Gamers on Xbox have had an influx of titles over the last few weeks thanks to ID@Xbox, with a number of them being puzzle games. Well, if you’re a fan of the genre, here’s another one for you. Magnetic: Caged Closed is a first-person puzzle game in which you play as a prisoner, been sent to a futuristic prison for her crimes. The warden, a very sarcastic man at times, gives you the option to face death, or try to pass his trials and win your freedom.
To complete these trials, you are presented with a magnetic gun. This gun can be used to lift metal boxes onto buttons and other objects, or move other mechanisms in the game. Sound familiar? The gun has a push setting and a pull setting with three power settings, although I found going around with my gun at full power generally got the job done! If you’re a fan of Portal, you’ll love this one.
The gun can also be used to repulse yourself over such obstacles as spikes, or pull yourself up over a floor full of poisonous gas. Also, some chambers have flame-throwers, which you must navigate between as they turn on and off. Obviously, as you progress through the game, the puzzles get harder. In one of the chambers, the warden threatens to fill the room with gas in five minutes. This suddenly gets you to think on your toes, and I found these parts were when the game was at its best! I just wish there were more of them.
Even though some of the puzzles are tough, the game is not that long. It took me around 5 hours to complete. There are also a lot of dialogue sections, which can’t be skipped. A lot of these are normally about people who have died in certain chambers, and just become a bit monotonous in the end.
The game performs smoothly and I didn’t encounter any issues whatsoever. I just wish it was longer and gave players more unique abilities. Still, I had fun playing it.
Another point that should be mentioned are the rather stunning graphics. The textures and lighting are great. They create a tense atmosphere that makes the puzzles seem urgent. The dark hallways and rooms make you feel like you’re trapped. It really enhances the experience in my opinion.
Magnetic: Cage Closed is a decent puzzler that at times will get you thinking on your feet. It will also make your brain ache as you try and work out some of its puzzles. This is another one to pick up if you’re a puzzle fan.
Simon contributed 16 articles to ICXM in 2015, covering game reviews, Windows and PC, and Xbox news with a focus on hands-on impressions and verified-source reporting. Their bylines on the site span the Xbox One’s first full year of post-launch coverage, including the early days of Backwards Compatibility and Windows 10 gaming.