Can Sorcery cast a spell on Move?
Let’s face it; the Playstation Move hasn’t had the best start. The true killer apps have not yet materialised for the device and most third-party games only put it in as an optional control scheme, instead of biting the bullet and making it mandatory. Sorcery was first unveiled in 2010 and looked pretty damn sweet, the idea of being able to use the Move controller as a magic wand was an interesting notion, but we’ve been here before thinking that a Wii controller would make a good lightsaber…
The story starts out pretty light-hearted with a sorcerer’s apprentice looking around a tomb without his master’s permission, but then the plot gets a dark tone that is sadly always shadowed with one-liners that cheapen the experience. It’s a nice story as a whole and does just enough to get you through the 10 hour campaign.
You control the game by using both the Move controller and the Navigational controller, or by using the DS3 with Move, it’s best to use the first method. Essentially you move with the left analog stick and cast spells by flicking the Move controller to hit enemies and objects, but it does take some getting used to. Accuracy can be an issue here when trying to aim for enemies on ledges, it doesn’t always work and it does become frustrating during the harder fights that you’ll endure. But with practise, you’ll master the wand.
The set-path is pretty straightforward with the odd gap to look for collectables, but it feels pretty straightforward. Move forward, whack spells at foes, solve a quick puzzle and move on. You can mix spells with the wand as well, which is a nice touch and the controls are good here. If there’s a real complaint, it’s that there’s no real reason to play the game again once you complete it. There are no other modes besides the single player and that only lasts around the 10 hour mark.
In terms of presentation, Sorcery isn’t the PS3’s best looking game, but it’s far from the worst. The art style is good and the enemy variety is decent, while the spells do look cool, it’s the character models that let it down slightly. The music has the typical fantasy atmosphere to it, while the voice-acting is a mixed bag of cheesy dialogue and one-liners.
The Verdict
While Sorcery isn’t the killer app that Move needed, it’s still an enjoyable experience that any fan of things like Harry Potter should give a go, it’s just a shame it has zero replay value. It’s a good 10 solid hours of magical adventure though…
