Sorcery

Game Info

 Sorcery was showcased all the way back in 2010 along with the PS Move. It was the game which many felt would be a reason to buy the Move as the smooth wand-play shown in the trailer had gamers interested. What followed was delay after delay, rumours of the game being canned before the revelation that it was very much alive, had undergone a slight overhaul and would be releasing this year. So was Sorcery worth the wait or just a poor illusion?

The game focuses on Finn, a sorcerer’s apprentice and his feline friend named Erline. Finn is always on the lookout for trouble and decides to ‘borrow’ his mentor’s wand and go searching for some action. After causing some havoc Erline convinces Finn to go search for some grave dust in order to repair the mess he has made. From here things start to get far more dangerous for Finn and Erline.

It is revealed that Erline is in fact a girl who has been hidden from her mother Lady Everfair, the Nightmare Queen. Once Erline is revealed the Nightmare Queen attacks the city in her quest to retrieve her daughter and make her a part of the nightmare realm. Your duty as Finn is to protect Erline from all dangers, of which there are many.

The story is an enjoyable journey, albeit a rather standard one. The biggest problem is that, apart from Finn, none of the other characters seem to develop; particularly Erline who seems to fake emotion whenever needed and sometimes when it is not needed. The other characters are unremarkable in terms of progression, although there are some great boss battles and enemies along the way.

Sorcery is a Move game and as such the combat was always going to be the most important. Finn discovers new spells along his adventure, with each spell giving him different abilities and powers. Fire, wind, ice, earth, lightning and arcane bolts are Finn’s primary modes of attack, while he also has a shield to protect himself and some special moves also get added to the arsenal. For the most part the Move does an excellent job of providing accurate combat throughout the game. Casting spells at enemies could not be easier as you either flick directly at the enemy or use a curved attack to get enemies hiding behind rocks or buildings.

The best part of the casting comes when players need to combine spells to get the best out of them. At some points you need to light up some beacons which requires you to set up a fire wall, swallow the fire in a tornado and then fire arcane bolts at the fire storm to light up the bolts. These combinations can be used in a number of ways and determining which attack is best for which foe is an integral part of the game.

Another aspect of the game is sourcing ingredients for potions which Finn can make in order to gain power-ups. These range from more health to more attack power and, again, deciding which upgrade to use first will have an effect on Finn’s abilities. The making of the potions is simulated by movements of the controller and while they might be fun for younger gamers, it does get a bit annoying.

Sorcery is a great game, featuring an engrossing (if simple) story and it has wonderful combat and stunning visuals. It is however nothing out of the ordinary. If it did not use the Move controller it would just be another ordinary fantasy type adventure. The use of the Move controls makes it far more fun and entertaining though,and while it may be considered a must-buy for those who already have a Move controller, it is not a game that warrants buying the Move.