I’ll give Magicka 2 this: it completely commits to its imaginative spellcasting system, sometimes to its hilarious benefit, and sometimes to its frustrating detriment. There were moments when I felt like a true sorcery savant, furiously tapping out the perfect elemental combinations in the nick of time; at others, my efforts felt artificially thwarted by cheap, unavoidable deaths, especially when playing solo. Magicka 2 can be an unreasonably cruel mistress, but its charming world and sophisticated mechanics kept me coming back, particularly when I brought a friend or two along for some chaotic co-op.
By entering combinations of 10 magical elements one button at a time, Magicka 2 lets you experiment to discover a crazy number of different spells – and amazingly, all of them wind up being useful at one point or another. There’s a clear logic to how the spellweaving works: fire and water make steam, water and cold become ice, and so forth. Once I got the many rules down, I almost immediately went mad with power. Need a circular wall of stone that protects and heals you? Go for it. Need a spell that arcs to multiple targets like lightning, but burns like fire? Create it. For as much power as Magicka 2 gives you, it’s well-matched by encounters that require you to wield that power intelligently.
Continue reading…
Continue reading...
By entering combinations of 10 magical elements one button at a time, Magicka 2 lets you experiment to discover a crazy number of different spells – and amazingly, all of them wind up being useful at one point or another. There’s a clear logic to how the spellweaving works: fire and water make steam, water and cold become ice, and so forth. Once I got the many rules down, I almost immediately went mad with power. Need a circular wall of stone that protects and heals you? Go for it. Need a spell that arcs to multiple targets like lightning, but burns like fire? Create it. For as much power as Magicka 2 gives you, it’s well-matched by encounters that require you to wield that power intelligently.
Continue reading…
Continue reading...