Magnus Trilogy | PS5 Review

The Magnus Trilogy is a Magnum Opus of meaningful messages that are meant to mess with your mind. They get you to think about what it is to be human on different levels and according to different ideals or beliefs. Melding religion and theology with the occult, and science fiction we find three point-and-click narrative adventures centered around creation, the meaning of life, and rebirth through the decaying of life itself. All of which is included in the puzzle laden and picturesque hand drawn stories that are Magnus Imago, Magnus Phototaxis Positive, and Lazarus A.D.2222. Each carrying along a disjointed, but conjoined theme where puzzles unlock the mysteries of the human psyche.

Starting off with 'Magnus Imago' we find creation through the eyes of a welder whose childhood visions lead him to an eye opening epiphany. It is through our interactions with him, and his cryptic world that we come to see things his way. This entails finding key objects within the environments, and plugging them into sockets that are set into various interactive set pieces. Not only do we get to interact with this creative world, but also see it through audio/video stimulation meant to evoke emotions, and thoughts pertaining to what is being shown. It is an experience meant for interpretation.

Moving on we find that 'Magnus Phototaxis Positive' is the entry that seeks to define life itself, and find meaning in that life. It opens up with a familiar depiction of a man hooked up to a VR headset wasting away in the corner of a derelict room. Through interactions with set pieces, and the collecting of key items we once again follow the bread crumbs of a narratively driven tale. Going from room to room in point-and-click fashion interacting with objects and placing key items where they need to be to further unlock access to gated areas. There are hints of Bible passages, and scientific mentions of metamorphosis, and other thematic elements pieced together in a puzzling way meant to get the player to think outside of the box. All in order to ask those two glaring questions we all have ... What is life? What is reality?

Finishing off in a hopeful yet bleak form we find in 'Lazarus A.D. 2222' a ragtag group of corporate hired cyberpunk technicians and mercenaries who live in a world destroyed by toxic contamination. A world governed by corporations who have built their dystopian empire upon a pillar city sitting above the surface world wherein life is supposedly incompatible. It is the Lazarus group that ventures down to repair suspiciously damaged pillar components that find themselves face to face with an ugly truth. That though the pillar world offers safety and survival it is enslavement, and that though death and decay falls upon anyone who dares live in the toxic ruins of the real world they are truly living and free. It is in this vicious cycle of death and rebirth that the Lazarus crew finds hope and escape.

Unlike the previous two entries in the trilogy 'Lazarus A.D. 2222'  focuses more on narrative story telling, a few hacker based puzzles, and some combat mini-games to relay the point of the story being told. It is a crudely drawn adventure with mature language, and themes that aims to have the player questioning their role in society, and whether or not it serves their best interest. Making a point to weigh the pros and cons of both scenarios. That of civil enslavement, and hard earned freedom.

The Presentation ...

The Magnus Trilogy is pure art. It is a mostly static, but slightly animated series of narrative adventures decorated with hand drawn art, and video clips put together to invoke an emotional response to the hidden messages being shared. You'll find black and white drawings, colored illustrations, and even symbolism. The game is setup in a very cryptic manner intentionally. Audibly it is also mentally manipulative in that it's soundtrack filled with odd instrumental choices, and reverberation that often times sets a mood which ties in with the message being shared. An obvious reflection of the creator's grand vision.

The Verdict ...

Those troubled by puzzles that require some thinking may want to skip the 'Magnus Trilogy'. Those of you who are more interested in the message it offers though might be willing to muscle your way through for the experience. The games, themselves, are chock full of perplexing puzzles that get you to think outside of the box just as much as the embedded narratives do. There's a lot to work through, and often times puzzles reveal deeper context to the storytelling if you can complete them. 

Artistically the game is an interactive museum piece worthy of attention, discussion, and dissection. Each art panel, and location harbors some sense of meaning related to the human psyche, and how it is that we view ourselves in this thing called life. The themes sometimes border on being religious, and other times more science fiction or occult-like. There's definitely a new age look and feel to it all. This may or may not be a deal breaker for some of you. 

As for me I sought it out, because of it's thought provoking nature, and could tell it held meaning. That earned my curiosity. I am however on the fence about the number of puzzles, and the nature of the puzzles in some instances as they slow down the potential digestion of the ideas being planted. That being said it's the kind of experience that draws you in for more despite the challenges at hand.