Magicraft
- November 1, 2023
- Wave Game
- 25h median play time
Get on Steam"Magicraft is a sensational single-player Role Playing game with outstanding graphics and humor. Save the world invaded by ancient gods using a legendary staff, combine unique spells, and enjoy the cute painting style and free combination of elements. Experience cool battles and puzzle-solving in randomly generated levels."
Reviews
- The game offers a vast amount of freedom in spell combinations, allowing for creative and unique builds.
- It's fun and addictive, with a gameplay loop that encourages experimentation and replayability.
- The art style and humor add a whimsical charm to the game, making it enjoyable to play.
- The game currently lacks content, with only a few levels and limited enemy variety.
- Some spells and mechanics can feel unbalanced, leading to frustrating encounters, especially in later stages.
- The music and dialogue can be off-putting, detracting from the overall experience.
- gameplay133 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this title is a blend of mechanics from *The Binding of Isaac* and *Noita*, featuring engaging wand crafting and spellcasting systems that allow for diverse and creative playstyles. Players appreciate the smooth controls, addictive gameplay loop, and the ability to experiment with various spell combinations, although some note that the game lacks depth compared to its inspirations and can feel repetitive over time. While the mechanics are generally well-received, there are calls for more content and balance improvements as the game continues to develop in early access.
“The gameplay draws comparisons to The Binding of Isaac, offering similar mechanics with a focus on spellcasting.”
“With its diverse spell combinations and challenging gameplay, the game remains engaging and replayable.”
“The gameplay is smooth, despite the amount of projectiles that are being rendered.”
“If you're a big fan of Noita, I don't think I'd recommend this game, as it has a lot less mechanical depth.”
“Maybe there's more late-game mechanics that I just didn't get to, but the grind to get there feels repetitive and boring.”
“Has a gameplay loop like Hades with none of the depth or charm of the story.”
- graphics38 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the pleasing visuals, unique enemy designs, and charming art style, while others express a lack of personal preference for the aesthetic. Overall, the graphics are described as clean and effective, contributing positively to the gameplay experience, though some critics feel the art style is simplistic or reminiscent of mobile games. Despite the divided opinions, the visuals are generally considered a strong aspect of the game, enhancing its replayability and creativity.
“The visuals are quite pleasing, and I really like the enemy design throughout the game, especially in the third world/area.”
“Superb graphics and sound design.”
“Magicraft is one of the hidden gems that I hope gets more known due to the devs making a fun rogue game. The art style is fantastic, gives me Don't Starve vibes, and the colors and spells/relics that I've seen in the little time that I've played are a spectacle to watch.”
“I'm genuinely surprised with the positive reviews, between how this looks and plays like a mobile game with a rancid banal art style and all the issues I mentioned above.”
“But apparently it is not the case, and I will have to stare at this incredibly childish and boring art style for the rest of this game's life.”
“I'm not a fan of the visuals, but at least they're clean enough and the UI/UX works.”
- music34 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing it as repetitive, childish, and poorly fitting for the game's tone. While some appreciate the soundtrack in later levels, the majority express a desire for more variety and depth, suggesting that the current tracks detract from the overall experience. Overall, players feel that the music lacks the epic quality needed to enhance the gameplay.
“Great game with an amazing soundtrack (starting from level 3).”
“The great gameplay is accompanied by good music and great enemies.”
“Fun game, beautiful music and art style!”
“The core game is solid, the music was so bad I couldn't bear it.”
“Both the effects and music are extremely lame and generic, which is the real vibe killer.”
“If they can afford it, the developers should really invest in some custom music tracks and try to add some spice to the sound effects because it would make a world of difference to the game's feel.”
- humor29 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its lighthearted and quirky approach, appealing particularly to younger audiences and fans of magic and anime. Players enjoy the intentional silliness of the narrative and spell interactions, often finding the absurdity of the gameplay and character designs to be genuinely funny. Overall, the game combines engaging mechanics with a fun, comedic atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
“The humorous take on traditional gaming tropes adds a unique quirk to the overall atmosphere.”
“Very fun rogue-lite with funny spell interactions.”
“It has a cute and chill sense of humor that makes you feel cheerful even if you die a hundred times.”
- replayability26 mentions
- 62 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The game is widely praised for its exceptional replayability, with players noting the vast array of spell combinations, skill variations, and diverse gameplay mechanics that keep each run fresh and engaging. Many reviewers highlight the game's potential for hundreds of hours of play, even in early access, and express excitement for future content that could enhance this aspect further. Overall, it is considered a standout title in the rogue-lite genre, offering infinite replay value and a fun, customizable experience.
“Magicraft captures my favorite part of Noita - the spell customization - and combines it into a run-based rogue-lite that's actually ridiculously replayable.”
“The combination of skills, magic, relics, and pure variation of enemies and tactics have made this game extremely replayable, especially while traveling as it’s not demanding from a power perspective.”
“With its diverse spell combinations and challenging gameplay, the game remains engaging and replayable.”
“If enough content gets added for replayability, I could see this being in my top 10 roguelikes.”
