Magic & Mayhem (1998)
Genres:Role-playing (RPG), Strategy, Real Time Strategy (RTS)
Themes:Action, Fantasy, Historical
Game modes:Single player, Multiplayer
Story:Magic & Mayhem is a real-time strategy game. It combines elements of role-playing with strategy, action and puzzles. You play a young mage, Cornelius, who seeks to uncover the mystery surrounding the disappearance of his mentor. The result is adventures that will span three islands, which will uncover new mysteries and make new friends, and force you to face a multitude of challenges, puzzles and enemies.Show more
Vote to bring this game to GOG and help preserve it.1 667
I remember how, as a child, I first laid eyes on the Magic and Mayhem disc: it had a slightly worn cover featuring some strange magical creatures. I was about ten years old at the time and was just beginning to figure out how a computer worked. We had an old but trusty “iron friend” at home with a huge CRT monitor that made a loud crackling sound and flickered with a green light when turned on.
I asked my parents to install the game—they didn’t mind at all, since they always liked me exploring new things. When the menu with its mystical music appeared on the screen, I was mesmerized. Back then, everything felt like pure magic—strange Latin spell names, fantasy creatures, magical ingredients…
I started the first mission and spent a long time not really knowing what to do. I hopped around the map as a little wizard, collected odd items, and cast spells until I finally grasped how crucial it was to carefully pick out your deck and creatures. I can’t say I got it all at once—the game’s speed was new to me, plus I had to keep track of my troops, my mana was limited, and the enemies were cunning. But that sense of novelty, that urge to figure it all out, is still fresh in my mind, as though it happened yesterday.
With each new session, I got more and more excited: I tried different spell combinations, experimented with tactics for summoning all sorts of fantastical creatures, and used special totems. I loved feeling like I wasn’t just clicking the mouse, but truly becoming a mage defending my realm from devious foes.
Of course, I couldn’t spend all my time on the computer, but every day I looked forward to diving back into the world of Magic and Mayhem, ready to try another experiment—test a new spell or beat a tricky mission. Ever since, no matter how many games have come out, those childhood memories have stuck with me, and Magic and Mayhem remains my little “gateway” into the realm of thrilling computer adventures.
I was a Child and played it with my cousins, it was so great because of the story and the system of try, fail, change your spells till you can do it. Its so great!
I played this game as one of my first PC games ever. it was on my aunts brand new pc. and was desperate for a new game. sooo glad i got it! it is extremely fun. the music is freaking awesome! and the best part? you could put the game disc in a CD player and you get the whole soundtrack! VOTED!!! I want this game on GOG so I can give money and not have to play it through alternative means. and I wanna relive my very young adult years :D GOG pls do your best to obtain this game and its sequel I am begging you!!!
Childhood memory, properly educated me before the complex D&D games come up. The role-play and spell experience was a gem. Story includes western mythology with some original idea.
It was so compelling and atmospheric that I finished it over a long weekend. Lent the disc to a friend, and the same thing happened to him. To be honest, I've only completed about 5 computer games in my life.
It's an isometric version of Sacrifice – basically a fantasy tug-of-war game but fifty times better than that sounds. Hugely atmospheric thanks to the charming graphics, which still hold up, and the stunning music.
Probably Julian Gollop's best game. I wonder what became of him after this. Eh, who cares?
This being my first PC game and favorite game of all time, I would do anything to have this in my GOG library! I played this back in 1998 with my dad when he worked at a disc duplication job and printed disks for big name publishers including Bethesda Softworks. He brought home M&M and in that moment my gaming career kicked off. Please bring this game to GOG someday!
-The Druid
The underlying game concepts might be readily recognizable to experienced players, but the special approach to your spell list in this game adds a lot of ways for players to customize their play style. There's interesting level design, a lot to do, and a decent storyline. Julian Gollop was involved in this game, and some traits from the original X-Com games can be recognized here. Wooden walls can be burned through, and the fire will spread. A roof can protect you from lightning, though burning debris might fall on you shortly after. Some of the creatures you summon have hands and can activate things in the environment, others cannot. More people need to know this game.
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