|
|
|
SORCERY (PS3)
|
a.k.a. Lord of Sorcery
Publisher: Sony. Developer: The Workshop. Released: May 2012. Genre: Adventure. Posted 18th February 2024. By Tom Clare © 2024 |
|
Sorcery would prove a brief but pleasant reward for adopters of the PlayStation Move. A PS3 exclusive built specifically to utilise the peripheral, this creative adventure from The Workshop combines motion-controlled adventuring with a dark fable. One or two design aspects stood out as dated upon its first release, but on the whole, this amiable adventure yields more positives than negatives.
With the final Harry Potter movie hitting cinemas in 2011, wizarding fever was still burning strong in popular culture and the concept of sorcery-driven video games still had not been fully capitalised on. Could the possibilities brought about by motion controls lend Sorcery that extra bit of immersion? Unsurprisingly, The Worshop’s title opts for a coming-of-age story that charts central protagonist Finn’s progression from apprentice to sorcerer, and from carefree teenager to brave protector. Finn is launched into a role of great responsibility early on, as he returns home to discover the hamlet in which he lives has been burnt to the ground by the machinations of the Nightmare Queen.
Sorcery delivers a smattering of really picturesque moments
Despite how this sounds, Sorcery isn’t anything too heavy. This unsettling initial escapade aside, such grim happenings are rarely repeated or dwelt upon for long, with the game instead placing its perilous, action-packed gameplay front and centre. It’s a credible fit for teenage gamers, but rather than following the dark arts and illusion/trickery-related spells seen in J.K. Rowling’s work, the developers’ instead took a more traditional route, as Finn seeks to retrieve and master five elemental spells. His dialogues with magical cat companion Erline are nothing sparkling in themselves, but voiced as they are with some gusto, their conversations lend the adventure a good sense of energy.
Finn controls intuitively, with the nunchuck used for manoeuvring and the Move remote used to execute spells. Directional motion control is a real boon as it allows the player to fire attacks in all manner of different directions and heights. The combat proves immersive and surprisingly accurate. Arching your swing allows Finn to curve arcane bolts, which proves ideal for taking out enemies sheltering in cover. This is really cool, and when you acquire fire and wind magics, the two can be combined to create devastating fire storms. Launching arcane bolts through lit braziers results in fiery shots, whilst lightning is capable of burning down trees used for cover, and earth delivers powerful area attacks. Occasional boss fights are mostly very good, encouraging the player to make use of their new skills and also to seek potential help in the surroundings.
Finn controls intuitively, with the nunchuck used for manoeuvring and the Move remote used to execute spells. Directional motion control is a real boon as it allows the player to fire attacks in all manner of different directions and heights. The combat proves immersive and surprisingly accurate. Arching your swing allows Finn to curve arcane bolts, which proves ideal for taking out enemies sheltering in cover. This is really cool, and when you acquire fire and wind magics, the two can be combined to create devastating fire storms. Launching arcane bolts through lit braziers results in fiery shots, whilst lightning is capable of burning down trees used for cover, and earth delivers powerful area attacks. Occasional boss fights are mostly very good, encouraging the player to make use of their new skills and also to seek potential help in the surroundings.
|
|
Whilst the opening exchanges point towards an RPG experience, the game very swiftly changes tack in favour of a more straightforward, linear action/adventure. With the Move in mind, this feels like the right choice. Sorcery’s fable landscapes look quite nice, whilst progression feels brisk and engaging. The game retains a good pace through a sequence of distinct action sequences and puzzles in appreciable, evolving landscapes that include forests, caverns and castles. Now and again, the player is afforded a breather to barter for potion ingredients, research new combinations and create them with shake, pour, twist and stir motions. It’s novel and fun, especially for younger players, and well worth engaging with as they offer all manner of permanent stat boosts and boons.
A few qualms dampen the magic, a touch. Switching between spells is awkward, as the player is required to make a variety of overly-similar rotational gestures to change spells. When you’re trying to combine two in quick succession, this can feel fiddly and it’s easy to end up with the wrong one equipped. There are small performance hitches and one or two puzzles (notably lighting braziers to open a door with a combination of three different magics) feel a little obscure without guidance. There is a huge number of missable trophies, particularly those attached to opening all one hundred treasure chests, forcing the player to make numerous manual saves. Every area the player passes through is then instantly closed off and cannot be returned to. This is compounded considerably by the lack of a chapter select option, which feels like a big absence for a game released in 2012.
A few qualms dampen the magic, a touch. Switching between spells is awkward, as the player is required to make a variety of overly-similar rotational gestures to change spells. When you’re trying to combine two in quick succession, this can feel fiddly and it’s easy to end up with the wrong one equipped. There are small performance hitches and one or two puzzles (notably lighting braziers to open a door with a combination of three different magics) feel a little obscure without guidance. There is a huge number of missable trophies, particularly those attached to opening all one hundred treasure chests, forcing the player to make numerous manual saves. Every area the player passes through is then instantly closed off and cannot be returned to. This is compounded considerably by the lack of a chapter select option, which feels like a big absence for a game released in 2012.
Finn and Erline make for a likeable enough combo
The game runs to a relatively lean eight hours and, but for additional difficulty options, there’s little incentive to return post-completion. This is possibly down to the prioritising of style over substance when it comes to the gamer environments. Though there are one or two side areas, generally speaking, the majority of the explorable surroundings are discovered as a matter of course. It’s what we would have described a few years ago as an ‘ideal rental’: a journey worth experiencing, but only once.
Whilst no single element of it can be considered outstanding, the game’s greatest strength, alongside the mostly successful motion-instigated combat, is that the sum of its parts amounts to a diverting fantasy adventure. You’ll want to see where it goes, and the evolution of the surroundings is enough to lend the feeling you’re moving through some credibly grand fantasy world, even if it’s more of a whistle-stop tour than a lose-yourself-in-it-for-months type of vibe. A few simple quality-of-life improvements, such as a chapter selection, would undoubtedly have made for a smoother experience, but Sorcery’s worth playing if you’re wanting to put your Move to use.
Whilst no single element of it can be considered outstanding, the game’s greatest strength, alongside the mostly successful motion-instigated combat, is that the sum of its parts amounts to a diverting fantasy adventure. You’ll want to see where it goes, and the evolution of the surroundings is enough to lend the feeling you’re moving through some credibly grand fantasy world, even if it’s more of a whistle-stop tour than a lose-yourself-in-it-for-months type of vibe. A few simple quality-of-life improvements, such as a chapter selection, would undoubtedly have made for a smoother experience, but Sorcery’s worth playing if you’re wanting to put your Move to use.
|
VERDICT
"Sorcery utilises the PS Move to creative effect, delivering fun gameplay and a nice story ideal for younger players. It's let down a little by its brevity and some dated design mechanics, but is worth a playthrough." OVERALL: 6/10 |
OTHER GAMES THAT UTILISE THE PLAYSTATION MOVE REVIEWED
The Shoot (2010, PlayStation 3)
|
Start the Party! Save the World (2012, PlayStation 3)
|