Dark magic sure is enticing, but using it may come at a price, especially when you’re using it to appease the wishes of a demon prince… Will you do as you are told, no matter what the consequence, or will you choose to forge your own path and perhaps face a wrath unlike any other? It is your adventure to take, your story to write, and your choice to make as the dark mage.

What Is It?

A graphic novel adventure game. The game mixes a graphic novel with a classic ‘choose-you-own-adventure‘ book, taking the player panel to panel and giving them choices along the way to guide their path. It also has elements of a traditional RPG, having the player track stats like darkness and mana, as well as the items in their inventory. The game ends if the player’s character dies (then they will reset), or if they manage to make it to the end safely. There is also a ‘power examination’ (achievement) section at the end for players to score their story.

Who Is It For?

  • 1 Player – Best suited for a solo experience
  • Ages 12+ – Some of the language (especially the fictional magical words) might be a little harder for younger readers, and there is definitely a little blood/death in some fights, but overall, not too mature
  • Fans of a fantasy/dark magic theme
  • Fans of the choose-your-own-adventure format

PROS

  • Aesthetics – Gorgeous artwork across every panel
  • Interesting characters
  • Well-written
  • Binding seems strong/good quality
  • Magic is easy to use and a unique element to the flow of the game and how you go to the next panel
  • Website provides easy access to the character sheet so you can print it out instead of using the one in the book

CONS

  • I found 2 panels that were ‘broken’ – when I went to the one it told me to go to next, it brought me to a completely wrong place, very different from where I had been, which was frustrating because it was not easy to tell where I was supposed to be without flipping through a lot of the book
  • I wish the initial character sheet came on a perforated page instead of being on the inside cover, so you could rip it out to use alongside the story

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed reading through this adventure. I thought the characters (both my own and those I interacted with) were interesting, and the story was compelling. I guess I was a little disappointed that it felt like I was meant to lean really hard into being evil, because at first I wanted to see if I could keep my darkness level low. Once I looked past that and started to embrace the darkness, I thought the story opened up more and I got to see more paths. Overall, a fun experience that I definitely recommend if you like fantasy, dark magic, and choosing your own adventure!

Additional Information:
My Final Rating – 7/10

Designer – Emmanuel Quaireau
Artist – Ottami
Publishers – Van Ryder Games; Makaka Editions
MSRP – $22.99
Website

*I was provided a copy of this game to do this review*

If you like what I do, consider Supporting Me.