Micro Mages | PS5 Review

Morphcat Games' "Micro Mages" is a 2019 retro inspired indie that has been re-released with new features added for the PS4 and PS5 consoles. It comes complete with a very basic story about four mages on an adventure to save their princess from the demon fortress. It is, at it's base level, a 2D upward scrolling ordeal taking the heroes through a hazardous castle interior filled with ghoulish baddies, and ghastly bosses. As they ascend to the top they'll be able to loot the fortress obtaining point worthy treasures, and power-ups that gift abilities like gliding. The latter helping with the ascent.

With "Micro Mages" comes solo or co-op play options both in the offline and online sense. Up to four players can join in on the competition and fun within a single screen. New to this updated modern version are player nameplates and scoreboards displayed on a revamped UI along with widescreen features that expand the border beyond the center playing field adding fortress details to give an extended image. You'll also find a total of 40 PSN trophies waiting for you to earn them.

As far as gameplay goes each fortress biome differs in appearance, and enemy types. Stages, themselves, come in 3 different sub-stages each ending with a final boss fight. To get to the boss fight you'll have to make it to the top exits through a maze-like interior as the screen auto-scrolls upward chasing you to the top. Along the way you'll use your wand which shoots upwards, downwards, side to side, and charges for a more powerful shot to break boxes, open chests, remove blockades, and kill enemies. Doing so will not only clear damage dealing enemies, but also net you gems, and power-ups. In addition to that killing enemies, looting, and fighting bosses will earn you points that go towards a score total. 

Death, in Micro Mages, does eventually come calling for our miniature mages though, and it is basically a whittling away of powered-up states earned and restored along the way through things like faeries. In solo the mage also has a limited stock of lives so not getting hit by enemies or other environmental hazards is a must for completion sake. Same goes for co-op, except in it you can opt to set the Blood Bond to on and share the deaths/lives with other players for an added challenge.

The Presentation ...

Micro Mages is a NES era throwback filled with a multi-color pixel palette that not only helps identify our mage friends, but also the fortress innards, and the enemies therein. Mages come in a purple, orange, blue, and green color whereas the surrounding stages, and creatures also vary on a per type/per theme basis. It is a clashing yet complimentary color display with lightly applied special effects to add to the pixel flair. The soundtrack, as one might expect, is also a chiptune throwback to the NES era of gaming.

The Verdict ...

With added multiplayer, and modern console features "Micro Mages" offers a fully fledged and fun arcade action adventure of the score based kind. It is nothing short of impressive for what it is able to capture in it's nostalgic nod. Fans of oldschool retro games of the 80's and early 90's will love what this indie has to offer. It is both challenging and made for co-op. The fact that it has online matchmaking is a huge plus!!! If you've not yet picked this indie up it is a gem worth your time and money! A must buy for retro gaming enthusiasts!!!