Info about Magic Research 2:

Official game description:
**Experience the long-awaited sequel to Magic Research!**  
In Magic Research 2, you are a rookie wizard with a single ambition: to find or create the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary magical item that is said to be able to cure any illness. As you do so, you will learn more than you ever imagined about Magic and about the world around you. What kinds of adventures await you?
Features
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*   Use your arsenal of **more than 120 distinct spells** to make progress. Create resources, strengthen yourself, launch magical attacks against enemies, and much, much more.  
*   Study the Elements! Learn new ways to use Magic in your path to mastery. Each Element is distinct, from strengthening your attacks with Fire to improving your Mana regeneration with Water - and you will need them all!  
*   Transmute (magically craft) **over 250 different items** to help you on your journey. There are countless synergies - find the best set of equipment for your current build!  
*   Control a team of Wizards that will cast Spells for you. Automate almost your entire gameplay - _your Wizards can even Transmute items for you!_  
*   Enjoy a deep, semi-automated combat system as you make your way through dozens of areas to explore. Fight over 40 unique, challenging bosses, and strategize on how to defeat them.  
*   Discover tons of secrets, in the form of **over 120 Storylines**. Obtain permanent bonuses. Many of them will provide powerful bonuses, change the rules of the game, or _unlock entirely new features that change the way you play the game_. Can you find them all?  
*   Restart the game and make progress faster each time with retirement bonuses. Re-live the content you have already gone through - but in a fraction of the time it took you at first. And when you catch up, you'll be stronger and ready for the next challenge!  
*   Over 60 hours of addictive gameplay - **with a clear ending!** (Or perhaps more than one...?)
**You do not need to have played Magic Research in order to enjoy Magic Research 2!**

Release date: May 21, 2024

Categories: Idle Game, RPG, Incremental Game, Prestige System, Automation Game, Crafting, Build Crafting, Auto-battler


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $3.00 - $10.00
  - Reasoning: One reviewer describes picking up the game on sale for $3 as a phenomenal surprise, indicating that even at that deep discount the game delivers great value. Another reviewer explicitly calls the game 'cheap'. Together these sentiments suggest the community sees a fair base price in the low single-to-low double digits, with $3 as a perceived bargain floor and $10 as an acceptable ceiling for the idle game genre given its modest complexity and replayability.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 180.0h
  - Story completion: 100.0h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The game completion time is derived from a Japanese review stating about 180 hours for all achievements, which aligns with another review citing 100+ hours for 101% completion and 240 hours total (likely including idle time). Story completion is taken from a review that reports 100+ hours to finish all storylines. Session length is based on a review mentioning 10-15 minutes per interaction, but the metric is set to 0 because the exact value is not a single clear number and may be misinterpreted. Endgame does not have sufficient quantitative evidence.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game is highly enjoyable during the first few hours and initial runs, but becomes tedious and grindy in later stages, with many players reporting a significant drop in fun after the early game.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: tedious mid/late game; repetitive reset mechanics; UI clunkiness in late game; grindy progression after early game
  - Unlock drivers: N/A
  - Conditions: early game; first run; first couple of hours; 1-2h into it (some players)
- Player Archetypes:
  - Idle / Incremental Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Watching numbers grow and progressing through systems with minimal active effort.
    - Playstyle: Idling and periodically optimizing automation, with occasional active play to speed up progression.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: first idle game player
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Build Crafter / Optimizer (buy)
    - Motivation: Theorycrafting and optimizing character builds to achieve mastery and overcome difficult content.
    - Playstyle: Actively engaging with system management, experimenting with builds, and strategically respecing to overcome challenges.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Grind-Weary Player (no buy)
    - Motivation: Initially interested but ultimately frustrated by the grind-heavy progression and lack of flexibility.
    - Playstyle: Attempted to engage with the core loop but became deterred by repetition and lack of meaningful variation or side-grind options.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Franchise Loyalist (MR1 Veteran) (buy)
    - Motivation: Continued attachment to the Magic Research series and seeing how the sequel improves upon the original.
    - Playstyle: Engages deeply with the systems and story, drawing parallels to the first game and appreciating the evolutions.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: MR1 veteran
    - Reference games: Magic Research 1


