Review: Magicka for iPad is a fun port of its PC counterpart
The original Magicka, Arrowhead Studios' inaugural release for Windows PCs, was—for a while—the best possible excuse for killing your friends. It is a comical action-adventure game that features full-out friendly fire, a gaggle of wizards, a surprisingly robust spell system that allowed you to mix and match elements at will, and more downloadable content that you could ever shake a stick at.
Paradox Interactive's $2 Magicka: Wizards of the Square Tablet for the iPad is exactly like its PC counterpart—except that it’s a little more streamlined, a little more cartoony, and missing an entire dimension. Plus, it’s optimized for mobile platforms. The basic premise is still the same: you're a wizard of dubious competence who must go out and remove a particularly obnoxious plot, possibly with an entourage of friends. No, the plot isn't particularly inspired, but few, if any, have ever messed around with the Magicka series because of its narrative.
Like its predecessor, Magicka: Wizards of the Square Tablet is best completed alone and best played with friends. The control system is wonderfully intuitive to work with. To move, you tap on a desired location on the screen. To cast a spell, you hit any combination of the seven elemental icons at the bottom of your window. Depending on what elements you've put together, you might find yourself doing everything from summoning a massive thunderbolt from the sky to healing a boss to setting your teammates ablaze. The possibilities are, while not limitless, certainly extensive.
What makes all of this better are the restrictions and the ways the elements interact with one another. For example, if you first take the time to soak a foe (or a friend), you'll be able to freeze them instead of simply slowing them down with a dusting of ice. Did you accidentally set yourself on fire? Be certain to douse yourself or risk taking slow, continuous damage. Naturally, some elements exist in direct opposition with another. If you try to mash Lightning and Water together, the attempt will fizzle out.
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