The Magic Circle: Gold Edition Review – PlayStation 4

It’s uncommon these days to see a game- independent or AAA- really try to accomplish something new and/or unique. Enter The Magic Circle. Developed by a three-man team of developers who have worked on such titles as the Bioshock series, The Magic Circle: Gold Edition feels like an experience crafted by artists looking to try something new by throwing everything against the wall and not caring what sticks. It’s commendable in many, many ways, and makes for a gaming experience that’s almost singular, to say the least.

In The Magic Circle: Gold Edition, you play as a game tester who’s playing through a completely unfinished game. The reason for this is that the developers can’t see eye to eye on just about anything. The lead director wants his grand, 20-plus year vision to come out perfect, and as a result nothing is good enough. Soon, for plot reasons I won’t go deep into, you gain the ability to remake the game on a base level by literally changing its code. You can turn enemies friendly, make objects lethal to yourself or NPC’s, and several other manipulations that really make you feel powerful and clever all at once.

The game shines when it gives you just enough tools and hints to leave you room to explore and get creative. It’s in that creativity that you’re often left feeling like the smartest person in the room, as just about anything you can think of in terms of coding is possible, given that you have the necessary resources. This single aspect is The Magic Circle: Gold Edition’s greatest achievement, and it will carry you through all the way until the end.

While I’ve seen other games go for a similar code-manipulation mechanic, none have pulled it off quite this elegantly. I can almost guarantee you’ll see it in other games over the next 2-3 years. The visuals are also a big selling point, as you’ll come across intentionally unfinished polygons, cell-shaded grey tones, and 32-bit era pixel romps. The game looks as unique and striking as its premise, and it’s great to see the two blend together so well.

The game is filled with great voice actors, but it’s the dialog that can sometimes leave a lot to be desired. It can often be a little too on the nose, and lines that are obviously meant to be hilarious will muster a slight chuckle at best. Likewise, character interactions often feel forced and unnatural. The game can often FEEL written, if that makes sense. While the writing never fully tears you out of the experience, it never achieves the desired effect of leaving you feeling like you’re in a world.

The Magic Circle: Gold Edition is a game that has several rough edges. Considering this is the first game from a new studio, this is to be expected. It’s the amazing execution of its core idea that allows it to skate past being simply average to a game you should see for yourself, if only for the experience of something genuinely new.

Screenshot Gallery





Author: Mike Murphy
Mike Murphy is a freelance writer/artist based in Portland, Or. In addition to handling game reviews, he also writes comics, novels, and short stories. For more information feel free to check out chibicomicspdx.tumblr.com or twitter.com/chibi_mike.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *