Mage's Initiation
- January 30, 2019
- Himalaya Studios
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam"Mage's Initiation" is a nostalgic, point-and-click adventure game set in the medieval land of Iginor. D'arc, a trainee mage, must complete a daunting quest assigned by his Masters, retrieving three powerful items scattered across treacherous terrains. Encounter various magical creatures, solve puzzles, and make crucial choices that will affect D'arc's fate in this coming-of-age story.
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Reviews
- The game captures the nostalgic feel of classic point-and-click adventure games, particularly reminiscent of the Quest for Glory series.
- The artwork and music are beautifully crafted, enhancing the overall atmosphere and immersion of the game.
- The puzzles are logical and rewarding, with multiple choices and replayability based on the different elemental classes.
- The voice acting, especially for the main character, is often criticized as being poor and detracting from the experience.
- Combat mechanics feel clunky and repetitive, with some players finding it tedious and not well integrated into the adventure gameplay.
- There are instances of excessive dialogue and backtracking, which can disrupt the pacing and enjoyment of the game.
- story163 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story of the game is generally well-received, drawing strong inspiration from classic titles like "Quest for Glory" and "King's Quest," with many reviewers appreciating its nostalgic elements and engaging world-building. While some find the narrative to be somewhat generic or task-oriented, others praise its depth, character development, and the moral dilemmas presented throughout the gameplay. Overall, it is seen as a charming homage to old-school adventure games, appealing particularly to fans of the genre.
“The story is compelling and versatile, and I really, really enjoyed playing.”
“The story for this game is excellent with many climaxing points, and you can see from how it was executed that the writer on the team not only has a great talent for the art, but sets tones and themes very well in his stories.”
“The story is tight, the characters enjoyable.”
“My other second quibble with the game is how generic it is and how task-like the story is set up as.”
“It's clearly intended to be the first part in a story that spans multiple games, but given how long this one took to come out, I highly doubt that the rest of this story will ever be told, which is a shame.”
“You say that you wanted to make an homage to Quest for Glory, but you missed one of the most important elements: charm.”
- graphics28 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their charming pixel art and beautiful hand-drawn visuals, reminiscent of classic point-and-click adventures from the 90s. However, some reviewers noted that the cutscene animations are jarring and do not match the overall art style, detracting from the game's aesthetic. Overall, the artwork and atmosphere contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.
“The graphics and the atmosphere are great.”
“Beautiful visuals, logical puzzles, and creative characters in a large world to explore.”
“The game's visuals are all excellent, ranging from environment art to character portraits, to character sprites and animations.”
“Cutscene animations are jarring for the aesthetic of the game.”
“Note that the graphics are old school, so if that is not your thing, you might want to pass.”
“Horrendous looking cutscenes (why move away from the game's art style?)”
- gameplay18 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some praising the improved mechanics and fresh twists that enhance the adventure experience, while others criticize the clunky controls and dated combat system. Although the game incorporates a blend of classic and modern elements, it may not appeal to all fans of the genre, particularly those seeking a more traditional point-and-click experience. Overall, while there are enjoyable aspects, the execution leaves room for improvement.
“The game mechanics are a nice improvement and something that this type of adventure game really needed, instead of following the exact same mechanics from over 30 years ago.”
“The vibe of each chapter is different, with small yet interesting mechanics twists, which keep the game fresh.”
“It has a classic fantasy storyline with a couple of twists, the old-school adventure graphics are beautifully drawn, and the gameplay is enjoyable and easily understood.”
“I didn't like the story much and the game mechanics were clunky.”
“A developer that doesn't understand the meaning of point and click offers a tedious gameplay the universe was glad to leave behind decades ago.”
“The abrasive adventure gameplay is further degraded by arcade combat.”
- music16 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising the impressive soundtrack by Brandon Blume for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and complement the gameplay. The orchestration is noted for setting the tone effectively across various areas, contributing to the overall immersive experience. Overall, the music is described as beautiful, fitting, and a standout element of the game.
“First things first, I want to shout out the amazing soundtrack by Brandon Blume, who hit it out of the park with this game.”
“The music that was orchestrated also sets the tone of the game really well; kudos to the musician for an excellent job.”
