Busboom
231 escape rooms
Magic Universe is a game that proves escape rooms are capable of transporting us as fully as any Hollywood blockbuster or Broadway stage. It is, in the truest sense, world building. The first thing that hits you is the scale. I have seen impressive sets before, but this is different. Compared to Magic Universe, even theme parks feel lacking. (Universal Studios should sue just to understand how they were outdone) The game, especially in the first half, has many extraordinary moments. There’s one where you look up, the light hitting your face in an almost impossibly cinematic way, and something happens. When I looked over at my two adult children who were playing alongside me, it was as if they were five again. They wore the same expressions as when they were young and small and certain that magic was real. The first half also had: * elegant blocking and choreography reminiscent of Broadway * incredible acting by people who inhabit the characters so much that you can almost feel the stories behind their eyes.tonally precise writing (you’d be forgiven for thinking it came from the pages of a beloved fantasy novel) Somewhere past the midpoint, the world ever so slightly frays at its edges. With an achievement of this caliber, it seems silly to quibble, but the second half does have its stumbles: * there’s a room that is noticeably underdeveloped compared to the rest. * The puzzles aren’t as strong. * The final set piece is spectacular but devoid of meaningful choices. It expands the world visually but shrinks it emotionally. But all of these seem small compared to what Magic Universe achieves. It’s something that, in the months to come, will cause me to think back on its corridors of candlelight and talking portraits, its vast towers and enchanting characters. In some ways, it’s impossible to discuss Magic Universe without talking about the Canadian titan lurking in the background… Magnifico. It’s certain that people on Discord servers, Facebook groups, and in rental cars between cities will debate which is greater… Magnfico or Magic Universe? Out of the four people I played rooms with in Spain, all chose Magic Universe. I see it differently. Magnifico has grandeur, consistency, and raw narrative strength. Every scene builds. Every puzzle belongs. It nails the landing. And it has the rarest of gifts in storytelling, a soul. Magic Universe has greater individual moments. Its peaks scrape the sky. But comparatively, it is uneven. This debate, however, misses the bigger point: we are witnessing an inflection point. There are moments in every art form when something changes, permanently. A door opens that cannot be shut. Magnifico opened one. Magic Universe another. And because of these two games, somewhere in the months and years to come, new doors will appear. These two games are visions that promote more visions. We are lucky to have them both.
