Near-Mage – Review

Transylvania's forgotten magic and its secrets

Near-Mage is a narrative adventure with RPG elements, created by Romanian indie studio Stuck In Attic, known for Gibbous – A Cthulhu Adventure. Released on 27 May 2025 for Windows, macOS and Linux, the game combines free exploration, a captivating story and magic in a fantastical Transylvania full of folklore creatures and mysteries.

A magical key to a Transylvanian fairy tale

Players control Ilinca "Illy" Vraja, a young witch just starting out, who is called to the Transylvanian Institute for Magick by her mysterious aunt. Illy discovers she comes from an ancient line of magicians and embarks on a summer of adventure full of discoveries about herself, the magical world and its connection to ordinary people.

Transylvania is presented in a combination of realism and magic: historic towns like Sighișoara, dark forests and the fantastical Rakus lands, all integrated with creatures inspired by folklore: strigoi, moroi and other mythical beings. This fusion of reality and fantasy gives the game an authentic and captivating identity.

Spells, decisions and free adventure

Although it's a point-and-click adventure, Near-Mage adds RPG elements that allow players to experience it differently: Illy learns spells that can be combined, and dialogue choices influence interactions with NPCs and some narrative branches. This freedom offers emergent gameplay, with multiple possibilities in each playthrough.

Exploration is free both in the city, at the institute and in the Rakus realm, and players can discover objects, information and secrets that add depth to the story. However, the game remains relatively linear: most quests have a clear thread, and the impact of choices is not always significant, which may limit replay value for some players.

Illy and the people around her

The story combines coming-of-age with fantasy, and Illy is a charismatic, courageous, likeable and slightly naive protagonist. Dialogues with colleagues, teachers and magical creatures are full of humour, moments of reflection and narrative tension.

Secondary characters are diverse and well-developed. Interactions with them add colour, humour and context for the player's decisions. However, some characters do not have a major impact on the main plot, and the beginning can feel slow, with a narrative pace that does not immediately convey the urgency of the adventure.

A fairy-tale visual universe

The hand-painted graphic style is one of the most appreciated elements of the game. Each frame is hand-drawn, with vibrant colours, fluid animations and architectural details reminiscent of classic animated films. Historic cities, forests and magical realms are all harmoniously integrated, giving the game a unique aesthetic.

The visual design is complemented by an orchestral soundtrack and very good voice acting, which amplify the immersion and charm of the story. However, in longer exploration areas, the music can become repetitive.

Challenges and limitations of the game

Although Near-Mage impresses with its atmosphere and visual style, the game is not without its limitations. The lack of complex puzzles makes the experience closer to an interactive story than a classic point-and-click adventure, which may disappoint players looking for challenges.

Gameplay can become repetitive, especially when exploring areas is not guided by clear visual objectives, and progress sometimes feels linear. In addition, narrative choices have a limited impact on the main plot, reducing the sense of real influence over the game world, and occasional control and navigation issues can frustrate less experienced players.

These limitations do not diminish the overall experience for those seeking a narrative story and a captivating visual world, but they may be noticeable to experienced players looking for mechanical challenges or decisions with a major impact.

How was the game received?

Critics have given predominantly favourable reviews, with a Metascore of approximately 72/100. Strengths mentioned include atmosphere, visual art and story. In contrast, criticisms focused on repetitive gameplay and narrative choices with limited impact.

On Steam, the player community has been much more generous: ~90% of reviews are positive, indicating that fans of narrative adventures and magical worlds appreciate the experience offered by Near-Mage. This discrepancy suggests, however, that the title is more suitable for those seeking atmosphere, exploration and stories, rather than fans of complex gameplay.

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Available on: PC (Steam, GOG)
Played on: PC (Steam)
Release date: 27 May 2025
Developer: Stuck In Attic
Publisher: Stuck In Attic