Terrain of Magical Expertise

About

Terrain of Magical Expertise is a single player role playing game. It was developed by NEO-C Productions L.L.C and was released on September 9, 2021. It received positive reviews from players.

Dive into the world of "Terrain of Magical Expertise" , a non-linear RPG adventure based on a popular animated webseries. Play as a White-Hat Hacker in this MMORPG, taking part in a high-stakes event to win a large cash prize. With an original turn-based combat system, captivating voice acting, and 40+ hours of gameplay, TOME promises an immersive, story-driven experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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84%

Audience ScoreBased on 92 reviews

story30 positive mentions

grinding11 negative mentions

The game features a captivating story with well-written characters, making it engaging for both fans of the TOME web series and newcomers.
The voice acting is top-notch, with every line voiced, adding depth and charm to the characters and their interactions.
The combat system is fun and dynamic, reminiscent of classic RPGs, with unique mechanics that require strategic thinking.

The game is plagued by numerous bugs, including softlocks and glitches that can disrupt gameplay and require restarts.
There is no traditional leveling system, which can make combat feel pointless and lead to frustration when facing enemies.
Menu navigation and inventory management are cumbersome, making it tedious to equip items and manage character stats.

story
73 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
55%
4%
The story is widely praised as the standout feature of the game, with engaging writing, well-developed characters, and a charming narrative that resonates with fans of the original web series. While some players note a few linear elements and minor disappointments, the overall experience is described as captivating and emotionally rewarding, making it a significant draw for both new players and long-time fans. However, some critiques mention issues with balance in story-important fights and a few bugs that may affect immersion.
- “The story is fantastically written.”
- “More than anything though, this game's greatest strength is its story, writing, and voice performances because this is one of the most engaging, charming, and interesting stories I've experienced for a long while.”
- “Tome is a wonderful game with an engaging storyline, in-depth characters, incredible voice acting, and a fun art style I'll never get tired of looking at.”
- “In storytelling, there's 'show, don't tell'; in video games, there's 'do, don't show.'”
- “I respect that a lot of liberties were taken and revised as this was a new continuity with a different cast of characters, so the romance implications, the AI, and all that had to be removed, but this game just feels one-note with a simple three-act story.”
- “The game is going to be spending some time to polish off some of this edge that comes with an initial release; that said, the story was well worth pushing through. The story had me laughing, crying, and invested despite the jank halting my immersion on more than one occasion.”
gameplay
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
56%
12%
The gameplay is a mixed bag, drawing inspiration from classic titles like Super Mario RPG with engaging mechanics and fun mini-games, but marred by bugs, clunky controls, and a lack of meaningful progression. While some players appreciate the unique hacking elements and accessible turn-based combat, others find the overall experience dull and frustrating due to design flaws and unfulfilled promises. Despite its charm and potential, the game suffers from technical issues that detract from the enjoyment.
- “The mechanics are simple enough to be grasped quickly, but still in-depth enough to keep you engaged and constantly trying new things.”
- “The gameplay is extremely fun.”
- “Overall, it's a fantastic game with a great world and characters, superb music, cool art, fun gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is a little clunky, and there is a bug with the flowering condition where it will softlock the game when applied to nylocke (and sometimes other characters too), which caused me to have to reset several times.”
- “There is no sense of progression and the lack of experience means that there is no reason to fight anything; the core gameplay loop is broken by design.”
- “The game is a bugged-out mess, not to mention there's tons of broken mechanics, useless to fight enemies, annoying characters on top of worse writing and lackluster voice direction.”
graphics
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the distinct and charming art style, while others criticize it for lacking development and polish over the years. Many noted the presence of graphical glitches and a lack of animation, which can detract from the overall visual appeal. Overall, while the art style resonates with some players for its nostalgia and uniqueness, it may not appeal to everyone, especially those seeking modern graphical advancements.
- “This game has a pretty distinct art style to it, and I can appreciate that.”
- “Tome is a wonderful game with an engaging storyline, in-depth characters, incredible voice acting, and a fun art style I'll never get tired of looking at.”
- “The voice acting is spot on, the graphical style is equal parts fresh and nostalgic, and who can say anything bad about Nylocke?”
- “Most of them are simply graphical glitches, but on occasion it can be a big problem.”
- “To be frank, as much as I have a fondness for this series, the art style really has not developed or improved very much over the years, and that is a huge negativity to me. I suggest looking at actual in-game screenshots and not character art if art style is a big issue for you, because the art style did keep many from being into the series when it was originally released, so it's not for everyone.”
- “Overall, this game has its art style nailed, but it lacks polish for me to call it a visually appealing game.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
33%
25%
The music in "Terrain of Magical Expertise" is widely praised for its superb quality and catchy melodies, with players noting that certain tracks linger in their minds long after playing. The soundtrack enhances the overall experience, complementing the engaging gameplay and vibrant world, making it a standout feature of the game. Additionally, the rhythm battles are enjoyable, adding another layer of fun to the musical experience.
