A satirical wizard romp through Norse myth
Magicka puts you in the robe of a wizard from a sacred order, sent to stop an evil sorcerer who has thrown the world into turmoil. The tone is parody: a clichéd fantasy world played for laughs while you blast through its minions. The core of the game is its spell system. You combine elements to build spells on the fly, then unleash them on the darkness. The campaign runs across 13 levels, from lush forest valleys to the frozen halls of the Mountain King, and you can find and unlock challenges, items, and powerful Magicks along the way.
Playing together
Up to four players can take on the grand adventure in all game modes, with a single-player option too. In co-op you fight side by side through the campaign, combining your spells to wreak havoc on the enemy. Wits and creative thinking are what win the day, so coordinating your element choices with your friends matters as much as aim. Remote Play Together is available, which lets friends join in from their own setups.
What to know before starting
The adventure mode takes you across three different levels, while the full campaign spans 13. There is also an unlockable hardcore challenge mode where you fight off waves of enemies to earn a place on local and online leaderboards. Expect a difficulty that asks for practice, and expect the spell system to reward experimentation over rote combos. If your group likes team-based action with a comedic edge and a magic system you can poke at, this is the one to load up.