“Could use something like ascensions to further its replayability.”
“Great game, would definitely recommend, even if it is still in early access, this already has lots of replay value, because every run plays different.”
- story17 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The story in *Magicraft* is generally viewed as uninspired and lacking depth, with many players finding it cheesy or annoying, yet some appreciate its humor and simplicity. While the game incorporates a narrative element, it often feels random and underdeveloped, leading to a focus on gameplay mechanics rather than a compelling storyline. Overall, the story may not be a strong point, but it serves as a lighthearted backdrop to the engaging gameplay experience.
“The story is a bit cheesy, but it's part of what makes it so goofy and enjoyable.”
“Perfect balance between graphics, gameplay, story, and difficulty.”
“If you love magic and anime or isekai themes, this game is perfect for you; the story is so silly it's funny.”
“The story and hero are uninspired and boring, at times even annoying with the hero's dialogue.”
“However, Magicraft attempts to incorporate a story element that falls short.”
“The devs should continue to focus on the new content and mechanics, like new spells, new monsters, etc., and also lore; the game seems to be missing a lot of in-depth story writing.”
- grinding10 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessive, particularly in terms of resource farming and unlocking upgrades, which can feel tedious and slow. While some appreciate the variety of upgrades and spell combinations that come with grinding, many feel that the process lacks enjoyment and leads to repetitive gameplay, especially in the mid to late game. Overall, the grind is seen as a significant hurdle that detracts from the overall experience.
“There's a lot of padding where you need to grind to unlock, but it doesn't feel particularly good grinding, just an extended slog to get there.”
“I was grinding out bosses to get the summoner starter class which takes 50 ancient bloods, of which you get around 3 bloods every time you beat an end of act boss (not the elite, which is the first boss fight of that level).”
“The fourth wand is a whopping 400 crystals and in an hour run you'll be lucky to get 100 crystals, so it just seems like end-game is just running grinding the same 3 chapters again for upgrades that still don't even help any against the last boss.”
- optimization9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with players reporting performance issues, particularly when using certain abilities or spells that cause lag. Many reviewers express frustration over the game's technical performance, likening it to amateur Unity projects, and some doubt that these issues will be resolved in the future. Overall, while the gameplay can be enjoyable, the optimization problems detract from the experience, especially on platforms like the Steam Deck.
“The only thing I would criticize is that the performance with some spell combinations can dive.”
“Original review: any game that lets me craft an entirely broken build that murders my performance & all enemies on screen in an instant on my third run has to get a thumbs up.”
“I'd give it a thumbs-up now but I've seen a game here and there in the past, with these types of issues, never actually fix the performance issues.”
“I don't think the game is worth playing right now, especially if the performance issues are never resolved.”
“The reason I gave the game a thumbs-down is because of performance.”
“At the moment I'm mainly playing the game on the Steam Deck, but the performance is somehow annoying, especially when you have a lot of spells on your screen.”
- stability7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- -29 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag; while some players report no crashes and a generally playable experience, others experience significant lag, freezes, and erratic boss behavior that can disrupt gameplay. Frequent freezing during intense moments, particularly with powerful spells, is a common issue, though autosave features help mitigate progress loss. Overall, while there are bugs and performance hiccups, many players remain optimistic about future fixes.
“No major balance issues and runs great.”
“The game runs smoothly without any crashes or glitches.”
“I appreciate how stable the gameplay is; it never feels laggy or unresponsive.”
“Bosses are bullet sponges that move erratically, and the game seems to experience frequent lag and freezes.”
“Every screen killer/massive AoE/insta-kill build freezes your PC for 5-20 seconds, while the enemy still attacks you. For bosses, this doesn't work; if your frames drop to 1, every boss attack goes through you.”
“Game freezes; not a single frame took place, and there was no evidence that the spell was cast.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game features no in-game purchases, ensuring a fair experience without pay-to-win elements. However, players express frustration with the frequent interruptions from unengaging ads and low-quality content, likening the experience to being trapped in a dull environment.
“There are no in-game purchases, which means there's no pay-to-win aspect.”
“I appreciate that the game doesn't have any microtransactions.”
“The absence of monetization pressure allows for a more enjoyable gaming experience.”
“Almost everything sounds so soft and boring; it feels like this is a soft room in a mental asylum, and you don't remember for how long you've been there. Only that every few hours you get to 'enjoy' a compilation of horrible mobile game ads and cash grab children's videos.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is characterized by a humorous twist on traditional gaming tropes, which contributes a distinctive and quirky charm to the overall experience.
“The humorous take on traditional gaming tropes adds a unique quirk to the overall atmosphere.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a desire for enhanced character development through additional content, such as mod or workshop support for customizing character designs, wands, and spells, indicating that they seek deeper personalization and engagement with the game's characters.
“I just want more of this game; maybe add mod/workshop support for things like character designs, wands, spells, and more!”
“The character development is incredibly deep, allowing players to shape their heroes in unique ways.”
“I love how the choices I make influence my character's growth and relationships throughout the game.”
