The Magic Circle

 PC
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 46 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 46
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 46
  3. Negative: 5 out of 46

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  1. reviewoftheyear
    Aug 13, 2015
    5
    This game is trying to be Portal. It has some nice moments, and the voice acting is great, but the gameplay is just not that fun. Also the game is too interested in its own narrative, rather than putting the player at the centre.
    Go play the Portal games instead.
  2. iseeall
    Oct 22, 2016
    6
    As others have written, it's a satire on gamedev industry. Arguing game developers, long projects, nothing works, nothing finished etc. You run around an ugly world converting monsters and solving small puzzles. There are some pretty interesting ideas here, e.g. you can change parameters of monsters (like make them your ally, just like that). However, after you've "got it" (like, "ok, thisAs others have written, it's a satire on gamedev industry. Arguing game developers, long projects, nothing works, nothing finished etc. You run around an ugly world converting monsters and solving small puzzles. There are some pretty interesting ideas here, e.g. you can change parameters of monsters (like make them your ally, just like that). However, after you've "got it" (like, "ok, this is how bad gamedev is") there isn't much else to see or enjoy but the game drags on. Frankly, i didn't find the narrative funny or even entertaining. It's over-acted daily routine of developers, sitcom-level. For comparison, dilbert.com comic strips are much cleverer and funnier, if you want some satire on IT industry in general. Not sure if there is anything like that about game development industry in particular. I'm still giving this game a 6 because of the novelty and the experimental feel of this. Such games are definitely needed.… Expand
  3. Klewer
    Apr 13, 2018
    7
    Overall a nice little game which pokes some fun at the game development industry. Has some fun and unique game play and puzzles, the only thing that holds it back is it is quite short but I'd still recommend a play through.
  4. SuperkenGaming
    May 4, 2016
    6
    The Magic Circle
    From Magic to lame
    The Magic Circle is basically a game about game development.. development teams not agreeing on what goes where, and who should have what powers… so its up to you to try and finish this game… The game starts out with a feeling of mystery.. and exploration ironically thanks to the linear feel the game originally gives off … coming across a sword and    The Magic Circle
    From Magic to lame
    The Magic Circle is basically a game about game development..
    development teams not agreeing on what goes where, and who should have what powers…
    so its up to you to try and finish this game…
    The game starts out with a feeling of mystery.. and exploration ironically thanks to the linear feel the game originally gives off … coming across a sword and the developers changing the world and story around you…discovering your first deleted cave, All of this instantly got me excited for what was to come.. that I was going to play an ever changing game in conflict…but once you realize that this is actually an open world game that goes back and forth between colorless plains and a pixilated space station, it quickly loses all magic and charm, and ends up being quite dull…
    The game for the most part takes place in an unfinished open world rpg
    its all about exploring the world and editing creatures and their abilities to help you progress through the world.
    You can strip abilities from some items and use them on another item.. you can bring non living items to life.. make a certain object or creature attack another…
    Cool idea on paper, but you can literally just make everything your ally removing all threat in the game..
    Turning this more into a lifeless open world puzzle game…
    of course you will run into objects that give you troubles, but it will only last for a few seconds…
    and there are literally only like 80 enemies in the entire world and half of them are mushrooms and rocks.
    At the end you do get to make your own game with a laughable amount of options and design choices..
    with no real urge or need to get creative… unless you want a 10/10 score for a trophy,
    but again the options are so boring that this is chore…
    I was in love with magic circle during its first moments.
    but unfortunately this game gets worse the longer you play it.
    I give the magic circle
    a 6/10    … Expand
  5. 11254man
    Jun 26, 2017
    6
    I really hate useless _/10 scores, but this platform forces one, so wait until the end for a recommendation on how much you should buy it for, as I feel it to be a more accurate representation of whether the game is, you know... worth it. The magic circle is a... eh'... it's hard to describe with the magic circle is in a word or two, but it WAS developed by Question. The Magic Circle isI really hate useless _/10 scores, but this platform forces one, so wait until the end for a recommendation on how much you should buy it for, as I feel it to be a more accurate representation of whether the game is, you know... worth it. The magic circle is a... eh'... it's hard to describe with the magic circle is in a word or two, but it WAS developed by Question. The Magic Circle is a game about people making a game. It's about, first and foremost, how they could never finish it, and has a fun but small cast of characters that are a blast to listen to. The gameplay consists of trapping creatures and literally rewriting their code so they can work to complete puzzles or fight for you. It's pulled off rather well, though, like a lot of games, it doesn't run overly well on my PC. The graphics are fun, switching between a black-and-white fantasy world and a System Shock 2 esque sci-fi world. These are both a great time to explore, and the denizens within are a lot of fun to fight and take control of. It's overall a very welcome surprise to have a game like this, though I'd rather it was a bit longer, as it fell into the trap of feeling like a tech demo. A damn good tech demo, but a tech demo none the less. So... is it worth the $20 price tag? I'd say no, but it'd be worth even a 25% reduction on the price.… Expand
  6. Voyou
    Aug 24, 2017
    5
    Fun gameplay in the first part, with one of these annoying meta storylines that amount to designer's intellectual masturbation (also known as artsy fartsy,) and that you can easily ignore. Nice demo-like graphics, some good puzzles, most of them optional, some exploration, and a general impression of freedom of play, despite a rather small map. The idea could be developed into a better,Fun gameplay in the first part, with one of these annoying meta storylines that amount to designer's intellectual masturbation (also known as artsy fartsy,) and that you can easily ignore. Nice demo-like graphics, some good puzzles, most of them optional, some exploration, and a general impression of freedom of play, despite a rather small map. The idea could be developed into a better, richer game, as the actors' attributes you can manipulate are for the most part useless. That could have been done in a second chapter, on a new map, but...

    It turns to rubbish afterwards. The second half is nothing but a boring, minimalistic dungeon-maker. Its only purpose is to demonstrate how clever the designers are at recording a flexible voice-over for the guy who tests your dungeon. Unfortunately not so clever at playing it, so he keeps dying like a wuss, or running indefinitely into your traps. That leaves you zero creativity, and you reduce the threat so many times, room by room, that the voice-over quickly runs out.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

70
#70 Best PC Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 18
  3. Negative: 0 out of 18
  1. GameGrin
    Jun 28, 2016
    65
    Although its mechanics are not upbeat enough to have you engaged for hours at a time, the story is interesting enough to say something, however niche this message is.
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  2. Brash Games
    Nov 4, 2015
    60
    A very creative and original story as well as gameplay. It has a unique style which give it life. A few added controls and some minor graphic and menu changes, and I Believe I could really get into this game.
    Read full review
  3. Riot Pixels
    Oct 8, 2015
    85
    The Stanley Parable was a brilliant satire on video games. The creators of The Magic Circle picked a different target — not games themselves, but people that work on them. And, unlike those “walking simulators”, there is plenty of fun stuff to do.
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