![]() ![]() For developers and players alike, the jokes ring true. At times it delivers some truly unique twists, which rank among Hideo Kojima’s best attempts at trolling players. At other times, it simply pokes fun at standard practices in game development and play.įor instance, the script offers humorous excuses for why animations are absent on certain characters or why certain doors cannot be opened. Without spoiling later events, it’s safe to say that The Magic Circle continually undermines player expectations. It’s a strange concept to introduce essentially out of nowhere, but it fits the themes here perfectly. As players progress, they can assemble a small army with unique combinations of attributes for combat and environmental hurdles. In this way, it becomes a first-person strategy game in disguise. For instance, after trapping a vicious dog-like creature, players can alter its protocols to recognize the player as an ally and other creatures as enemies. By setting up cracks in the space/time of the game, players can hack the properties of characters, objects, and items they encounter. The Magic Circle later introduces the idea of hacking the system. This intriguing narrative is provided via two omniscient designers that appear in-game as floating robotic eyeballs, perhaps as an allusion to similar designs from the Portal or Halo series. Luckily, this otherwise bland first-person walking is offset by captivating voiceover work. The early part limits player interaction to exploring a broken environment textured in a desaturated, hand-drawn, crosshatched art style. It’s a tour-de-force of self-aware design and an absolute treat to experience.Įach new section of The Magic Circle introduces increasingly-complex mechanics and various aesthetic sensibilities. Soon, however, the player stumbles upon a dark conspiracy buried within the game itself.Īlong the way, The Magic Circle offers biting criticism and commentary on the nature of game design, the affordances and challenges of production and funding, audience expectations, and the tropes, dogmas, and traditions that govern contemporary and traditional development. While walking through unfinished levels, players are slowly introduced to a host of other development team members, from the megalomaniacal lead designer to the obsequious fan-turned-employee, each of whom is given exquisite personality through top-notch voice acting. Players start as a tester on this sequel after it’s been delayed innumerable times. Through clever writing, good pacing, and continually evolving mechanics, The Magic Circle becomes a meta-commentary on the process of making and playing video games today.Īs it begins, the story posits that a fictional game company has been in development hell on the highly-anticipated sequel to their breakout game. It’s a title that sands off the polished veneer of a finished digital product and asks players to stare quizzically into the guts of the thing. Released on the PC in 2015 and now finally available on PS4, The Magic Circle explores the increasingly rapid and intimate feedback loop between game developers and players. Low: Clunky controls for the “strategy” section. ![]() ![]() High: Finishing the prologue and discovering it has much more to offer. ![]()
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