Near-Mage introduces us to Ily, an 18-year-old aimlessly whiling away her days playing video games. Her parents are eager for her to attend school, but Ily isn't interested. Fate intervenes in the form of a letter from her aunt Dominica, who invites Ily to visit for the summer. Seeing it as a perfect escape from her parents, Ily packs her bags and heads to the small Transylvanian town of Sighișoara.
As Ily soon discovers, not all is as it seems. Her aunt is a real witch who directs Ily to TIM, the Transylvanian Institute of Magic, a school located in a different realm dedicated to guiding young people in the ways of magic. Ily enrols as a Near-Mage, a mage candidate in training, where she'll learn the basics of "near-spells" that can be combined into actual magic.
It doesn't take long for Ily to stumble upon a mystery far grander than her schooling. A powerful, forbidden magical book has been stolen, and she feels compelled to uncover who took it and why. So, her summer is spent balancing her magical education with solving the mystery of the stolen tome.
If you've played Stuck in the Attic's previous game, Gibbous, you'll quickly spot familiar elements. While Near-Mage isn't a direct sequel and features mostly new characters, it does tie into the ending of the previous game. Playing Gibbous isn't essential, but it will enrich your understanding of some story elements.
The main story is decent, providing a good reason to explore and meet various interesting people and creatures throughout the magical city of Rakus and Sighișoara. To progress, you'll need to help and befriend these characters.
Near-Mage is an adventure game that offers two ways to solve some puzzles: by magic or by wits. Magic is generally the easier route, while solving puzzles "regularly" often requires more effort. The puzzles themselves aren't particularly difficult, so having an even simpler magical solution can feel almost like a cheat mode. Despite magic being a core feature, I actually recommend trying to use it as little as possible.
As a game, Near-Mage is far more ambitious than Stuck in the Attic's previous title, Gibbous. Gibbous was a more traditional point-and-click adventure, whereas Near-Mage attempts something different. It brings to mind Sierra's Quest for Glory series, with the key difference being its focus on magic rather than the distinct traits of a thief, mage, and fighter. Another significant difference is the absence of character-class-based puzzle solutions or class-exclusive puzzles; instead, you simply have two ways to solve them, one of which involves using a proper spell.
Near-Mage does include fetch-item puzzles, but there's no inventory system, and items are used automatically. This makes the non-magic puzzles quite easy, as you only need to know that an item is required, not how to use it. Using spells is equally straightforward: your amulet glows when you can cast a spell in your current location, and you simply choose from your spell inventory. The game handles the rest.
And that's really the game's biggest flaw. You mostly just walk around, and if all conditions are met, the game takes over. Spells require a bit more interaction, but since the game limits where you can use them, the main appeal lies in experimenting with the effects of different spells in your arsenal.
Another significant flaw in Near-Mage is the extent to which the game holds your hand. It leaves very little room for players to figure things out independently, from where to go to what actions to take. The game employs "Mitzkins," small, furry, flying messengers, to deliver notes to Ily. Whenever the game prompts you to "look around Rakus," you can almost immediately expect a Mitzkin to fly in and explicitly tell you where to go next. This constant guidance makes the game feel incredibly linear and limits the sense of exploration and discovery.
Near-Mage is a good-looking game with a lot going for it. It has an engaging story, and its world is colourful and well-crafted. The voice acting and music are also pleasant. However, it does disappoint in terms of actual gameplay. It feels as though the small developer's ambitions weren't fully realised, resulting in an okay game that doesn't quite reach its full potential.
Near-Mage isn't a bad game, but it definitely could have been much more. Do I recommend it? Yes, it's not a bad way to spend a couple of days, especially if this type of real-world-inspired fantasy appeals to you. Overall, I'd say Gibbous is a better game, but Near-Mage is by no means terrible. It also boasts more replay value thanks to the different ways of solving puzzles, as your choices can affect the game world.
You can purchase Near-Mage on Steam and GOG. There's also an optional hair and clothes pack available. Unlike many other adventure games, you can freely customise the main character's appearance. If dressing up your character is something you enjoy, this could be a fun addition beyond the basic clothing and hair already in the game.
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