Spellspun Demo

Magic is a very common theme in video games, especially in RPGs that allow you to learn spells and use them to defeat your enemies. However, sometimes there’s no real feedback when you cast a magic spell other than the fact that you have less mana, which is a bit of a bummer. Hence, this is why games like Magicka managed to gather such a big fan base, even if it lacked quality in other aspects.

Spellspun is an interesting shooter with fantasy and RPG elements, in which you play the role of a wizard as he is learning new spells and using them to defeat entire armies of monsters coming to get him. The main idea of the game is that you are stuck in the middle of a room without being able to move, and you have to rotate and kill enemies by casting spells as quickly as you can.

These spells get more powerful as you manage to advance, although some of them also take their toll on the caster. Hence, certain spells must not be cast in quick succession unless you are prepared to sacrifice a bit of your hit points in the process. There are also three different magic paths to choose from, each one of which features different spells.

As mentioned before, you cannot move in this game, so you just have to rotate and shoot enemies much like in a very awkward shmup. However, this wouldn’t be too annoying if you at least had the possibility to use the mouse, but you have to do it using the directional keys. This takes precision out of the equation and brings a lot of frustration, especially in the beginning.

The graphics are nothing to write home about either, given the fact that the game is designed to inspire a retro vibe. Hence, the resolution is tiny and the special effects are basic, but it’s not a big issue most of the time. The fact that you cannot move might make the environments feel a bit too repetitive, since you see the same room for minutes on end, but then again the action is distracting enough for this not to be a problem.

In spite of the fact that it has some control issues and it lacks variety, Spellspun is still a pretty addictive experience. The spell progression system allows you to play through the levels multiple times without getting bored.