cutscenes and humorous character interactions. While it takes time to develop, the narrative balances serious moments with lightheartedness, complemented by unique monster designs and a captivating soundtrack. Overall, the art style and animation contribute significantly to the storytelling experience, making it visually striking and enjoyable.

    • “Surprisingly good story; I actually found myself getting quite into it with all the hand-drawn cutscenes between levels and the dialogue between some characters.”
    • “I loved the art style, with the often impeccably gross and expressive enemy designs. I enjoyed the story and characters, with Gretel being an overall pretty compelling protagonist, and I really liked the soundtrack, loving the implementation of a stage having two tracks that seamlessly swapped depending on if you were exploring or in combat.”
    • “While the story has its serious moments, it always knows how to have a nice sense of humor, especially in some of the character interactions throughout the stages and story. I really love the way this game looks and how everything is animated; it's like you are looking at weird abstract paintings that are shaped like monsters or humans.”
    • “The story itself also takes a while to get going.”
  • gameplay6 mentions

    The gameplay is fast-paced and aggressive, encouraging players to master combos and utilize their full toolset to manage a diverse array of enemies that synergize in challenging ways. Inspired by the DMC series, it emphasizes split-second decision-making and maintaining a high combo meter, while the healing bomb mechanic promotes an offensive playstyle. Currently in early access, players anticipate further refinements and additional content in future updates.

    • “The game incentivizes an aggressive playstyle with its gameplay systems, allowing you to control an entire room of differing enemies that all relentlessly go for you.”
    • “Each enemy has its own set of quirks, along with ways that they synergize with other enemies. The different ways they threaten you lead to constant split-second decision making that often requires you to make use of your full gameplay toolset.”
    • “The gameplay is heavily inspired by the DMC series, focusing on making big combos and maintaining your combo meter as high as possible while also avoiding being staggered by enemies and bosses.”
    • “The game incentivizes an aggressive playstyle with its gameplay systems, and lends itself to you having the power to control an entire room of differing enemies that all relentlessly go for you.”
    • “Each enemy has its own set of quirks, along with ways that they synergize with other enemies, and the different ways that they threaten you leads to constant split-second decision making that often requires you to make use of your full gameplay toolset.”
    • “The gameplay is heavily inspired by the DMC series, focusing on making big combos and maintaining your combo meter as high as possible while also not getting staggered by enemies and bosses.”
  • humor2 mentions

    Players appreciate the humor in the game, particularly enjoying the comedic elements tied to the character interactions and combat. The funny bird character adds a lighthearted touch, making the gameplay entertaining and engaging after overcoming initial challenges.

    • “I played this game during an earlier alpha, and I can say the humor and combat sold me after I got past the first level.”
    • “I like playing as the funny bird and making her hit the bad guys until they fall over; it's pretty good!”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be frustrating due to the overwhelming nature of certain enemies, such as Slashpluckers and dealer automatons, which can prolong encounters and make battles feel tedious. The gembusters, in particular, are noted for their resilience, often requiring drawn-out one-on-one confrontations that contribute to a sense of grind. Overall, the combination of challenging enemy mechanics leads to a repetitive and exhausting gameplay experience.

    • “The Slashpluckers can be overwhelming when combined with other enemies, as they flail around with their massive bodies. The dealer automatons have a bit too much health, making their projectile onslaught feel overbearing. Gembusters are particularly frustrating to deal with, often lasting until the end of an encounter where they need to be tediously fought one-on-one.”
  • stability1 mentions

    The game demonstrates strong stability, particularly noted for its excellent performance on the Steam Deck.

    • “Runs great on Steam Deck as well.”
    • “The game maintains a steady frame rate, providing a smooth experience.”
    • “I haven't encountered any crashes or bugs, which is impressive.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Gretel is praised for her engaging role in the story, featuring a cool character design and memorable one-liners that enhance her appeal throughout the game.

    • “I really like Gretel's role in the story; she has a really cool character design, and I enjoy her one-liners throughout the stages.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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