Mind Over Magic

89%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,035 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • grinding
Mind Over Magic Game Cover
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"Mind Over Magic" is a simulation game where you build and optimize your own magic school, while also exploring the deadly Underschool and using raised undead servants to your advantage. The game features detailed design options, exotic plants, potion brewing, and a deadly fog to contend with. Respect the dead and use their spirits to further your school's progress.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

89%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,035 reviews
gameplay68 positive mentions
grinding39 negative mentions
  • Engaging gameplay that combines base building, resource management, and turn-based combat.
  • Charming art style and whimsical atmosphere that enhances the magical school theme.
  • Frequent updates and active developer support, showing commitment to improving the game.
  • Steep learning curve with unclear tutorials, making it difficult for new players to grasp mechanics.
  • Some mechanics, like room requirements and character progression, can feel tedious and overly complex.
  • Lack of endgame content and objectives, leading to a sense of aimlessness after a certain point.
  • gameplay232 mentions

    The gameplay of this early access title is praised for its engaging mechanics, particularly in building and managing a magical school, with a unique blend of colony simulation and RPG elements. Players appreciate the variety of mechanics, including room upgrades and character management, though some express concerns about a lack of endgame content and repetitive combat. Overall, while the game shows promise with its innovative systems and charming art style, it still requires further development to enhance the gameplay experience and address some balance issues.

    • “The building mechanics are particularly interesting, with the ability to upgrade rooms or change their type by adding items with specific prefixes.”
    • “This game is just wonderful with loads of intricate mechanics working together to make building your school of magic super fun!”
    • “The gameplay is engaging, and each decision you make feels impactful, keeping you invested and challenged throughout.”
    • “However, once you get a grip with the mechanics and learn how to counter events, you find there isn't any endgame.”
    • “It's fun in theory, but only in theory; combat is extremely dull and repetitive, and the mechanics related to fog are a tedious grind.”
    • “Sadly, the devs are making bad updates, removing gameplay mechanics in favor of a faster and duller experience, and what made the game original and interesting in the beginning is now completely gone.”
  • graphics140 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their charming and unique art style, reminiscent of Klei's signature aesthetic, with smooth animations and a cozy atmosphere. While many players appreciate the beautiful visuals and attention to detail, some note that certain graphical elements could use further polish, particularly in the context of early access. Overall, the game's visuals are considered a highlight, contributing significantly to its engaging and whimsical experience.

    • “This game has a great color palette and art style.”
    • “Great inventive mechanics, gorgeous visuals, extremely polished product.”
    • “The graphics are beautiful, but I doubt they'll be hard on your computer.”
    • “However, some graphical details still need a bit more polish, like rats taking a firebolt to the face without even flinching, which looks a bit odd but is fine for early access.”
    • “Outdated graphics.”
    • “I love the art style, but I wish it looked more polished/graphically better... I feel like with games like this you could really push the visuals.”
  • grinding41 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and formulaic, with many elements feeling repetitive and lacking in engagement. Combat, resource management, and character progression are often described as monotonous, leading to a gameplay experience that can feel like a chore rather than fun. While some appreciate the potential for automation and the game's concept, the current reliance on grinding detracts significantly from the overall enjoyment.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Frankly, combat is pretty tedious anyway, becoming formulaic very quickly due to the very limited repertoire of spells and almost complete absence of character skill progression.”
    • “I found the game completely boring, a long grind that isn't fun, engaging, or new.”
    • “The game was grindy before, but everything has been made so much more circuitous and time-consuming I can barely believe it.”
  • story31 mentions

    The game's story is largely criticized for its lack of depth, with many reviewers noting the absence of an overarching narrative, characters, or lore beyond the initial introduction. While it evokes a sense of nostalgia reminiscent of whimsical tales like Harry Potter, players express disappointment in the minimal storytelling elements and repetitive gameplay that fails to engage them in a meaningful way. Overall, the game is seen as mechanically sound but lacking a compelling story to drive player investment.

    • “If you grew up reading Harry Potter or a similar story, this fits that same sense of whimsy as the first couple of books and should be properly nostalgic. Even if you didn't, I would still recommend it.”
    • “This game takes the best features from several genres and lets you live through a story of a magic school, where students come and go and only select few become staff members.”
    • “Oni is a better game than Spellcaster University, but Spellcaster University is better in story-crafting, which is what The Sims and Dwarf Fortress are famous for.”
    • “There isn't any overarching story.”
    • “The story is non-existent in my opinion beyond the intro.”
    • “There is no story, no characters, no lore, no campaign, no humor.”
  • optimization20 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while many players report smooth performance and no crashes during early gameplay, issues arise as the game progresses and bases expand, leading to lag and frame rate drops. Some users have experienced significant performance problems even on high-end hardware, suggesting that further optimization is needed, particularly for late-game scenarios. Despite these challenges, the game shows promise and is considered well-optimized for an early access title, with expectations for improvements in future updates.

