A lot of games coming out these days are mostly copies of other games, with everything masked so that it appears to be another experience. From mechanics to environments, the similarities almost never end. Thankfully, sometimes a game pops up and brings something new to the table and steals the hearts of those who play it.
MagNets, brought to you by Total Monkery studio, falls in the latter category. This is because it brings a core mechanic to the game, the zapping magnet, which is central to the game. First things first, the game stars a park Ranger who is asked to help clean up the mess which is being caused by the bloxbots, who have lost control and are wreaking havoc in Polarity City. The Ranger must thus get rid of these pesky bots by using the electromagnetic net – hence the name MagNets- which is a special weapon which summons an electromagnetic field around a small area, zapping any enemy caught in the field. Boys will be stunned when caught in the field the first time, to then be finished off once a second field is laid upon them.
The game starts off with a short tutorial explaining the basics of the game, and subsequent levels add little gameplay mechanics bit by bit until the whole arsenal of abilities is finally unlocked, for the Ranger to enjoy and unleash upon the bots. While initial levels are only concerned with getting rid of the enemy bots, the game ramps up in difficulty considerably when it brings the element of defending objects attacked from these bloxbots, since if they manage to destroy one it is game over. The game also ends if Ranger is killed, and although this takes quite a while since Ranger has quite a big health bar, being swarmed by the robots will deplete it in a matter of seconds. What is even worse for the player is that the tools drop if you are hit, and thus having to collect the dropped tools could potentially deadlock the player when trying to reclaim them. The game also promotes recycling in the form of collecting tools from destroyed robots. These tools are then exchanged through a dispenser which provides items, generally a missing component, which needs to be placed in the sockets to repair them, and once a full link is completed the area is cleared and Ranger can proceed to the next level. The game features four areas and twenty levels, with these levels offering quite a wide variety of gameplay even though the main mechanics are always the same, which further emphasises how much work has been done on the game. Even though some levels may take just a couple of minutes, they still feel well planned, mostly because beating a level may take more than a few tries, and by the time one is able to beat it, he will know almost all the level by heart which will reduce dramatically the time taken. This element of short levels is probably one of the most appealing features of the game, since a session of “just one level” can turn easily into an hour if not more of robotic carnage, due to how addicting the game can become once you get really into it.
Apart from the normal levels which feature unlocking a gate, there are also boss fights which occur at the end of each area. These change the gameplay mechanics, with the dispenser now providing items essential in beating the boss. Creative ways of defeating these bosses, such as planting carrots to lure the enemy and then zap the hell out of him, give a character to the game which is present quite a lot during gameplay. The game also features local multiplayer in the form of PvP, where players must destroy bots as well as each other to earn victory. A controller can be connected to the PC to enable local multiplayer and unleash your fury against a friend, and at the same time teach him a thing or two about magnets.
MagNets also features very fitting music, which helps getting into the experience while at the same time being quite enjoyable on its own. The sound effects of the game are also spot on, be it zapping enemy bloxbots or collecting dropped tools from them. Aesthetically the game also ticks the right boxes, going with a visual style which suits the game very well indeed. Colours are aplenty in the game, and the use of vivid, bright colours brings out the main elements of the game.
Total Monkery have developed a very good game, suitable for a variety of age groups and appealing to all. Its mixture of fast paced gameplay and frenetic enemies make it easily a game to spend hours at a time playing, and with local multiplayer and leaderboards, replayability is also another factor gluing players to the screen.
Disclaimer:All scores given within our reviews are based on the artist’s personal opinion; this should in no way impede your decision to purchase the game.
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