I usually don't write reviews, and to be honest, I didn't expect much from this game. I am a fan of strategy games, and I think puzzle games get boring after a while. But this one is an exception, and Magrunner has surprised me so much that I think it really deserves a good word.
The game mechanics is as simple as it can get: You are in a room and can turn certain objects green or red. Same-colored objects attract each other, while opposite colors repel each other. Somewhere in the room there is an exit, and you have to get there. That's pretty much it.
Now, that may sound overly simple, but wait and see it with your eyes. Each room is a puzzle, and the (later) puzzles are true masterpieces. The levels are very intelligently designed and offer a lot of variety: It's not about repeating the same basic moves at a larger scale. You will need *time* to understand how the hidden mechanisms work. Most levels will make you wonder things like "how the hell am I supposed to climb this 20m wall with a box and two platforms constrained to horizontal moves?". If you enjoy finding the answer to that kind of questions, you are going to love Magrunner.
While the game has a first person perspective and you have to jump, run, etc, most of the puzzles do not require precise timing. You won't generally ruin the level if you jump with, say, one second delay. Something that I really appreciate – it's all about thinking.
Side plus points: the storyline is engaging quite entertaining and the music is fine, too. I loved the ambiance of the last levels.
Side negative point: The game calls the fancy process of object coloring "magnetism". A nuisance for purists like me (:
I really hope to see a Magrunner 2!