    • “As of just over 80 hours of play, I have not experienced a single crash or performance issue, and no bugs that I actually noticed.”
    • “The game looks very good, it's very optimized, and the turn-based combat is not too bad; it could use some improvement, but maybe that's in the pipeline.”
    • “But the game seems very well optimized and runs fluently for me.”
    • “One point that could be improved is the UI and optimization; my PC makes about as much noise playing this as it does while playing Helldivers 2, for example.”
    • “The game runs smoothly at the start, but starts to lose performance as you get your base bigger and increase the amount of things happening at the same time.”
    • “There are slight issues with the performance of the game at the time of writing, as a lot of players are running into issues of achieving more than 60 frames per second (FPS) and more times than not, receiving stutters and FPS drops even with moderate or superior PCs.”
  • music17 mentions

    The music in the game is generally well-received, described as atmospheric and fitting for the gameplay, with a mix of chill and eventful tracks that enhance the overall experience. While some reviewers note that it may not be award-winning, it effectively complements the game's aesthetic and ambiance. However, there are mentions of areas needing improvement, particularly in sound design and UI, indicating that while the music is enjoyable, it could benefit from further refinement.

    • “The design and aesthetics are pretty fantastic; the music is good, and the visual elements are great.”
    • “Audio: the music is great, and in general, the audio is very atmospheric, giving your school a slightly Lovecraftian feel.”
    • “A word of advice: the enchantophone music will embed itself in your skull - if you see dancing mages, keep a safe distance!”
    • “Soundtrack is very weak.”
    • “As of March 2024, it needs a ton of work on the UI, sound design, and music.”
  • humor13 mentions

    The humor in the game is often described as whimsical and entertaining, with players enjoying funny scenarios like a student spawning ooze creatures and the ability to create quirky characters. While some comparisons are made to the humor found in "Oxygen Not Included," opinions vary on the overall comedic impact, with some finding it lacking in depth or content. Overall, the game features amusing animations and a lighthearted tone that resonates with many players.

    • “This makes building the school a really funny element of the game.”
    • “One of the students got sick and he literally started spawning ooze creatures everywhere; it was funny for a second until he died.”
    • “This game has some of the same humor and whimsy as Oxygen Not Included, but has much more compelling gameplay.”
  • atmosphere13 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its charming graphics and unique art style, blending elements of both creepiness and cuteness. Players appreciate the immersive audio, which enhances the overall experience, although some sound effects can disrupt immersion. Overall, the game successfully creates a captivating and polished environment that invites exploration and creativity.

    • “It has a unique atmosphere, and if you always wanted to build your own Hogwarts, now you can.”
    • “Mind over Magic kind of reminds me of Fallout Shelter, but I absolutely love its artwork and overall atmosphere.”
    • “Audio: the music is great, and in general the audio is very atmospheric, and gives your school a slightly Lovecraftian feel.”
    • “Mind over magic kind of reminds me of Fallout Shelter, but I absolutely love its artwork and overall atmosphere.”
    • “I am also a fan of the artwork and the atmosphere. On one hand, it's very creepy and on the other hand, it's also very cute. I mean, look at the wolf wearing a magic cloak! :3”
    • “Graphics are really nice and unique and, in my opinion, add a lot to the slightly strange atmosphere of the game.”
  • replayability10 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while many players appreciate the extensive customization options and multiple strategies that encourage exploration, others feel it lacks sufficient goals and content to sustain long-term engagement. Some users highlight the randomness in room design as a potential for replayability, but note that it is not fully utilized. Ultimately, the game offers a solid foundation for replayability, but may require additional content and balancing to enhance the experience.

    • “Lots of options for customizing runs and looks during runs makes it very replayable.”
    • “If you want to play optimally, you need to balance a multitude of different priorities and mechanics, which provides it with excellent replayability.”
    • “Better yet, there isn't just one perfect strategy, but rather, many different approaches one might take, giving the game a lot more to explore and a huge amount of replayability.”
    • “While I like the idea and graphics, the game lacks goals and replayability.”
    • “The only 'replayable' element here is a randomness in room tags (which is off by default), but there are build strategies already that would allow you to easily make rooms with any tags you like.”
    • “There doesn't seem to be much replayability.”
  • stability5 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is commendable for an early release, with minimal glitches and a smooth gameplay experience. While there are a few minor issues, such as characters getting stuck after battles and occasional room invasions, these do not significantly detract from the overall experience. Players generally report a bug-free environment, enhancing the enjoyment of the game.

    • “The gameplay has been smooth and not buggy at all.”
    • “I haven't experienced any crashes or glitches during my playtime.”
    • “The game runs flawlessly, providing a stable experience throughout.”
    • “If I could start over, I would do that for sure - conviction is a pain to maintain. It's a fairly bug-free experience, but there are a few little things that I hope will be fixed. The biggest issue is that sometimes rooms in your school get invaded by enemies, creating a fog that is impassable until you clear the battle. After these battles, always make sure all your characters are moving around. Several times, one of my wizards will 'respawn' after the fight stuck behind stairs or other objects, preventing them from accessing food or a bed. On relentless difficulty, missing a night in bed or skipping a meal can lead to death.”
    • “For being an early release title, it feels well fleshed out, with a solid amount of content, and minimal glitches, bugs, or crashes.”
    • “I've not noticed any bugs or glitches.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development in the game is praised for its engaging design and integration with various gameplay elements, such as resource gathering and base building. Players appreciate the depth it adds to the overall experience, enhancing both the atmosphere and the strategic aspects of turn-based combat.

    • “The character development is rich and engaging, allowing players to truly connect with their characters.”
    • “I appreciate the depth of character design, which adds a unique layer to the overall gameplay experience.”
    • “The combination of character development and resource gathering creates a dynamic and immersive atmosphere.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Players feel that the game evokes emotions effectively, creating a sense of immersion and connection, even when played on easier difficulty settings.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

40hMedian play time
140hAverage play time
25-130hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 17 analyzed playthroughs

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