Mage’s Initiation demo goes public as Kickstarter campaign heats up

Written by Jack Allin — March 15, 2013 at 15:10

Still on the fence about whether to back Himalaya Studios' Kickstarter campaign for Mage's Initiation: Reign of the Elements? Not willing to take our word for it? Well now you can check the game out for yourself, as the playable demo has just been released to the public.

A retro-styled mix of adventure and RPG in the mold of Quest for Glory, Mage's Initiation tells the tale of a 16-year-old wannabe wizard name D'arc. Having spent most of his life training in the Mages' Tower, it's nearly time for D'arc to be put to the test. However, trouble is brewing in the medieval kingdom of Iginor, and to complete the three trials set before him, D'arc must "brave a goblin-infested forest; navigate a vast lake to encounter an evil so pure, not even beauty can disguise it; ascend to the peaks of Flyteria, a valley of winged warriors once dedicated to protection of the human town. Succeed and D'arc shall take his place among his fellow Mages. Fail and nobody shall remember his name."

The 33 MB demo takes place at the beginning of the game, as D'arc must equip himself with the special conductor and magical gem that will grant him the first of his elemental powers. He will also be trained in the art of combat, giving players a small taste of the roleplaying involved in the full game. Himalaya stresses that this demo is "very much a work in progress", with possible bugs and missing features at this point.

Although Mage's Initiation has already secured funding through Kickstarter, there is still a week remaining in the campaign in order to meet its various stretch goals, so there's still time to pledge if you like what you see. You can also vote for the game to be released on Steam through the Greenlight program.