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> Results: Lost Magic
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This is the third dungeon crawl-type game released on the DS lately, including Tao's Adventure and Deep Labyrinth. Lost Magic is the best them, but it is also the most difficult. It combines real-time action combat with strategy elements and use of the touch-screen to draw magical symbols. You control an increasing number of summoned monsters, while simultaneously casting attacking and supporting magic spells, all while a constant stream of enemies attacks your forces.
Somewhat short for a role-playing game, the stories work well within its structure. It strikes a nice balance between story and combat while weaving an entertaining if somewhat clichéd story along the way. The game is difficult, more so if you have poor handwriting. But if you have the patience to persevere through learning to cast magic in real time, and don't mind losing missions more often than winning, you are rewarded with a challenging and engaging dungeon crawl that you can share with the whole family!  
The game starts with you watching your father defeated at the hands of an evil sage. He disappears, but not before he leaves you with a message and a wand. You learn the basics of magic from the old woman who has raised you and jump right into action. Your ultimate goal is to stop the ﾑDiva of Twilight' and save the world! The tale is told in five chapters, each its own small self-contained story. Along the way you meet up with various characters who help you learn magic... or who just happen to fall out of the sky. Of course you need to rescue other sages along the way.
The content is completely appropriate for all ages. There are plenty of battles played from a top-down perspective similar to a strategy game, and enemies simply vanish when vanquished. The battles are fast paced, but do not have that visceral and immersive feel featured in games intended for older audiences. It's ok for ages 6+ based on the difficulty and the handwriting requirements, but use your judgment since you might find that kids under 10 aren't ready for the game. Two things that stand out beyond the raw challenge are the need for careful decision-making and persistence. Many games have uneven difficulty levels, or make you fight the controls as much as the enemies on screen. This game rewards persistence. It's difficult, but the challenge scales over the course of the game and the magical rune recognition is fair and consistent. Decision making is a key component in Lost Magic because there are four different endings. The two ﾑbad' endings are appropriately sad without making the player feel like a dismal failure. The good endings are very satisfying. The save structure allows you to keep multiple saves, making it possible to experience all four endings without four complete replays. The best of all endings requires constant diligence throughout the game. You must choose correctly at every turn in order to see that ending. The opposite is true for the worst ending forcing you to truly role-play as a good (or bad) character to see it all. This review edited by Dave Long Comments? Chat about it in our forums! Format For Printing | Tell A Friend | Digg | Slashdot | del.icio.us | Buy This Game Home > Review Archive > Video Games > Results: Lost Magic |
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