Magus (video game) explained

Magus
Developer:Black Tower, Aksys Games
Publisher:Aksys Games
Programmer:Naoki Saegusa (lead)
Engine:Unreal Engine 3
Platforms:PlayStation 3
Genre:Role-playing, Action Adventure
Modes:Single-player

Magus (pronounced “may-jus”), is an action role-playing game for the PlayStation 3, co-developed by Black Tower and Aksys Games.[1] The title has become infamous due to the negative reception it received from critics upon release, and is often considered among the worst games on the console.

Plot

Magus has been imprisoned in a tower in the Waterfall Kingdom and tortured for years. Magus remains handcuffed, imprisoned, immovable, clueless, and powerless, until a new prisoner, named Kinna, arrives and forces him to escape. Once Magus has escaped, their journey to discover Magus's true identity and abilities begins. Along the way they must face the wrath of the Kingdom Waterfall, and battle them in order to discover Magus's purpose.[2]

Gameplay

Magus uses divine powers, known as "Chroma Magic", which he can absorb from associated colored stones – red, green and blue. These powers increase over time and players can choose to master just one or all three.[3] The game has a skill tree system with three (red, green and blue) chromatic arcana tiers. Magus can cast basic spells as much as he wants, but strong magic spells have a cooldown period.[4]

Reception

Magus received "unfavorable" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. It was criticized for its dated graphics, lackluster gameplay, and poorly written dialogue and voice acting. The dialogue however had been stated as "unintentionally hilarious" and "probably the game's greatest selling point". Geoff Thew of Hardcore Gamer called it "a perfect storm of terrible ideas and botched execution", but found the game "endlessly enjoyable in spite of itself".

With a Metacritic rating of 32, Magus is the 9th lowest rated PlayStation 3 game on the website.[5]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Aksys Games Announces Their First Co-developed Game Magus. June 12, 2013. Anime News Network. February 20, 2014. February 25, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140225230436/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2013-06-12/aksys-games-announces-their-first-co-developed-game-magus. live.
  2. Web site: Aksys Announced First Co-developed Game Magus. Romano. Sal. June 11, 2013. Gematsu. February 20, 2014. February 23, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140223100553/http://gematsu.com/2013/06/aksys-announced-first-co-developed-game-magus. live.
  3. Web site: Magus Coming to PS3 in 2014 From Aksys and Black Tower Studios. Hillier. Brenna. November 21, 2013. VG247. Gamer Network. January 14, 2023. January 14, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230114004122/https://www.vg247.com/magus-coming-to-ps3-in-2014from-aksys-and-black-tower-studios. live.
  4. Web site: Magus Action Game Aksys Co-developed Comes February 25. Yip. Spencer. February 6, 2014. Siliconera. Gamurs. https://web.archive.org/web/20170902045342/http://www.siliconera.com/2014/02/06/magus-action-game-aksys-co-developed-comes-february-25/. September 2, 2017. live. January 14, 2023.
  5. Web site: What Games to Play on PS3. Metacritic. Fandom. 2023-12-26. 2023-12-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20231226210926/https://www.metacritic.com/browse/game/ps3/all/all-time/metascore/?releaseYearMin=1958&releaseYearMax=2023&platform=ps3&page=53. live.