Magicube
- June 29, 2023
- nebu soku
Get on SteamMagicube is a thought-provoking puzzle platformer game with 50 levels, where careful planning and timing are essential for success. The game boasts PICO-8 specifications, allowing players to customize settings such as sound, window/fullscreen mode, and controls. Use to move, to jump, to cast spells, to undo, to restart, and to access the menu.
Reviews
- The puzzles are incredibly well-designed, offering a satisfying challenge that requires deep thinking and creativity.
- Each level feels meticulously crafted, providing a rewarding sense of accomplishment upon completion.
- The game successfully balances simplicity in mechanics with complexity in puzzle solutions, making it a standout in the genre.
- The difficulty level is extremely high, which may frustrate players who are not experienced with challenging puzzles.
- Some solutions can feel gimmicky or rely on obscure mechanics that are not intuitively apparent.
- The controls can be rigid and difficult to manage, which may detract from the overall experience.
- gameplay34 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 79 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its simple mechanics that lead to complex and challenging puzzles, requiring players to think creatively and experiment. While some mechanics, like the blue cube, may feel less integrated, the overall design encourages exploration and clever problem-solving. The game successfully balances accessibility with difficulty, making it a standout in the puzzle genre.
“Very simple mechanics and very difficult puzzles - the perfect combination.”
“Every self-contained level is deliberate, from the layout to the boxes to your character's moves, and the mechanics demand you get creative and experiment.”
“The amount of creativity and variety accomplished with such simple mechanics is really impressive.”
“I can't tell you the number of times I sat, stupefied, feeling like there must be some obvious mechanic or nuance that I missed.”
“There is no way mechanics this simple should be this bloody hard to solve.”
“Gameplay-wise, the puzzles are very simple.”
- music8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The music in the game features a handful of looping chiptune tracks that some players find repetitive and grating at first, but many eventually appreciate its charm, particularly the standout jazzy track in the skull-themed levels. While the graphics are simple, the music complements the retro aesthetic and enhances the overall experience, with some players expressing a desire to listen to it outside of the game. Overall, the music is a divisive yet integral part of the game's appeal.
“However, over time the music grew on me, and it became part of the game's charm.”
“One final note: the music in this game is great, in particular the second track that starts when you get to the skull-themed levels, a sort of pleasantly sleazy, lazy-jazzy track that wouldn't be out of place in a 16-bit JRPG mid-game bar interlude.”
“Enjoyed every minute <3 the music is also such a vibe; I would listen to it even outside of the game.”
“The music consists of about half a dozen short, looping chiptune tracks.”
“My only criticism would be the music, which can get quite grating.”
“While the graphics are simple and the music can be a bit repetitive, the game excels with its exceptional puzzles that are very satisfying to solve.”
- graphics7 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The graphics of Magicube are simple and reminiscent of 8-bit era aesthetics, created using the pico-8 game engine, which limits visual complexity. While some players find the visuals passable and the music repetitive, the game's charm lies in its challenging puzzles rather than elaborate graphics or storytelling. Overall, the retro style effectively complements the game's focus on satisfying and mentally rewarding gameplay.
“As most people have commented, this game, with its charming simple 8-bit retro graphic style (even the music is 8-bit), belies a deceptively difficult and mentally rewarding set of brilliant, elegant and all-around satisfying, tough as nails brain scratches.”
“Magicube is made on a novelty game engine called Pico-8, so its graphics and sound are limited to what a console from the 8-bit era could do.”
“Don't let the simple graphics and low price lead you to believe this was hastily put together.”
“While the graphics are simple and the music can be a bit repetitive, the game excels with its exceptional puzzles that are very satisfying to solve.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game exhibits stability issues, with players noting the presence of glitches that undermine the puzzle-solving experience and diminish the satisfaction of achieving solutions. While the game is enjoyable for fans of challenging puzzles, these glitches can trivialize gameplay and detract from the overall experience.
“It is a nice game for people who like hard puzzles, but I would say that a lot of the solutions lack elegance. It feels much more like you are using 'glitches' than having precious 'eureka' moments.”
“Lastly, there are a few very easy-to-find glitches that completely trivialize a good portion of the already tiny level pool. While I don't imagine anyone playing this kind of game will cheat, it would be nice if they could be patched.”
- story1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal and lacks depth, with no engaging visuals or meta-game elements to enhance the experience; it focuses primarily on providing 50 challenging puzzles.
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a deep emotional connection to the game, often experiencing frustration and sadness when unable to progress, leading to sleepless nights and persistent thoughts about challenging levels.
“I cried multiple nights because I couldn't solve a level, and it kept getting stuck in my head, hitting a wall over and over.”
“The emotional depth of the story left me in tears; I felt so connected to the characters and their struggles.”
“Every choice I made in the game felt heavy with consequence, and it truly tugged at my heartstrings.”
