Magic Wand
- June 25, 2017
- thecatamites
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Magic Wand" is a ghostly JRPG by thecatamites with an original soundtrack by NEW VADERS. Wander through a mysterious country filled with vases, talking tiny people, and holes, while collecting capsule toys in this 90-minute action RPG. The circular narrative allows for entry at any time, making it accessible for players to pick up and play. It is recommended to play with a mouse for an enhanced experience.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- Magic Wand offers a unique and surreal experience, filled with bizarre characters and whimsical dialogue that feels fresh and imaginative.
- The art style and soundtrack are praised for their charm, creating an engaging atmosphere that many players find delightful.
- Despite its simplicity, the game is considered a fun and lighthearted exploration of fantasy tropes, appealing to fans of indie games and unconventional narratives.
- Many players find the gameplay shallow and lacking in depth, with limited mechanics and no meaningful quests or inventory management.
- The visuals and overall design can be off-putting, with some describing the graphics as ugly and the pixelation causing discomfort.
- The game's nonsensical dialogue and lack of coherent story can leave players feeling confused and disconnected from the experience.
- graphics16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are a mixed bag, featuring enclosed isometric landscapes and a unique art style reminiscent of a chaotic blend between Minecraft and retro NES aesthetics. While some players appreciate the beautiful artwork, including sunsets and waterfalls, others criticize the overall visual execution as headache-inducing and inconsistent, detracting from the exploration experience. Overall, the graphics evoke strong opinions, with some finding them charmingly wacky and others deeming them a significant flaw.
“The game was made by thecatamites, better known for 'space funeral' and 'goblet grotto', and it certainly shows in both visuals and writing, the former consisting of enclosed isometric landscapes with a freely rotatable camera, alongside a look and feel similar to Minecraft, playing on an NES which had previously been thrown out of a window.”
“+artwork is absolutely beautiful; the sunsets and clouds and waterfalls - just everything!”
“This is a strange wacky game that has a neat art style but everything else is a mess.”
“The music is great, the dialogue is silly, and the visuals gave me a headache.”
“Sure it has exploration, but it's not like you really want to explore it that much due to the ear-piercing music and god awful graphics.”
“This is a strange wacky game that has a neat art style, but everything else is a mess.”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Magic Wand" is polarizing, with many players finding it lacking in traditional gaming elements and mechanics, leading to confusion and frustration. However, some appreciate its unique character-collecting mechanic and the charm of its grotesque sprites, suggesting that while it may not fit conventional definitions of a game, it offers enjoyable moments and potential for deeper exploration in a more developed format. Overall, the experience is marked by a blend of quirky charm and gameplay shortcomings.
“I liked the character collecting mechanic (which may contain grind if you want it 100%), because the odd sprites and the descriptions are grotesquely charming!”
“The memories I have formed during my gameplay may not stay with me forever, but I enjoyed them a lot.”
“The novel game mechanic is so great that they need to make a full-blown RPG with it.”
“Most people will find the pure gameplay appalling, but 'Magic Wand' clearly doesn't want to be a 'game' in the usual term.”
“I honestly did not understand a single thing that was happening in this game throughout my entire 20 minutes of gameplay (let alone see anything).”
“The game suffers a little bit from thin mechanics and general player unawareness (it only works windowed, but the camera is controlled with the mouse).”
- music12 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising the original soundtrack as fantastic and integral to the experience, while others find certain sound effects and specific tracks, like the 'bird' noise when health is low, to be annoying. Overall, the music is seen as a strong point that helps to elevate the game despite criticisms of the visuals and some sound elements.
“Yet it does hold together, by the grace of an excellent soundtrack and a surprisingly tender story.”
“+music is fantastic (beyond that horribly annoying 'bird' noise when your life dips below 0 hit points)”
“I loved the OST and the overall game idea, it's worth a shot.”
“Sure it has exploration, but it's not like you really want to explore it that much due to the ear-piercing music and god awful graphics.”
“Also the sound effects were pretty lush, although the music was hit or miss for me.”
- story12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The story is described as lacking coherence, often resembling random dialogue from quirky characters reminiscent of 80s video games. Despite this, some players found enjoyment in the absurdity and charm of the interactions, supported by a strong soundtrack and moments of unexpected tenderness. Overall, while the narrative may be disjointed, it captivates through its irreverent tone and engaging NPCs.
“Yet it does hold together, by the grace of an excellent soundtrack and a surprisingly tender story.”
“You didn't know how the story was going to unfold but you just kept coming up with new stuff like it was never going to end until mom called you downstairs for dinner.”
“I actually wanted to see what all the strange NPCs had to say, not necessarily in order to crack the puzzle of the plot or the setting, but to enjoy the blissful irreverence of it all.”
“Not really much story to be found here, unless you count absolute nonsense being spouted by many more malformed 80s video game rejects.”
“There doesn't seem to be a story, just random characters saying what might as well be randomly generated lines of dialogue.”
“The 8-bit 3D and the paper-shredded plot allow the feeling.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its heartfelt moments that resonate deeply with players, despite some criticisms of shallow narrative coherence. Overall, it is praised as a charming and touching experience that leaves a lasting impression.
“I wholeheartedly recommend this game; it's a charming and heartfelt little piece.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users noting its excellent mood and immersive quality. Many feel that the experience could be extended to create lasting effects on the player, akin to a psychedelic journey.
“The atmosphere and mood are excellent.”
“I feel like this atmosphere, this experience, could be elongated in such a way that it could, much like a seer or psychedelic experience, leave lasting augmentations to the player.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by Stephen's unique perspective and a cast of absurdly funny characters, creating a whimsical experience that blends comedy with thought-provoking moments. Players appreciate the quirky landscapes and the overall entertaining journey, making it a worthwhile investment for fans of unconventional humor.
“Just under 2 hours of strange landscapes, a cast of obtusely hilarious characters, and brief moments of thought-provoking depth tie together a crazy ride wholly worth your money.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users report that the game experiences frequent glitches, indicating stability issues that may affect gameplay.
“There are glitches.”
“There are glitches.”
