Magi Nation

"Magi-Nation falls startingly short of dreams"

When one of my friends IMed me about the Magi-Nation ccg, I was totally clueless. But, on his advice, I bought a pack of cards and was amazed by the creativity and stunning artwork. As soon as I heard they were coming out with a game, I snapped it off the shelf (Well, sorta. I was broke at the time so it took a bit longer)

While the game boy game has a great battle system, intriguing storyline and hilarious characters, it falls short of the Magi-Nation name. Many aspects of the game could have been enhanced while other features were simply left out for some reason. A lot of glitches somehow slipped through the cracks when they tested it.

Gameplay: 8
The controls are easy to pick up and it doesn't take long to get used to the battle system. One of the better features is how you can avoid going into battles while in normal creature areas (by going into a burst of light, a battle starts). This feature allows you to stay away from those annoying battles against weak creatures.

Be warned, you will get lost a lot when you're in some locations.

Storyline and Interaction w/NPCs: 10!
Magi-Nation has a rather innovative story involving a rather average character (with a very common name). You arrive in a world of dreams and imagination, full of comedy. You can click on various objects and get a witty one-liner. This level of comedy is seldom seen in an RPG, balancing out some of the grimmer aspects of the game.

One of the things I really like is how your decisions have such a great influence on the game. NPCs can live or die depending on your choices- OH THE POWER! One choice even allows you to-- no, thats a bit too much info :)

Audio/Video: 4
Its easy to get confused since most levels use very similar decorations and simple designs. If you're using a Game Boy Advance to play this, it's nearly impossible to see where you're going without good lighting. These problems detract from gameplay and create an all-around nuisance.

The music has a catchy beat that will get stuck in your head if you give it the chance. Sure, it's pretty good but it starts to bug ya after a while.

Innovation: 8
Let's face it, monster raising/training is nothing new. From Pokemon to Monster Rancher, this idea has been nearly played out.

I have to admit, though, this batch of monsters is totally unique. Almost all of them have a cute edge to them but these monsters are different from what you're used to. The monsters range from smart mushrooms to a race of dragon-like monsters called ''Hyrens''.

Replayability: 10!
You can't beat it just once. There are tons of secret creatures or spells that you might miss the first time around. Plus, there are plenty of jokes and special scenes that you just have to hear/see again.

To buy or not to buy?
Is it really worth the 30 bucks? Heck yeah! Although it falls short of what it could be, it still is a great game. Perfect for a long car ride, slow internet connection or boring class.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 03/07/02, Updated 03/07/02