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What is Mages of Mystralia?
Developed and published by Borealys Games, Mages of Mystralia is a single-player action-adventure released on Steam on May 18, 2017. You play as Zia, a young mage in a world where magic has been banned. As she discovers runes, she combines them to create spells for fighting enemies, solving environmental puzzles, and facing bosses. Steam describes more than a dozen regions to explore and credits Ed Greenwood as the story writer. Steam store listing
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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Mages of Mystralia | $6.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Stronghold Games Auztralia Revenge of the Old Ones, Ages 14+ | $21.75 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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AuZtralia by Stronghold Games, Strategy Board Game | $59.88 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
![Mages of Mystralia (Limited Run #187) - (PS4) PlayStation 4 [Pre-Owned]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/511+PKyItiL._SL160_.jpg)
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Mages of Mystralia (Limited Run #187) - (PS4) PlayStation 4 [Pre-Owned] | $39.99 | Buy on Amazon |
The US PlayStation Store lists a PS4 release dated August 22, 2017. It is playable on PS5, though some PS4 features may be unavailable and a system software update may be required. US PlayStation Store listing
What reviewers like: building and testing spells
The rune-based spell system is the clearest strength across the cited reviews. GameSpot praised the variety and customization, calling the spellcrafting “incredibly satisfying.” Game Informer likewise found discovering runes and constructing spells consistently rewarding, especially when experimentation produced a useful solution to a puzzle. GameSpot review Game Informer review
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#1 Best Overall
That appeal is practical as well as expressive: spells are not just a combat toolkit, since the official listing also places them in environmental puzzles and boss fights. If you enjoy testing combinations and tailoring magic to a situation, that loop is the game’s main reason to play. GameSpot also praised its colorful visuals and charming worldbuilding.
Where the adventure is less convincing
Exploration and quests
GameSpot found the exploration and quest design shallow, and said vague objectives and side quests could be hard to track. This matters if you want a fantasy world that consistently rewards detours or gives clear direction about what to do next.
Rank #2
- A Dark New World Awaits: It’s 1932, and desperate colonists arrive on desolate shores to cultivate a new land and feed the war-torn world — a world once ravaged by battles against the Old Ones.
- Unearth a Terrifying Secret: Beneath this land lies the final resting place of the defeated horrors — now stirring once more to reclaim their dominion.
- Evil Awakens: What begins as random attacks soon reveals a sinister intelligence commanding hordes of zombies, Mi-go, and Shoggoths… perhaps even Cthulhu itself.
- Play as the Old Ones: Revenge of the Old Ones introduces a new mode where one player controls the ancient forces, turning the tables on humanity.
- Expanded Player Count: Supports up to five players, with one embodying the Old Ones’ malevolent will.
Story and pacing
Game Informer described the core story and character designs as generic, and found the soundtrack so subdued that it could go unnoticed. GameSpot also felt the final act lost momentum. These assessments suggest that the spell system is more distinctive than the narrative framework around it.
Combat feedback and enemy variety
Nintendo Life’s Switch review raised concerns about enemy variety and combat feedback, and described some encounters as involving overly durable enemies. Those are that reviewer’s judgments about the Switch version; they do not establish identical performance or feel across every platform. Nintendo Life review
Rank #3
- Everything you do in the game costs time. At a point in time, the Old Ones will awaken and become an active player. They begin to reveal themselves and move, with potentially devastating outcomes. You’ll need to prepare wisely for the awakening and may have to cooperate with others to defeat the most dangerous Old Ones.
- Build a port, construct railways, mine resources, farm for food, recruit military units and unique personalities.and prepare for the Awakening of The Old Ones for a fight for your lives! Will humanity prevail or will the Old Ones wreak their revenge in AuZtralia?
- 1-4 players
- Ages 13+
- 30-120 minute play time
How do the reviews compare?
The available signals are not directly interchangeable: a storefront user-review summary and individual critics assess different samples in different ways. Steam displayed “Very Positive,” with 85% of 905 user reviews positive when accessed on October 8, 2026; the total and percentage can change. Steam also displayed a 74 Metacritic score, but the listing does not establish the number of reviews or platform aggregation details behind that figure. Steam store listing
| Source | Signal | What it indicates |
|---|---|---|
| Steam, accessed October 8, 2026 | 85% positive from 905 user reviews; “Very Positive” | A positive live player-review summary; counts can change. |
| GameSpot, 2017 | 6/10, verdict “Fair” | Praises spellcrafting and presentation, but criticizes questing, exploration, and the final act. |
| Game Informer, 2017 | No score stated here | Finds spell construction rewarding, while describing the story and character designs as generic and the soundtrack as subdued. |
| Nintendo Life, Switch review | No score stated here | Questions enemy variety and combat feedback, including the durability of some enemies. |
The contrast is best read as a difference between the cited player aggregate and a small selection of critic reviews, not as a universal split between players and critics. The critic coverage here is limited to these three outlets, rather than a census of all reviews.
Rank #4
- Mages of Mystralia (Limited Run #187) - Playstation 4 Physical Release
How long is Mages of Mystralia?
GameSpot reviewer Alessandro Fillari reported that his first playthrough took about six hours. That is one reviewer’s experience, not a guaranteed completion time; individual playtime can vary with pace and exploration. GameSpot review
Is Mages of Mystralia worth playing?
It is worth considering if custom spell-building, puzzle experimentation, and a colorful fantasy setting sound more important to you than elaborate quests or a strongly original story. If exploration, narrative payoff, clear objectives, or responsive-feeling combat are central to what you want, the cited criticisms are reasons to be cautious. The US PlayStation Store confirms a PS4 version playable on PS5 with compatibility caveats; the official listings cited here do not verify availability across every region or platform.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
