Mage: The Ascension

Why bother with the hassle of designing perfect graphics when simple words can have just as much impact? That was probably the question that the developers of Mage The Ascension - Refuge at White Wolf Entertainment asked themselves when planning the game. In this narrative game based on the interactive fiction by the successful Swedish author Karin Tidbeck, you’ll be following Julie’s journey over the course of its pages.

Julie is a girl who’s a bit unique. She works in a library by day and volunteers for Nordic Aid at night. Her destiny, though, is to become a modern-day Mage. But your textual adventure will take place far from the glow of any magic wand, being set in Malmö, Sweden, after a week without seeing a single ray of sunlight. Imbued with magic and sci-fi, the game’s plot will also put your social and political beliefs to the test in dilemmas where there is no painless answer.

You will also discover true Magick and the ability to bend reality to your will!

Mage The Ascension - Refuge is a narrative RPG in the form of an interactive novel. Just like in the good old “choose your own adventure” books, the way you answer particular questions will directly influence what happens next... and what happens much later!

It’s the perfect game for fans of fantasy literature and anyone who’s already familiar with the series of the same name, and Mage The Ascension - Refuge delivers a particularly immersive experience. While it lacks in jump scares, your peaceful reading time will often be interrupted by visual “bugs” that are just as disturbing.

But don’t worry, it’s all part of the game! These bugs will often be followed by enigmatic messages from a kind of “runic test card” which, while they might not take you by the hand, do lay the foundations for an increasingly surreal story. But remember that in Mage The Ascension - Refuge, magic can only become real when enough people believe in it.

Just be warned: using your powers to disrupt reality might generate an apocalyptic “Paradox”! That’s if you don’t descend into madness first...

NB: This is a demanding game that uses philosophical concepts to define the beliefs of the characters you will play as. It asks for real maturity on the part of the player.