Enter into a world of spells and enchantment, mystical arts, and vast races of forgotten creatures. A world enriched in beauty and yet full of danger and chaos on every corner. Gather your reagents and call upon the ancient manuscripts of magic for protection. Use words of power, or summon powerful allies at your side to aid you in completing your objectives. Combine all these elements together and you get "Magic and Mayhem," a wonderful combination of strategy and roleplaying. Whether you are a militant tactician or a seeker of new adventures, this game will satisfy any RPG fan’s tastebuds.
Players take the role of Cornelius Agrippa, an apprentice wizard, fresh from the academy with limited spell knowledge. No sooner than leaving the academy you receive word to come to your Uncle Lucan’s house. Upon your arrival you find the place in shambles and there is no sign of your uncle.
You catch a glimpse of your Uncle Lucans flying machine. You notice he’s left some important necessities behind. Sensing that your uncle could be in great danger you jump into the flying machine. Suddenly, a black crow flies to your side. You sense the crow may be one of Lucan’s creatures. Perhaps it could lead you to him. You waste no more time, and make a speedy departure to find out what happened to your uncle. This is how your adventure begins.
Judging the quality of the graphics, Magic and Mayhem is simply beautiful. There are over 35 regions to explore including Celtic, Greek and Medieval Realms. You’ll travel through immensely detailed areas like the Forest of Pain, the Fiddler’s Green, the Apple Orchid, and the Plains of Greenhenge. Each area is rich with color, smooth animation, and neat special effects like the energies emitted from a circle of power when someone stands in the center of it.
There are over 20 creatures to summon at your side from brownies, zombies, and bats, to unicorns, centuars, and winged beasts. All of them are fully detailed and unique in their abilities. Even Cornelius himself is impressive to look at. There are tons of graphical achievements in Magic and Mayhem, and the best part is there is no slowdown.
Sound effects are another great part of the game. The soundtrack for the game comes from Afro-Cell Sound System. The music is a bit more modern than one might expect for a game like this and yet it works surprising well with the scenery. After a while you begin to appreciate the combination of ancient mythology and modern day funk.
The development of your character is very important if you are to succeed in becoming a master of Magic and Mayhem, and it is the true make of a good RPG. Upon completing the stage objectives, you’ll be awarded experience points to improve your character in the area of your choice.
There are six areas where you can spend your experience points. Adding points to your mana level means you’ll be able to cast a bigger quantity of spells before your magic powers drain away. You can add points to your health making you harder to kill. Adding to your control limit will increase the number of creatures you can control in combat. You can also add experience points to your chaos, neutral and law talismans, meaning you’ll be able to carry a bigger variety of spells into battle with you. Use your experience points wisely, or you’ll find yourself in a real jam.
Magic and Mayhem just has so many good qualities, it’s completely addictive. A combination of a progressive storyline, impressive graphics, beautiful sound and sound effects, and easy gameplay make this game a must buy. If you’ve got an extra few dollars in your pocket and are looking for a good strategy and roleplaying game, Magic and Mayhem delivers the goods. I give this game a very deserving 4 1/2 GIN Gems.