Adventure games rely on puzzles, usually using an item on another item or by pulling levers and pushing switches. But, sometimes one comes along that brings with it unique features that make it stand out from the rest of the crowd. And one such game is Magic Lost, where making potions and casting spells are the order of the day. And along with the Kickstarter the developers have lovingly provided a short demo to showcase some of these special features. It doesn’t last long but we do get a satisfying taste of what to expect from the full game.
The demo for Magic Lost starts with our witch-in-training Piper fighting off some scary looking black beast. All she has with her are three spells. She can summon forth a mighty coconut, turn said coconut into a key, and has a spell to banish said nightmare to another realm. This is a sort of tutorial for learning how to cast spells and it’s as simple as using said coconut key to unlock a gate blocking the portal and then banishing it through said portal.
And then Piper wakes up. Obviously, it was all a dream…or was it? Apparently our little Rincewind here sleepcasts. And her cat familiar has been “banished” to a warped wooden closet. And he can’t get out. So, it’s up to Piper to find a way to untwist said armoire and rescue his hairy hide. But, being an adventure game it’s not so simple as just yanking on the door handles to pop it open. Oh, no.
Being a witch it’s up to Piper to brew up a potion to undo what her warped magic has caused. Which is where Magic Lost‘s most unique and fun feature comes into play. Throughout her little house she has to pick up ingredients to use in her cauldron to prepare said potions. And there are two that you have to make before exiting and starting her off on her journey. One is a very simple stew that she needs to feed to a snapdragon. The other, though, takes a lot of trial and error to get right.
The magic in Magic Lost isn’t as simple as just tossing a bunch of ingredients into the pot and letting them cook. Where would the fun be in that? You’ve got to figure out the simmering and burning timers for each ingredient in order to get what you need. And there are three “colors” of fire that you need to keep tabs on, too. It took me several tries to get it right and even then you need to toss several items into the pot, turn on and off each boiler at just the right time, and then clicking on the rod to stir it before everything becomes inert. I look forward to seeing more potion brewing in the final game.
There’s not much there in the demo for Magic Lost, but what is there is a great indication of how the game will play. And after spending roughly a half hour or so doing everything and reading each description I have to say that this is an adventure game that should be watched. Whether it gets funded or not I do hope it sees the light of day eventually.