- “The music is superb and the rhythm battles are enjoyable, even if the first two are a bit easier for experienced rhythm players.”
- “Overall, it's a fantastic game with a great world and characters, superb music, cool art, fun gameplay.”
- “I'll break it down to simple factors: writing, voices/music, gameplay/designs and miscellaneous tidbits.”
- “The music's a bop, and I can feel the passion oozing from every grid-square in this game.”
- “I love the music and the dialog is all voice actor from the actors and the turn-based RPG is always a favorite of mine, the game and music is so fun and I'm 2 hours in and it feels like I am playing the web series!”
grinding
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate a mixed perspective on grinding in the game. While some players appreciate the absence of a traditional leveling system that eliminates the need for grinding, others find the item acquisition process tedious and reliant on farming for resources. Overall, the game allows players to progress without the typical grind associated with RPGs, making exploration and story advancement more enjoyable for those who dislike grinding.
- “I like the game's story and its gameplay, but if you are not used to grinding for money in games, then I wouldn't recommend it unless you have patience.”
- “Especially towards the beginning, items are extremely tedious to get, either requiring you to farm monsters or save up netti and buy items at the shop, both of which require you to grind ad nauseam.”
- “You won't get stronger from farming these mobs.”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
90%
The game is reported to have significant stability issues, including numerous graphical glitches, softlocks, and occasional crashes during cutscenes and battles. While some players find the overall experience enjoyable despite these bugs, many express frustration over the frequency and impact of the glitches, indicating a strong need for patches to improve stability.
- “I wish it had launched bug-free like most games back in the day, but it seems oddly fitting as the series used to be about life-threatening viruses ruining a fun game.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any major crashes, which is a relief considering the issues I've faced with other titles.”
- “I've experienced very few bugs, and the overall stability of the game enhances my enjoyment.”
- “Along with that, there are several glitches that happen along the way.”
- “This is due to the few softlocks, glitches, and crashes I experienced during cutscenes and battles (though they were few and far between, a hard reset would usually fix them so I advise saving frequently).”
- “I would really want to love the game... but there's too many glitches, both in regards to the equipment screen and especially with the flower ailment.”
emotional
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its colorful and well-written characters, creating an immersive emotional experience that resonates deeply with players. Many reviewers highlight the heartfelt moments and wholesome storytelling, noting that the emotional payoffs are impactful and genuine, making it one of the most emotionally engaging games of the year. The meta-aware writing adds a layer of charm, enhancing the overall emotional connection to the narrative.
- “We're given a colorful cast of well-written characters to go on an adventure with, and basically every cutscene made me feel as if I was in the game world with them.”
- “I recommend this to anyone who was genuinely moved by the tome series, as this game offers both a different canon and a different set of moving and heartwarming characters and stories to brighten your day.”
- “Nothing feels forced and a lot of emotional moments hit pretty hard.”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, featuring funny monster noises, charming character designs, and hilarious dialogue that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the top-notch voice acting and the unique, lovable characters, including the villains, which contribute to a vibrant and engaging world. Despite some initial jank, the humor remains a standout aspect, making the story both entertaining and emotionally resonant.
- “The art is amazing, with charming sprites and hilarious character portraits.”
- “Great voice acting, characters are funny, charming, and lovable, including the villains.”
- “The dialogue is hilarious, and the amount of effort put into the art of each of the hundreds of unique NPCs is phenomenal.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's optimization is generally praised for its top-notch performance, though there are notable issues with cutscene loading times, which can disrupt the experience by displaying a white text on a black screen instead of showcasing the animations and voice acting. Despite these drawbacks, the game's storytelling and voice performances are highlighted as its standout features.
- “Top notch performance.”
- “More than anything though, this game's greatest strength is its story, writing, and voice performances because this is one of the most engaging, charming, and interesting stories I've experienced for a long while.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
Players note that the ability to customize their self-insert character's class, element, and abilities provides a modest level of replayability, encouraging experimentation with different builds and unlockable moves.
- “The variety of character classes, elements, and unlockable moves from dojos adds a refreshing layer of replayability.”
- “Each playthrough feels unique thanks to the different starting abilities and character customization options.”
- “The ability to experiment with different self-insert characters keeps the game engaging and encourages multiple runs.”
- “The self-insert character's class, element, starting abilities, and unlockable moves from dojos add only a tiny bit of replayability.”
- “Once you've experienced the main story, there's little incentive to go back and play again.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying the game feel tedious and uninteresting.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While the character designs are praised for their high quality and visual appeal, the reviews do not provide significant insights into the depth or progression of character development within the game.