One thing stood out in a recent interview with Justin Broadrick on the eve of the release of the first Godflesh album in 13 years where he said it will contain the spirit of the classic Streetcleaner but not necessarily the sound. Why am I adding this? Because A New World Magi is exactly how I imagine the likes of the Famicom games Dragon Buster and Getsu Fūma Den et al reimagined in 2014: keeping the entire spirit of the original games but without the limitations of pandering to nostalgia.
The direct sequel to last year’s Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic (this game is based on the sequel The Kingdom of Magic) and basically the same engine and controls but managing to be better in every single way with improved graphics, an excellent soundtrack (plus full voice acting in the story scenes), better controls (the first game had a flawed door/chest opening method), a better camera (although still not perfect) and an all round more cohesive, solid and more importantly fun experience.
Classed as an Action RPG and playing like the cave and dungeon environments of the aforementioned Famicom games fully realised in full 3D. Perhaps a more modern example would be of a 3D Zelda but without the puzzles combined with a One Piece: Unlimited World R and Toriko: Ultimate Survival. Magi to the absolutely uninitiated is a manga and later anime series in Japan starring a Harry Potter-esque protagonist (Aladdin) and his companions.
With a team of three players (played individually) and entirely action based with the player fighting a number of excellent animal/monster combinations. You have both HP and MP at your disposal with a number of attack moves, an excellent summon and the ability to link on the bottom screen to enable one of the other members of your team to help you out. You can change player too at anytime (all three have different qualities with the blond Alibaba controlling more Link-like).
A New World Magi continues a run of excellent giant boss battles found in Japanese 3DS games with huge monsters rivalling those found in the latest One Piece and Toriko adventures. The game’s not without several faults: there is a fair bit of repetition which is almost inherent of the genre, the scenery can be samey with it being all too easy (but still kinda fun) to get lost and the camera isn’t perfect (still better than Toriko, and the 3D Zelda lock-on helps in combat).
Despite these few game flaws, and whilst A New World Magi is hardly an essential purchase: it is greatly recommended to all Magi and/or Action RPG fans; the game is mostly playable without knowledge of the Japanese language nor of the cast and characters of the Magi world and not only is it superior to the prequel it doesn’t require one to play the original game in order to enjoy what may well be one of the highlights of 2014.
8/10
Japanese Nintendo 