I’ll be honest; I wasn’t super excited to play Sorcery on the PlayStation Move. I guess the trailers and the demo on PSN didn’t really sell me on the game’s premise and potential compared to other PS Move games. Color me surprised then when I actually sank my teeth into the full game. What I found was a fun action game with a fairly interesting story that was greatly enhanced by its responsive motion controls. What would’ve been just another action game turned into an immersive (yet physically tiring) experience that’s unique to the PlayStation Move.

Sorcery casts players as Finn (voiced by Uncharted’s Nolan North), a young magician’s apprentice that gets embroiled in a one-man fight to protect not only his world, but the world of his friend Erline as well. The Nightmare Queen has sent her massive armies to take over the land, destroying everyingthing and everyone in their path. Finn and his feline companion Erline must travel through the different locations to discover new and more powerful magics to defeat the Nightmare Queen in one final battle.

After the jump, our full Sorcery review.

Like I mentioned earlier, the story isn’t really groundbreaking, but Finn and Erline’s back & forth and constant bickering really endears them to the player. Both characters have their own secrets and issues that they face throughout the game, fleshing out each character by the end of the story. It also helps that the game often features a lot of God of War-inspired epic moments.

Given its story-driven campaign, Sorcery is a linear game that most players can finish in about 8-10 hours. However, completionists will be happy to know that each level houses multiple hidden nooks and crannies where player will find treasures, hidden alchemy ingredients, and potions that will help Finn on his journey. Many of the game’s main plot points are told through graphic novel panels like the ones found in Kung Fu Live. Though I have to admit I wasn’t a big fan of these storytelling segments; I would’ve preferred FMV cutscenes as those would’ve increased the emotional impact on some of the key moments in the game.

Sorcery’s motion controls greatly enhances the game’s immersion factor. The game does a good job of making players feel like they’re Finn and the one actually casting spells and mixing potions in the game world. Players have to perform certain movements with the Move controller to activate magic attacks, for example, flicking forward fires arcane bolts, curving flicks fire arcane bolts in a curving arc. Players can also mix the different magical elements (Fire, Ice, Wind, and more) to create more powerful attacks. For example, firing magic bolts over fire transforms them into firebolts. Or casting the firewall then following it up with a tornado unleashes a fire tornado that burns everything caught in its path. Players can upgrade their skills by collecting ingredients and mixing certain combinations to discover new potions that enhance Finn’s abilities or grants him new magic attacks.

Speaking of mixing, the move controller light/color corresponds to the spells or actions in-game. For example, the arcane bolt turns the Move controller purple. Holding empty potions turns the controller clear, while a full health potion turns it red. Again Sorcery features a great attention to detail that immerses the player into the game world.

While the game has a serviceable auto-lock function, I did have some trouble when facing multiple opponents; I found myself missing shots and kept wishing for a lock-on button. Even a soft-lock button (like the one found in Max Payne 3) would have been greatly appreciated. As well, the game had the occasional hiccup when I tried to flick/activate magic attacks rapidly (especially against groups of opponents). And damn, is the game tiring to play! I don’t think Sorcery is designed for long play sessions. Basically, I got tired (literally) from performing all the motions to cast the spells in the game after 30 minutes of play.

In the end, Sorcery is a unique and entertaining game that is greatly enhanced by its immersive/responsive motion controls. And sure, the story isn’t as exciting as others like it, but the two main characters are so endearing that players can’t help but love them. If there’s a game to buy for your PlayStation Move, Sorcery is it. Give it a try; you just might become a believer of the PlayStation Move’s potential for unique game experiences.

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Sorcery Score:

7/10

Pros:

• Great attention to detail regarding the Move controller and on-screen situations.
• Finn and Erline are likable characters, their back and forth is really endearing.
• Fairly responsive controls that immerse players in the game world.
• Magic and elemental attack found later in the game are fun to combine and use.
• Discovering new potions when mixing ingredients in the alchemy mini-game is definitely addictive.
• Finn is voiced by Nolan North.

Cons:

• Very linear game, almost no replay ability.
• Gameplay not designed for long play sessions. Shoulders got tired after 30 mins.
• Some control hiccups and no lock-on button.
• Graphic novel story segments.

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