Virgin Interactive Announces Sequel to Critically Acclaimed Magic & Mayhem

Magic & Mayhem: Art of Magic Set to Deliver Innovative Blend of Real-Time Strategy, Role-Playing, and Adventure.

Posted by Staff
Virgin Interactive's(tm) continuing quest to deliver innovative and entertaining PC titles continues in Q1 2001 with the eagerly-awaited sequel to the award-winning Magic and Mayhem(tm) * Magic & Mayhem: The Art of Magic(tm). Designed by Mythos Games and developed by Charybdis, Art of Magic effortlessly mixes real-time strategy, role-playing, and adventure into an immersive experience that will once again entertain and enthrall PC gamers looking for something new.

Set within a lush, 3D environment, players control a novice spellcaster who is stranded in a world beset by chaotic forces. Each faction is attempting to seize control of the world, using their armies to fight raging battles through the game. Armed only with a limited supply of spells and powers, players must master their magical abilities and command their armies in order to survive a variety of tactical missions. As they progress, new skills will be learned and used as the player moves through the story to reveal a sinister plot.

"Magic & Mayhem was extremely well received by gamers and the press," said Mark Hardistry, lead designer for Art of Magic. "We wanted to give the game a fresh new look and a fantastic storyline full of plot twists, without messing with the core elements of the game that worked so well before."

Art of Magic will feature state-of-the-art 3D graphics with fantastic spell effects, mythical creatures, and lighting effects. Players can smoothly zoom in close to check out the teeth on a marauding demon or zoom out to direct their armies across the battlefields.

While the game features the same intuitive interface and spell creation system as the original, Art of Magic will also feature a host of new spells and creature types that will provide increased tactical options during combat. Players can move in close on the action and attack with devastating spell attacks, like meteor showers, or keep a safe distance and summon creatures like knights, skeletons, and even dragons. Once players have mastered the single-player campaign, they can compete with up to three other wizards on the Internet to find out who has truly mastered the Art of Magic.

"Magic & Mayhem offered a combination of strategy, role playing, and adventure gaming that nobody had been able to achieve before or since its release," said Sean Ratcliffe, VP Marketing Europe for Virgin Interactive,. "Art of Magic will build on the success of the original, adding new elements and ideas that will take the gameplay to the next level."

Magic & Mayhem: Art of Magic will be released on the PC in Q1 2001.