|
|
|
MYSTIC ACADEMY: ESCAPE ROOM
review | SWITCH
|
Publisher: mc2games.
Developer: mc2games. Released: August 2023. Genre: Puzzle. Other versions: PC; PS5; PS4; XSX; XONE. Posted 13th February 2026. By Tom Clare © 2026 |
|
Describing itself as an Escape Room but really more of a straight puzzle adventure, Mystic Academy blatantly hijacks Hogwarts themes for a wizarding school-themed tester, where the player’s aim is simply to work their way through five distinct areas. The culmination of the test sees the awarding of a trophy and, I would assume, an enduring sense of smugness for the student to whom it’s gifted.
A thematically unconnected follow-up to mc2games’ 2022 Escape Room series game, Regular Factory, Mystic Academy sees the player exploring five main areas. These begin with a small dormitory, before branching out to slightly larger areas that include a library, a potions class, and a dungeon. The action takes place from a first-person perspective, and the player is tasked with reading clues, observing the surroundings, and solving a variety of puzzles. These begin with fairly straightforward observation challenges, such as counting the contents of chests, or organising the plaques of university alumni by the number of vowels in their names. As the game progresses, so too does the breadth and elaborateness of the tests.
There's a decent range of puzzles that go some way to making up for Mystic Academy's sluggish performance and plain presentation
These games live and die on the quality of their puzzles, and whilst it can sometimes feel a little dour in terms of its presentation, Mystic Academy more often than not comes up with the goods. Whilst the puzzles aren’t mega-innovative, they offer a decent range of cryptic teasers that will keep fans involved. Formulating a sequence of potions by mixing colours and quantities is delightfully satisfying. In the Dungeon, you’ll discover a room of floating keys, which will reward players’ ability to pick out shapes, as well as a rewarding challenge that sees you plotting the moves of four chess pieces, all of which must end on their own designated squares.
The game leaves one of its best puzzles till right at the end. The player spies their trophy, but on closer inspection, it’s merely a reflection in a mirror. A keen eye will soon deduce that the trophy isn’t the only aspect of the room that’s different in the reflection, and a few subtle changes form the basis for another cool challenge that benefits from clever staging. There are a handful of puzzles that overcomplicate matters, leaving you wondering as to the logic behind them. However, a neat, simple hint feature helps point you in the right direction, without making the solution too obvious. Though some might feel this waters down the experience, gentle guidance is sometimes necessary to prevent the experience from becoming bogged down. Each room features more than half a dozen challenges, some of which must be solved in a set order, and there’s a lot of information to take in.
The game leaves one of its best puzzles till right at the end. The player spies their trophy, but on closer inspection, it’s merely a reflection in a mirror. A keen eye will soon deduce that the trophy isn’t the only aspect of the room that’s different in the reflection, and a few subtle changes form the basis for another cool challenge that benefits from clever staging. There are a handful of puzzles that overcomplicate matters, leaving you wondering as to the logic behind them. However, a neat, simple hint feature helps point you in the right direction, without making the solution too obvious. Though some might feel this waters down the experience, gentle guidance is sometimes necessary to prevent the experience from becoming bogged down. Each room features more than half a dozen challenges, some of which must be solved in a set order, and there’s a lot of information to take in.
|
|
So far, so good. What prevents Mystic Academy from earning a higher grade is a cumulation of its underwhelming performance, asinine presentation, and lack of staying power. Whilst there’s a pleasing degree of detail to be found amid the various busy desks, clocks, armchairs and sculptures that populate the wizarding environs, it’s at the expense of smoothness. The game chugs along jerkily when playing in TV mode, with matters not helped by leaden controls and lumbering response times. This is disappointing, given the reasonably modest proportions of the levels, the absence of AI, and the relative lack of moving parts. As a knock-on, navigation feels heavy, meaning basic tasks like aligning with interaction points prove more fiddly than they should.
Strangely, whilst some effort has gone into the appearance of the puzzles and the presentation of items, the menus are about as drab and featureless as you’ll come across from this generation of gaming. We’ve covered a little over 930 games on the site, and this has to count as one of the most depressingly nondescript banners we’ve had to produce. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the music is a shameless reworking of the Harry Potter films, pondering along so meekly that it fails to add anything to the ambience, as if it’s hiding from a copyright strike.
Strangely, whilst some effort has gone into the appearance of the puzzles and the presentation of items, the menus are about as drab and featureless as you’ll come across from this generation of gaming. We’ve covered a little over 930 games on the site, and this has to count as one of the most depressingly nondescript banners we’ve had to produce. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the music is a shameless reworking of the Harry Potter films, pondering along so meekly that it fails to add anything to the ambience, as if it’s hiding from a copyright strike.
|
|
More often than not, the challenges provide a good mental workout.
Budget presentation and basic themes aside, I enjoyed Mystic Academy. That said, it doesn’t linger long, offering a little over four hours of play. Longevity is always a little difficult to judge in a game consisting entirely of puzzles, but provided you don’t find yourself terminally stuck, it can be polished off in two or three sittings. Sadly, there’s no option to revisit chapters or replay specific puzzles, and there’s no reason to return once you’ve reached the credits. It’s a game that would likely have benefited from a little spit ‘n’ polish, perhaps even a little storytelling to help link the various levels together. As it is, the puzzles are good enough to justify a modest price tag, though unless you’re absolutely desperate for some fantasy-themed puzzling, it’s perhaps better to wait for the sales.
|
VERDICT
"Mystic Academy lacks smoothness, finesse, and longevity. When all's said and done, however, good puzzles speak for themselves, and fans of brainteasers will find some well-crafted challenges within. One to try in the sales." OVERALL: 5/10 |
OTHER ESCAPE ROOM GAMES REVIEWED
Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors (2010, DS)
|
Virtue's Last Reward (2012, PlayStation Vita)
|