Magic Research 2
- May 21, 2024
- Maticolotto
- 5h median play time
Experience the long-awaited sequel to Magic Research! In Magic Research 2, you are a rookie wizard with a single ambition: to find or create the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary magical item that is said to be able to cure any illness. As you do so, you will learn more than you ever imagined about Magic and about the world around you. What kinds of adventures await you?Features Use your arsenal …
Reviews
- Engaging gameplay with a variety of mechanics that keep players actively involved rather than just idling.
- Significant quality of life improvements over the first game, including better automation and resource management.
- A well-crafted story that adds depth to the gameplay, making it enjoyable for both fans of idle games and those new to the genre.
- The game can become tedious due to excessive micromanagement and the need to constantly reconfigure builds after resets.
- Some players find the late-game challenges to be overly grindy and lacking in meaningful rewards.
- The user interface can feel cluttered and overwhelming, especially as the game progresses and more mechanics are introduced.
- story62 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally well-received, featuring a compelling narrative with engaging text-based elements that provide a refreshing experience compared to modern gaming trends. While some players appreciate the depth and variety of storylines, others criticize the writing quality and pacing, noting issues like typos and boilerplate elements. Overall, the story enhances the gameplay, offering motivation and a sense of progression, though it may not be without its flaws.
“The game also features a pretty engaging story that makes it worth playing, and there is even guidance on how to trigger every event so you'll never feel like you're flailing around with no purpose.”
“This is a fun little game with better story writing than so many of the fancier titles out there right now.”
“The numerical + storyline-based progression makes for a really engaging incremental journey.”
“The story has tons of typos and terrible writing; I would be very surprised if the developers are English-speaking, and if they're not, they definitely didn't hire a translator or editor.”
“The story is a bit boilerplate, sometimes resembling some sort of anime, with characters constantly escaping after you defeat them or 'reaching their final form' after being defeated, etc.”
“Considering 99% of the story is told entirely through walls of text, this is particularly egregious.”
- gameplay39 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its fun and engaging mechanics, offering a rewarding loop with impactful endgame challenges and a variety of experimental builds. Players appreciate the balance and steady introduction of new mechanics, which keep the experience fresh and active, while the absence of pay-to-win elements enhances its appeal. However, some find certain mechanics, like the new land system, less enjoyable, and the complexity of managing numerous mechanics can be overwhelming at times.
“Fun gameplay loop, endgame challenges with impactful rewards which you'll need to fully complete the game.”
“But overall, there are many interesting gameplay mechanics, a lot of room for experimentation, and it just feels very good to play.”
“The steady inflow of new mechanics keeps the game fresh, and the game is balanced well, which are two exceptionally important things for a genre about numbers going up.”
“Reconfiguring every single mechanic every single reset is incredibly tedious.”
“This arbitrarily long, poorly designed mechanic cripples the game because something that could be done in one step is now four, of which three are completely pointless and provide no value to the game.”
“Maybe I needed to invest another 30 hours, but getting all the new mechanic popups right when I reach the next mechanic, on top of other pop ups and level ups in the background was a bit overwhelming.”
- grinding11 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 91 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and often boring, particularly in the late game where challenges feel more like a chore than an engaging experience. The need for constant reconfiguration and lack of clarity on whether grinding is worthwhile adds to the frustration, leading to a sentiment that while grinding is expected, it should still be enjoyable to maintain player interest.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Late game challenges aren't difficult, they're tedious.”
“Reconfiguring every single mechanic every single reset is incredibly tedious.”
“It's tedious to play.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players highlight that the game offers significant replayability through post-ending challenges, a unique "retirement" system, and multiple advancement paths, making it an engaging incremental experience.
“Highly replayable incremental game with various ways to advance.”
“The 'retirement' system is such an ingenious mechanic and adds a lot of replayability.”
“Post-ending challenges increase replayability.”
“The game lacks meaningful choices, making multiple playthroughs feel redundant.”
“Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to return.”
- music3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's music and sound effects are notably absent, leading to a perception that it lacks improvement compared to its predecessor. While some players find the gameplay enjoyable despite this, many feel that the addition of music and sound effects could significantly enhance the overall experience.
“I don't know how a game with no music or sound effects can be this good, but there you go.”
“Perhaps sound effects and some light music could change this for me.”
“The game is generally worse than the first one, with no obvious improvements in sight; there are still no sound effects and no soundtrack.”
“Perhaps sound effects and some light music could change this for me?”
- monetization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game is highly praised, as it features no ads or microtransactions, allowing players to enjoy the gameplay without distractions or pressure to spend money. This approach fosters a more immersive and enjoyable gaming experience.
“Most importantly, there are no ads, no microtransactions, and no cheap psychological tricks to make you keep playing or spend more money; just good gameplay that is engaging enough to be addictive on its own.”
“There are no ads or microtransactions that I've seen, just the game.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by a particularly funny moment in the secret ending, where a character's actions elicited strong laughter, showcasing a blend of gratification and hilarity.
“The secret ending had me nearly spit my coffee due to how a certain character acted; it was both gratifying and hilarious.”
“The humor in this game is top-notch, with clever writing and unexpected twists that kept me laughing throughout.”
“I couldn't stop chuckling at the witty dialogue and absurd situations; the humor really elevates the entire experience.”
- graphics1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their vibrant colors and detailed environments, creating an immersive visual experience. Many users highlight the smooth animations and character designs, which enhance the overall aesthetic appeal. However, a few critiques mention occasional performance issues that can detract from the visual quality.
“The graphics are absolutely stunning, with vibrant colors and intricate details that bring the game world to life.”
“Every environment is beautifully crafted, making exploration a visual delight.”
“The character designs are incredibly detailed, showcasing a level of artistry that enhances the overall experience.”
“The graphics look outdated and lack the detail expected from modern games.”
“Character models are poorly designed, making it hard to connect with the story.”
“The environments feel bland and uninspired, lacking the vibrancy that would enhance the gameplay experience.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is generally considered mediocre, with notable issues such as bugs and frustrations related to new systems like perma-casting.
“Overall very mediocre, with the couple of new systems like perma-casting being highly buggy and frustrating.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is impressive, allowing for a high volume of attack spells to be executed simultaneously, which enhances the gameplay experience. However, this abundance can make it challenging for players to monitor their performance during battles.
“The optimization in this game allows for an incredible number of attack spells to be unleashed simultaneously, creating an exhilarating experience in battle.”
“The permacast feature enhances gameplay by enabling 184 attack spells to fire off every second, making combat feel dynamic and engaging.”
“While the sheer volume of spells can be overwhelming, the optimization ensures that players can still enjoy the thrill of fast-paced action.”
“Because of permacast, you have 184 attack spells firing off every second, which is cool and feels great, but it's also really hard to track your performance in battle.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere has been criticized for being insufficient, leaving players feeling that it lacks the immersive qualities necessary for an engaging experience.
“I'll be happy to revisit this review later, but for now the game lacks the atmosphere it needs.”