Sorcery! Parts 1 and 2

 PC
  • Publisher: inkle
  • Release Date: Feb 2, 2016
Metascore
69

Mixed or average reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. RPG Fan
    Mar 21, 2016
    84
    If you like choose your own adventures, this is for you.
  2. Brash Games
    Mar 28, 2016
    80
    For a game with such immersive storytelling and decision-making, I thought it could perhaps have benefited from a little more background music to add to the sense of grand adventure. Maybe even a little bit of noise from the surrounding environment – such as the sounds of a busy market town or the chirping of crickets in the undergrowth at night. In fact I was quite surprised that this kind of embellishment was left out of the game, as it would have been a nice touch for a heightened sense of immersion.
  3. Destructoid
    Feb 12, 2016
    80
    By wrapping classical adventure writing in a thoroughly modern play experience, inkle has turned Sorcery! into a great testament to the power and place of text in gaming's canon.
  5. Games.cz
    Apr 12, 2016
    70
    Nicely told gamebook suffers from a certain prolixity and perhaps too much freedom which is suddenly take. But if you enjoy reading, you will enjoy Sorcery.
  6. CD-Action
    May 1, 2016
    60
    A simple PC port of a good gamebook adaptation released originally on mobile devices. Both parts can be completed in few hours but they reveal their depth on the third playthrough. [04/2016, p.49]
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  7. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Apr 12, 2016
    60
    Who said that plain text is boring? They were wrong! Interactive version of the old-time gamebooks proves that hundreds of thousands of letters are perfect for a great gaming experience. [Issue#262]
    All this publication's reviews
  8. GameGrin
    Mar 2, 2016
    60
    When it comes to gameplay, Sorcery! won't be taxing for anyone. While the melee and magic combat don't shine on their own, they support the text adventure side of the game well, breaking up the extended periods of reading. Doesn't try to be an epic adventure, and will entertain over an afternoon.
  9. We Got This Covered
    Feb 2, 2016
    60
    Sorcery! Parts 1 & 2 is an enjoyable enough attempt to recreate the gamebook experience and, as such, is more suitable to players familiar with the format and its inherent limitations, or those that are more interested in following a well-written fantasy than exploring a fictional world.
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  1. Rock, Paper, Shotgun
    Feb 2, 2016
    Much like 80 Days, Sorcery stands as a great example of what text can do, the more fun bits of gamebooks between the bullshit bits, and an excellent classic adventure that soon becomes a fascinating modern RPG in its own right. No dice, scribbled margin notes, or agonising little paper-cuts required.

User Reviews

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User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 11 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 11
  3. Negative: 2 out of 11
  1. Samvell
    May 27, 2022
    3
    Good concept, terrible execution. The lore is a bunch of fantasy cliches, and the plot is too sporadic and incohesive to be gripping. TheGood concept, terrible execution. The lore is a bunch of fantasy cliches, and the plot is too sporadic and incohesive to be gripping. The rules in this world are hard to follow, since a lot of things happen out of the blue, just because the creators felt like it.
    Interactivity feels very artificial and hollow. You can act like an upstanding citizen one moment, than turn to a homicidal maniac the next - the world doesn't react to your actions in any way. I get that it's not an RPG, but such a lack of consistency kills any possible enjoyment of the game for me personally.
    The combat feels very binary. Some opponents you will kill without even trying, while others will beat your a** no matter how you defend. Truly the only thing that matters is for you to have more health points than your opponent. Yes, that's about all the depth this combat system has to offer.
    I really liked the minimalistic visual style, but almost complete absence of music is very weird. The menus have music, but the gameplay, for some unfathomable reason, doesn't. I'm not asking for an epic John Williams-level score or anything, some looped background orchestral themes would do. Morrowind had 40 minutes worth of music, and that game was over 100 hours long.
    To put it short, if you want some random lulz in a generic fantasy adventure-style world - this might do. But if you're looking for a good plot, interesting characters, exciting exploration or combat, you'll do well to look elsewhere.    … Full Review »
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