“Beautiful artwork, an amazing musical soundtrack, an interesting cast of characters, and a world rich with lore and adventure.”
- replayability16 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to its four distinct mage classes, each with unique abilities and class-specific side quests, encouraging players to explore different playstyles. Additionally, branching options and varied puzzle solutions based on the chosen class enhance the experience, making it enjoyable to replay for completionists. Overall, players find the combination of diverse gameplay mechanics and engaging content contributes to a high replay value.
“This is a very thorough, highly replayable adventure game with four classes to choose from and different puzzles.”
“Sure, the game suffers from many pitfalls that were commonplace in old Sierra adventure games, but overall this is a game I found addictive and ultimately worthwhile: convincing characters, gorgeous artwork, logical puzzles, and excellent replay value means this is a game I'll likely come back to again and again.”
“In the beginning, you choose your element from among four, so there's some replay value.”
“A little longer if you go for a perfect run, listen to/read all the dialogue and notes/books, etc. I think it has some replayability as each mage class has different abilities and a different class-specific side quest, even if the main story arc is the same.”
“We can also use our non-combat spells in some areas, and since these depend on our mage class, some puzzle solutions would differ and therefore the game has some replay value.”
- humor10 mentions
- 90 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The humor in "Mage's Initiation" is generally considered lacking compared to its predecessors like "Quest for Glory," with many reviewers noting a significant absence of comedic elements that characterized classic Sierra and LucasArts games. While there are occasional amusing moments, they often feel out of place or insufficient to elevate the overall experience, leaving the game to rely more on its storyline than on humor to engage players. Overall, the game is seen as a homage to classic adventures, but it misses the mark in delivering a consistent and effective comedic tone.
“Games like Quest for Glory had a strong sense of humor running through them, with many moments of levity and silliness to punctuate the moments of heroism and dangers.”
“It's a very nice homage to the old point and click adventures; I giggled at the funny bits, I enjoyed the storyline, and I hope that the next one doesn't take 10 more years to make.”
“Sometimes the responses are slightly amusing... not as much humor built into them as old Sierra and LucasArts games though.”
“Finally, the game is not funny.”
“The jokes fall flat and feel forced.”
“I expected humor, but it was more cringeworthy than comedic.”
- grinding8 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 88 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be overly tedious, primarily due to slow movement between screens and excessive random combat encounters that disrupt the flow of the story and puzzles. While some appreciate that spells are unlocked through story progression rather than grinding, the overall experience is marred by repetitive tasks and aimless wandering in maze-like areas.
“Spells are unlocked through story progression, not grinding, which is a nice touch.”
“A little too tedious for me -- movement between screens in this game is pretty slow, so walking back and forth looking for the item you're missing to finish a particular task gets really aggravating fast.”
“Once you get the hang of it (which was also tough at first, and added to the bad early impression the game makes) it's not hard, just kind of tedious and pointless really, and you end up having to fight way too many random trash mobs while wandering aimlessly through the maze-like areas.”
“It's too bad those annoying mazes with their repeated tedious combat are such a big part of the game, because the story and puzzles they get in the way of are a lot better.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its successful preservation of the classic Sierra adventure style, featuring great graphics and music that enhance the overall experience. While it may lack some humor compared to its predecessor, the immersive ambiance remains a strong selling point for players.
“The graphics and the atmosphere are great.”
“A surprisingly successful successor to Quest for Glory; less humor, but the atmosphere was preserved.”
“The game has the authentic classic Sierra adventure style feel and atmosphere.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is mixed, with some players experiencing minor glitches and occasional freezes, while others report a smoother experience after recent updates. Frequent saving is recommended to mitigate potential issues.
“This game has some annoying minor glitches, so save often.”
“He disappears and the game freezes.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development is enhanced through a robust leveling system that includes stats and armor upgrades, complemented by an intuitive inventory management system. This allows players to customize and evolve their characters effectively throughout the game.
“The character development is incredibly engaging, with a well-structured leveling system that allows for meaningful progression.”
“I love how the character development includes not just leveling up, but also enhancing stats and customizing armor, making each character feel unique.”
“The inventory system complements the character development perfectly, providing a seamless way to manage gear and upgrades.”
