Review: Sorcery (PS3)

Last updated 11:37 04/07/2012

DANCE, MAGIC, DANCE: Sorcery is probably the best game for PlayStation Move to date.

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REVIEW: If you read the interview in last week's Box, you know that Sorcery, a game that puts Sony's PlayStation Move motion controller to good use, has been a long time coming.

Now that it's out, is it a worthwhile title for the motion- controlling device, which so far has few must-own titles?

Steeped in Irish folklore with runes and ancient ruins everywhere, Sorcery follows the tale of a hapless sorcerer's apprentice, Finn, who is goaded into stealing his master's magic wand by his cat companion Erline, and then has to rid the land of an evil threat to humankind. Erline is there for a bit of light relief and as a guide.

Central to Sorcery is the PS Move controller, and actions in the game are performed by mimicking real-life gestures. Casting magical spells and bolts is as easy as flicking your wrist forward while holding the controller.

Drinking a potion is as easy as shaking the controller, as if mixing the potion in a bottle, then raising it to your mouth as if having a drink. Simple actions, yet effective.

The Move controller is also crucial for other actions, such as rebuilding broken bridges or opening locked doors, and again the control system is simple: just rotate your wrist in a circular fashion, and while it takes a little bit to get used to curving your shots from the wand during combat (aiming shots at enemies to the sides is easy but it's a little trickier getting it right with enemies that are above you), after a while you'll be zapping the evil demon's minions with ease.

I played the game with the optional navigation controller, but a standard PS3 dual shock controller does the job just as well, once you've got used to holding its more awkward shape in your other hand.

The story is interesting - young apprentice goes amok with magic wand and all that - and Sorcery will appeal mostly to youngsters who are bored with a certain big-screen wizard and want to try some virtual magical moves themselves (although the darker tones of the enemies might frighten really young gamers).

On the negative side: it's a relatively short campaign, and there's not a lot of replay value once you've finished.

It's about time better use was made of Sony's PS Move controller, and Sorcery is probably the best - and most precise - to date.

Worth a look for budding wizards.

PlayStation Move (PlayStation 3)
From: Sony
Classification: PG
RRP: $70

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