Rating
The Magic Circle
You are the protagonist of an unfinished 1st person fantasy game, trapped in development hell. The designers (played by James Urbaniak, Ashly Burch, and Karen Dyer) are god-like, but so indecisive that they've given you no powers whatsoever. With the help of a mysterious disembodied voice (Stephen Russell) you must seize the tools of game developme...
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The Magic Circle Reviews
Professional reviews from gaming critics
Do you like fourth wall break? Awesome interactive games? Feeling like a Pokemon trainer? Or uncovering amazing story and plot as you traverse through diverse parts of worlds? Then you'll love The Magic Circle! Although beware, there might be some spoilers here. If your interested in getting the game, I assure you it's worth every penny!
A memorable trip into game design and development hell, The Magic Circle's only sin is that there isn't more of it to play around in. What is here is storytelling and gameplay intermingled with expert care, bringing the player on an intellectual thrill ride that should be seen by all.
The message is a little muddled, with so many accusing fingers thrust in so many directions that I’m sure different people will come to radically different conclusions of what it all means. But it’s a message worth hearing, and a world worth exploring, if you care about video games and the people that make them.
The Magic Circle continuously surprised me with puzzles, twists, and a great hacking mechanic which gradually placed more and more creative power into my hands. As my skills grew, the possibilities continuously expanded around me, building toward a rewarding and satisfying conclusion. It’s a shame there wasn’t more to laugh at, and that some worthwhile commentary and criticism of gaming culture is obscured by a virulent delivery, but this superb, inventive method of puzzle design – delightfully unlike anything else I’ve ever played – is where the real magic comes from.
Explore and exploit an unfinished adventure game.
The Magic Circle has a very clear understanding of how games can be laid low, especially when high-minded ambition rather than practicality is in charge, but whether because of budgetary limitations or because it's too determined to convey its message first and foremost, it seems to then make some of those same mistakes. I want to say that it's bitten off a bit more than it can chew, but given that its very nature is discussing how games can bite off more than they can chew, I can't be sure that this isn't deliberate either.