Screenshot by Bonus Action
Visual Novels can get a tough reception with gamers due to their heavy reliance on storytelling over gameplay mechanics. Despite this, these “choose your own” stories have a loyal fanbase that loves a good narrative with a strong protagonist. Magical Princess takes the classic visual novel build and flips it on its head, combining everything to love about the genre with simulation mechanics for an immersive, replayable adventure propelled by curious mysteries.
Magical Princess follows the story of Alice, a young girl being raised by her loving family following a global catastrophe. Her parents were pivotal to stopping the evil, leading to an era of peace during Alice’s childhood. However, after tragedy strikes the family, Alice moves to the countryside, where she finishes growing up. As a young woman, she returns to the big city to attend school and find her destiny.
Players take on the role, oddly, of Alice’s father. Through his guidance, however it is administered, Alice will gain points in specific areas, grow bonds, and manage stress. Magical Princess is the best mixture of involved mechanics and steady storytelling, and I was immediately wrapped up in the story’s progression.
Key Details
- Developer: Neotro Inc / MAGI Inc
- Publisher: MAGI Inc
- Platforms: PC via Steam
- Price: $14.99
- Review Code Provided: Yes, for PC via Steam
An Incredible Amount of Polished Gameplay at a Wild Price
The first thing to note about Magical Princess is the price. For a game that has a base gameplay time of 8+ hours, and up to 40 hours in replay loops depending on your playstyle, it is wild that it only costs $14.99. In a time where many gamers can’t afford to drop $60 on a new Otome, Magical Princess feels pleasantly in touch.
The low pricetag isn’t a harbinger of hiccups or shortcuts, either. This game is gorgeous. Magical Princess uses hand-drawn portraits for every character that have been animated to move when on specific menus. There are dozens of additional “special” images, and just as many “chibi” interactions. It makes the story feel like an anime.
The gameplay loop for the simulation portion of Magical Princess is straightforward. Every day, players will have a chance to interact with Alice and either instruct her or bond with her. Instructing will provide critical life skills but increase stress, while bonding will reduce stress and increase her trust in her father. After this, Alice attends school, where players will attend courses that correspond with specific skills they would like to build, and then in the afternoon, they can visit the town to earn money, meet friends, or shop.
In the evening, Alice has the choice to sleep and maintain a regular schedule, or sneak out and engage in…less than ideal interactions. It is absolutely possible to turn Alice evil depending on specific choices.
All of these interactions will guide Alice through the story and will trigger unique plot points depending on how she grows and what skills she gathers.
A Visual Novel With Over 50 Unique Endings
While the gameplay loop for Magical Princess is only about eight hours in total, players won’t stop at the first completion. The game offers over 50 different endings, each triggered by how choices are made while exploring and building Alice’s skills.
This is a particularly refreshing style of gameplay for a visual novel and is reminiscent of games like Cute Bite. However, Magical Princess is more involved and includes a skill tree and combat system on top of the daily skills management and social elements of the game.
Included in all the different endings for the game are romance options. Players will meet a wide selection of characters as they explore, and many of them, regardless of their gender expression, can be romanced by Alice. It may seem a bit awkward to watch her fall in love from the gameplay perspective of her father, but these relationships play an important role in how Alice grows and what she chooses to prioritize.
The numerous moving pieces in the game make Magical Princess engaging in a way that a lot of Otomes lack. The game does an incredible job of providing the player with choices, and every move made feels impactful. It’s far more engaging than just selecting between two lines of dialogue every forty-five minutes. As an Otome fan, I can admit that the lack of engagement in many of the stories does make me hesitant to jump in sometimes. I don’t think I will ever feel that way about Magical Princess.
Final Score: 8.5/10
Magical Princess is an incredible game at an amazing price. If you enjoy anime, visual novels, Otome, or simulation games, then this is a must-have you won’t regret. My only gripe with the title is actually the perspective from which it is played. I do wish that players were engaged in the story from Alice’s point of view, or even from the perspective of another companion. Sometimes, it felt unsettling to be watching her life so closely from the shoes of her parent.
That said, the story is a joy to work through, and it is more than enough to keep me coming back for repeated playthroughs. In a time when my dollar really needs to go the distance, Magical Princess really hits the mark. It’s a joy to play, and there are so many threads in the story to unravel.
**Bonus Action was provided with a Steam copy of Magical Princess for the purpose of this review**
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