Metascore
72

Mixed or average reviews - based on 5 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 5
  2. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. Jun 19, 2025
    70
    Near-Mage is an intriguing story in a stunning Transylvanian setting that doesn’t quite live up to its potential due to its underutilised magick mechanics and lack of difficulty. Some adventure fans may appreciate Near-Mage’s simplicity, while others will wish it had more of a challenge.
  2. Jun 2, 2025
    70
    Near-Mage is a missed opportunity. By no means is it a bad game: it has enough content, good ideas and a nice story. However, the low difficulty level of the puzzles and the minimal need to use the (even predefined) spells constitute an average overall experience.
  3. Aug 22, 2025
    50
    A frustrating case of style over substance, Near-Mage dazzles with its art direction and whimsical Eastern European charm but fails to back it up with compelling storytelling. What begins as something that looks it will turn into a heartfelt journey into a world of wonder, fizzles into a predictable plotline with shallow characters and gameplay that rarely requires more than clicking and walking from A to B. This is undoubtedly a passion project, but passion alone can’t save what can be described as an impressive spell full of sparkle and colour that’s barely potent.