Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 69 | 11 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 82% | 76 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 65 | 7 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 85% | 79 | 15 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 42 reviews sampled · 37 total reviews in window · weighted 20 up / 3.4 down · computed 1h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (53)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 40
“It lies somewhere between a fully formed game in which wizards learn to chain elements into powerful spells and a low-rent improv show.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Co-op is where Magicka really shines. You’ll forget about the inconsistent camera and unpolished controls, because you’ll be too busy having fun while playing the game.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Magicka 2 is a love-hate kind of game. Whether you'll like or dislike it after the first hour depends largely on the knowledge of the previous game. On one hand it's still the same Magicka: pretty, funny, great in co-op and with an excellent spell system. On the other, it's not much of a sequel and looks more like a set of different DLCs.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“As a co-op game, this is a treat that should be on any co-op gamer's shelf. The multiplayer brings up the fun at any gaming weekend, and is likely going to become a favourite in most gaming circles. However, without people to play with, Magicka 2 turns very boring very fast, and its sometimes unfair difficulty and even unwinnable extra missions do not help against that. If into co-op, Magicka 2 is a must-buy. If not, it is a game that should be passed on.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Magicka 2 makes a good transition to the PS4, the controls map nicely to the controller and it all looks nice on a big television. It's an oddity in that it really shines when you have two or more players, but is much less fun when playing alone. Overall, there is much to commend in this magical blaster, just make sure that you bring a friend.”
read full review ↗ - 71
“Magicka 2 is essentially how the original game should have been. While Pieces Interactive's work is commendable, there isn't any truly new or innovative content compared to the original Magicka. Players who have played the first game, should wait for the inevitable DLC content, if they are looking for something new."”
read full review ↗ - 86
“Magicka 2 offers a smoother, more comfortable experience than its predecessor, but that doesn't mean the series has lost its signature charm. It's still insane, madcap fun, that somehow manages to make an absolutely unintuitive control system into a strength rather than a weakness. Played as a drop-in multiplayer game, it's an entertaining, amusing hack and slash. With a group of friends, it's an absolute riot.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“Magicka 2 takes some getting used to and even after getting used to it, it can still be unwieldy at times. Playing co-op is the way to go, and can even be rather fun that way. Just keep in mind, it can get frustrating and downright mean playing solo.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Magicka 2 is Magicka refined - the same wizard-killing simulator co-op fans love with the fixes and improvements players craved. While it doesn't break new ground or surpass the original, it's a blast to play with friends.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“The opportunity here was to bundle up the wild brilliance of Magicka and finally deliver a campaign that was as exciting and unpredictable and astonishing as the powers you have at your disposal. Maybe next time.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Magic combat and co-op play remain brilliant in Magicka 2, but the sadistic solo experience along with a few bugs and design problems cause some of this spell to fizzle.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Although it hits the marks in several key areas, there's no shying away from the fact that Magicka 2 can feel monotonous in parts. This may be eradicated (in part) when playing with friends locally or online, but not everyone will have that same privilege. There's an overriding focus here on combat that could have been invested in other, more interesting pursuits such as puzzle solving or even platfoming. Still, it's a competent action game that has made a beautiful transition from its original PC roots and one that will no doubt garner a new console-based coven.”
read full review ↗
Slant Magazine
PLAY Zine
GRYOnline.pl
Cubed3
Push Square
GameWatcher
ZTGD
The Escapist
Eurogamer
GameSpot
TheSixthAxis…and 41 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Logins fixed on Mac OS-X!Jul 5, 2019
- Patch 1.2.2.0Jan 7, 2019
- Game Update 1.1.1.0, "Spell Again, Again - Part 2"Oct 29, 2015significant · resets scoring window
- Game Update 1.1.1.0, "Spell Again, Again - Part 2"Oct 29, 2015significant · resets scoring window
- Magicka 2: Spell Balance Beta patch notes 13/10Oct 13, 2015
- Magicka 2: Spell Balance Beta patch notes 13/10Oct 13, 2015
- FREE "Spell Again...Again!" Update (and some snazzy new DLC)Sep 15, 2015significant · resets scoring window
- FREE "Spell Again...Again!" Update (and some snazzy new DLC)Sep 15, 2015significant · resets scoring window
- Patch 1.0.1.5r2Aug 26, 2015
- Patch 1.0.1.5r2Aug 26, 2015
- Patch 1.0.1.5r1Aug 20, 2015
- Patch 1.0.1.5r1Aug 20, 2015
- Update 1.0.1.5 is Here!Aug 18, 2015
- Update 1.0.1.5 is Here!Aug 18, 2015
- Patch 1.0.1.4 is live!Jun 25, 2015significant · resets scoring window
- Patch 1.0.1.4 is live!Jun 25, 2015
- 1.0.1.3 Arriving Shortly!Jun 17, 2015significant · resets scoring window
- 1.0.1.3 Arriving Shortly!Jun 17, 2015
- Patch 1.0.1.2 is here!Jun 8, 2015
- Patch 1.0.1.2 is here!Jun 8, 2015
- Patch 1.0.1.1 Now Live!May 29, 2015
- Patch 1.0.1.1 Now Live!May 29, 2015
- New patch for Magicka: Wizard Wars is LIVE now!Apr 14, 2015significant · resets scoring window
- New patch for Magicka: Wizard Wars is LIVE now!Apr 14, 2015significant · resets scoring window
- Magicka: Wizard Wars Officially Launches on April 28!Apr 9, 2015significant · resets scoring window
- Magicka: Wizard Wars Officially Launches on April 28!Apr 9, 2015significant · resets scoring window