Mage's Initiation

About

"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 270 reviews

story86 positive mentions

grinding14 negative mentions

The game captures the nostalgic feel of classic point-and-click adventure games, particularly reminiscent of the Quest for Glory series.
The artwork is beautiful, with charming pixel graphics and a well-composed soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
The puzzles are logical and rewarding, with multiple choices and moral dilemmas that add depth to the gameplay.

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 is a significant amount of dialogue, which can feel overwhelming and lead to pacing issues, making the game feel slow at times.

story
326 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
72%
2%
The story of "Mage's Initiation: Reign of the Elements" is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its homage to classic adventure games like "Quest for Glory" and "King's Quest." While some find the narrative engaging and filled with moral dilemmas and character depth, others criticize it for being somewhat generic and lacking the charm and humor that defined its inspirations. Overall, it offers a nostalgic experience for fans of the genre, though some feel it could benefit from a more diverse and expansive storyline.
- “The story is compelling and versatile and I really, really enjoyed playing.”
- “Its story, world, and characters are all done really well, so if you're a fan of narrative-driven games, this one is well worth giving a try.”
- “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.”
- “My other second quibble with the game is how generic it is and how task-like the story is set up as.”
- “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.”
- “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.”
graphics
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
31%
5%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful, hand-drawn art style that evokes nostalgia for classic point-and-click adventures from the 90s, with charming pixel graphics and well-executed environment art. However, the cutscenes have received criticism for being jarring and inconsistent with the overall aesthetic, detracting from the otherwise cohesive visual experience. Overall, the game's visuals contribute significantly to its engaging atmosphere and enjoyable gameplay.
- “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.”
- “Horrendous looking cutscenes (why move away from the game's art style?)”
- “Cut scenes did not match the art style of everything else, which made it feel like it was added afterwards and not part of the original direction of the game.”
gameplay
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
67%
11%
Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of improvements and shortcomings, with some praising the introduction of new mechanics that enhance the adventure experience, while others criticize clunky controls and dated combat systems. The game features a blend of classic and modern elements, which may appeal to hardcore fans but could alienate others. Overall, while there are enjoyable aspects and interesting twists, the execution leaves room for improvement, particularly in responsiveness and combat design.
- “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 n' click offers a tedious gameplay the universe was glad to leave behind decades ago.”
- “The abrasive adventure gameplay is further degraded by arcade combat.”
music
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
19%
6%
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 orchestrated score is noted for setting the tone effectively across various areas, contributing to the overall immersive experience. Overall, the music is described as stunning, well-crafted, and integral to the game's appeal.
- “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.”
- “The sheer amount of care and attention to detail paid to every element, from plot to characterizations to music to puzzle design, definitely shows.”
- “A musical score that never distracts but always compliments the scene.”
replayability
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
41%
9%
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. Players noted that the branching options and varying puzzle solutions based on chosen magic types enhance the experience, making it worthwhile to replay for completionists. Overall, the combination of engaging gameplay and diverse character choices 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, a strong voice cast, logical puzzles, and excellent replay value means this is a game I'll likely come back to again and again.”
- “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.”
- “But where QFG had different skills to master and use to solve puzzles in different ways (and classes, but they were pretty fluid), Mage's makes you choose from four magic types, which I'm guessing give it a similar kind of replay value.”
humor
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
90%
10%
The humor in "Mage's Initiation" is largely absent, with many reviewers noting a significant lack of comedic elements compared to classic titles like "Quest for Glory." While some moments elicit mild amusement, the overall tone is serious and straightforward, missing the levity and silliness that characterized older point-and-click adventures. This absence of humor is seen as a missed opportunity to enhance the game's narrative and compensate for weaker writing.
- “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.”
grinding
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
88%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be overly tedious, with slow movement between screens and excessive random combat detracting from the overall experience. Many express frustration with the maze-like areas and repetitive tasks, which overshadow the more engaging story and puzzles. While some appreciate that spells are unlocked through story progression rather than grinding, the general consensus is that the gameplay feels outdated and unnecessarily drawn out.
- “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.”
- “A developer that doesn't understand the meaning of point n' click offers a tedious gameplay the universe was glad to leave behind decades ago.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised, with users noting its successful preservation of the classic Sierra adventure style, enhanced by great graphics and evocative music. While it may lack some humor compared to its predecessor, the overall ambiance remains engaging and immersive, making it a compelling reason for purchase.
- “The graphics and the atmosphere are great.”
- “The music creates a wonderful atmosphere.”
- “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.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is mixed, with some players reporting minor glitches and occasional freezing, while others experienced a smooth playthrough 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.”
- “This game has some annoying, minor glitches, so save often.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is highlighted through a robust leveling system that includes stats, armor, and an effective inventory management system, allowing players to enhance their characters meaningfully.
- “Character development is engaging with a well-structured leveling system, diverse stats, and a robust inventory that enhances gameplay.”
- “The character development features leveling up, customizable stats, and a variety of armor options, all supported by an intuitive inventory system.”

61%Critics’ scoreBased on 2 critic reviews

Buy Mage's Initiation

Mage's Initiation: Reign of the Elements
$2.99
See offer on Steam

4h Median play time

4h Average play time

4-4h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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