Trying to battle multiple foes with close range attacks while deflecting long range projectiles with protection spells quickly becomes a chore and had me dreading the combat between boss battles. Enemy types widely vary, and the boss battles on their own are enjoyable, but the most common form of attack is to have weak enemies charge at Zia while long range enemies fire projectiles. This spell crafting mechanic allows for deep customization but unfortunately still can’t mask the weakest component of Mages: combat that just isn’t very fun. Add onto that a directional rune and those multiple fireballs can then move in an arc to get around obstacles or attack enemies from another angle. For example, a fireball spell can have the duplicate rune added to it to conjure multiple fireballs. Different spells can be equipped within these four options and are created by combining different runes that are collected through the story. Zia has four basic spell types: close range, physical objects, orbs to move through the air (projectiles), and protection. The best part of Mages is the well-designed spell crafting system. Zia herself has a rather forgettable look, coming across as a low-poly version of Merida from Disney’s Brave. The environment is colorful enough, but all the objects and scenery has that mobile, flash quality that leaves everything looking minimally detailed. The backstory and mythology around Mystralia are interesting enough however, the art design of the characters and environment isn’t quite on the same level. Upon her exile she discovers a sanctuary for mages and under the watch of a mentor and a talking magical book, Zia learns to both control and grow her powers. The tale at hand begins with Zia, a young girl who becomes exiled from her village when it's discovered that she has the power of magic. Greenwood created a whole history for Mystralia along with an introduction about why mages who were once a vital part of the kingdom are now considered a threat.

The story certainly didn’t suffer from a lack of talent, having been written by Ed Greenwood, creator of the Dungeons and Dragons campaign Forgotten Realms.

Mages of mystralia all rune locations