Magicka

Me likey. Ice mage, but the 5th mana can be lightning for massive damage.

Only the demo so far.
 
What am I supposed to do with this M60?

As soon as I got the M60, I unloaded about 600 rounds into the group of people standing by me and out loud I said "Thanks for the gun, it works great!"

Then I chuckled.
 
Is the multiplayer fixed yet? That is what's keeping me from buying this game.
 
you know this based on your experiences with it? sheesh, it was available for $8 last week. I have never seen drama like for these low budge cheap games.
 
you know this based on your experiences with it? sheesh, it was available for $8 last week. I have never seen drama like for these low budge cheap games.

Despite my concerns, I ended up buying it for $7.96 (from D2D) because the change-log for yesterday's patch seemed substantial, and because I read through the developer updates and blogs, and Paradox seems committed to supporting the game.

I was primarily concerned about the stuttering issue, but maybe it has been partially resolved... gameplay seems fine for the most part. I'll know more when I really play the game of course.
 
I'm not sure if I like the game or if I'm going to put my fist through the monitor. Movement is so slow, coupled with the swarms that push you up against obstacles and knock you down repeatedly while one creature rides on your back. The game's very jerky and laggy--steady at 30 fps but scrolling is pathetically jerky and occasionally spellcasting is delayed several seconds--that's particularly frustrating in the level where there are a couple of mobs that shoot the exploding Super Mario bullets.

It's more frustrating that it is hard--like, test your blood pressure frustrating, sometimes--but the spellcasting system is fantastic, the humor is good (Shrubbery!) and it's pretty enjoyable. I'd love to see the spellcasting concept applied to some more serious RPGs.

Hopefully the devs get the wrinkles ironed out (and the mouse configs for us lefthanded mousers.) It's worth the money and they've been decent about updates.
 
I'm not sure if I like the game or if I'm going to put my fist through the monitor. Movement is so slow, coupled with the swarms that push you up against obstacles and knock you down repeatedly while one creature rides on your back. The game's very jerky and laggy--steady at 30 fps but scrolling is pathetically jerky and occasionally spellcasting is delayed several seconds--that's particularly frustrating in the level where there are a couple of mobs that shoot the exploding Super Mario bullets.

It's more frustrating that it is hard--like, test your blood pressure frustrating, sometimes--but the spellcasting system is fantastic, the humor is good (Shrubbery!) and it's pretty enjoyable. I'd love to see the spellcasting concept applied to some more serious RPGs.

Hopefully the devs get the wrinkles ironed out (and the mouse configs for us lefthanded mousers.) It's worth the money and they've been decent about updates.



Once you get more practice and experience casting and using more potent combos, it becomes easier to survive.


I do hope this type of casting is incorporated into other games. This idea is too damn good to exist only in this game. Would be such a waste to leave it there.


I wonder how many known game devs have played magicka? I heard about Ken Levine of bioshock fame saying something to the effect that it was a great little game.

http://twitter.com/IGLevine/status/30102276559343617
 
I'm not sure if I like the game or if I'm going to put my fist through the monitor.

I agree. I completed the game and had a lot of fun with it but it was also very, very frustrating at times. There's no single problem with the game but you can have questionable design decisions stack up to cause much frustration. There are times you will end up dying for no fault of your own at all. This can happen over and over and you have to keep at it because you can't save.
 
I stopped about level 3. My hands are just not coordinated enough for a bunch of button mashing. I might at some point retry using keyboard macros, but i'd rather they let you do that in the game in some fashion.
 
Using keyboard macros would completely undermine the main attraction of the game, which is the combine the elements to cast spells.

What you can do, however, is to practice a few powerful spells and get used to them. You can't play through the entire game just button mashing randomly and hoping it works out. You need to learn the right spells for the right situations. Once you get a hang of those, the game becomes much easier.
 
Once you get more practice and experience casting and using more potent combos, it becomes easier to survive.

Spells aren't a problem; basic spells like Cold/Earth/Defense and Cold/Lightning/Arcane are enough to handle anything but a couple bosses so far (through Chapter 6). Most of the spells you learn from books are also highly useful.

My main frustration has to do with movement. Space is very limited and there are some levels with areas that look like you can move through; however, when you try you'll find that they're dead ends, and if more than one enemy is on you you're pretty much screwed. It's not impossible to get out of using water/earth on yourself but it does occasionally inspire some heroic rage. Thank god for the Time Warp spell.
 
Do you use area of effect spells? You can shift click on any spell to cause an AOE instead of just casting it normally in front of you. Try a spell of Steam + Steam + Steam + Lightning + Arcane and shift click to AOE it. It can cause about 2000 damage to anyone who is around you. 2-3 casts of this is usually enough to kill any enemies that swarm around you.
 
Usually Cold/Earth for knockdown + slow, saves on keystrokes in emergencies. Doesn't help much if there are archers, and somehow I missed the Conflagration book this time around.
 
Good lord, the boss fight in the land of the dead is maddening. One miscast and you get to do the whole thing over again. And over. And over.

Several razor cuts later (down the highway kids) and you're rewarded with a level full of monsters that instagib you. This is why I prefer real RPGs to arcade games.
 
Is this worth a punt in the Steam sale? particularly I'd like to know:

  • is it good to play solo?
  • have the technical issues been fixed now?
  • is any of the DLC worth buying?
  • Wizard's Survival Kit and/or Party Robes worth having for solo play?
Thanks.
 
* fun solo, yes - coop is fun, too
* it's still a bit chunky
* YMMV
* no
 
I'm digging this game, I love the humor in it, it has lots of funny.

And cause i like this pic, posting it below :D


2uhbwo8.jpg
 
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