The Magic Circle

It's amazing, its awesome, it's one of the most unique things I'ved every played. The story is good, the meta commentary is enjoyable.... aaaaaand it crashes and burns. The game is too short and leaves you longing for more. And on the final bout of the game they scrap it all and turn it into a mario maker.

i recommend this game because the mechanics are super rich, and a really fun time. i think they did something really cool here, and i loved having all my little frankensteined animals follow me around and make little noises. i also loved the world design and soundtrack a lot, too. however, the narrative and vocal direction left a lot to be desired for me. they're VERY dated, which makes sense since it's 11 years old. but it's bad. it got to the point where i had to pull a vinesauce and turn them off. plus, i wasn't moved by the story or any of the characters in it. i still think you should pick this up, but just be wary of that. from a 2026 lens, i enjoyed it much more as a fun sandbox toy than a narrative experience. i didn't finish the game. not because i hated it or anything, but because i wanted to be able to play with my toys forever much more than i wanted to see the conclusion of the narriative.

good

Thanks for the recommendation Funke

When the game began I was afraid I'd be some lame Portal knock-off (with Ashly Burch though!!!), but as the game progressed it showed it had more up its sleeve. You play a video game that's trapped in development hell, and must abuse your surroundings to progress. I love how the game expects you to go out of bounds to find secrets. The story doesn't make much sense, and is pretty bland, but overall it's enjoyable for a few hours. 7/14 achievements.

lovely voice actors sell the entire story, and a pretty fun puzzle game is here too.