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- One of best idle games (weight 0.44): Frequent comparisons to other idle games place this title among the best in the genre, often called the gold standard or one of the best idle games ever.
- Improved over first game (weight 0.35): Many reviews highlight this game as a straightforward improvement over its predecessor, with better mechanics and more playability. Some players explicitly prefer it over the first game.
- Progression is rewarding (weight 0.29): The progression system is widely commended for being rewarding and well-paced, with a clear sense of advancement and challenge that keeps players engaged.
- Always something to do (weight 0.24): Players always have tasks or new features to unlock, with a steady pace that keeps the game fresh and avoids boredom.
- Deep and well-featured (weight 0.24): Reviews mention the game is full-featured with great depth, quality-of-life improvements, and a ton of content across all facets.
- Demo drives purchases (weight 0.16): The availability of a demo with data carryover convinced many players to purchase the full game, showing effective marketing.
- Story is engaging (weight 0.14): The story is noted as engaging and interesting, contributing positively to the overall experience and motivating continued play.
- Balance is well done (weight 0.14): The balance of the game is praised as oddly well-balanced or beautifully balanced, indicating fair and satisfying difficulty pacing.
- Great value for money (weight 0.1): The game offers incredible value for its price, with players noting it is a brutal value for money.
- Good idle-gameplay blend (weight 0.1): The blend of true gameplay and idle mechanics is well-executed, designed for micromanagers who want hands-on control.
- Game has an ending (weight 0.09): The game has a formal achievable ending, which is noted as a positive aspect for players who dislike endless play.
- Boss defeat hints (weight 0.09): Helpful hints provided after boss defeats via a bestiary assist players in overcoming challenges without frustration.

Common complaints:
- Poor UI and QoL (weight 0.22): The UI and overall quality of life are abysmal, with terrible interface and resets feeling like a chore that causes uninstalls.
- Boss fights are tedious (weight 0.22): Progression focuses on tedious, repetitive boss fights that require specific builds and trial-and-error, with no flexibility.
- Prestige is too slow (weight 0.21): The prestige system and retirement feel like artificial extenders, with slow research and painstaking rebuilding after each reset.
- Too much micromanagement (weight 0.19): Excessive micromanagement across many mechanics, especially after each reset, makes the game feel like a chore.
- Imbalanced build choices (weight 0.18): Strategy devolves into a few dominant skills due to wild item balance, with powerful weapons making other builds non-viable, especially later on.
- Resets are too manual (weight 0.18): Spells must be manually reactivated after prestige, and inventory rebuilding worsens over time; some story events are rare or unclear, requiring guides.
- No true idle mechanics (weight 0.15): The game lacks true idle mechanics with no offline progress or passive buildup, yet forces the player to idle for minimal gains.
- Endgame too frustrating (weight 0.14): Reaching the endgame is too frustrating, with a borderline impossible boss and required trial-and-error to combine elements correctly.
- Frustrating transmutation system (weight 0.14): Equipment transmutation is repetitive and frustrating, requiring too many items (exponential growth) and conflicting with inventory management.
- Poor inventory management (weight 0.14): Resources cannot be pinned, inventory is messy with no filters or organization, and customization is lacking.
- No sound or atmosphere (weight 0.14): The game lacks background music, sound effects, and an atmospheric feel, making the experience dull.
- Poor story and characters (weight 0.13): Characters are unlikable and make poor decisions, with mediocre writing and a weak story rated 4/10.
- Tedium escalates over time (weight 0.11): Players report that the game becomes very tedious quickly and that the tedium increases exponentially over time.
- Loadouts reset each run (weight 0.11): Loadouts need to be reset every run and do not auto-update from previous runs, causing repetitive setup.
- Missing Chinese and Japanese (weight 0.1): The game lacks Chinese and Japanese language support, which limits accessibility for those audiences.

Gameplay feedback:
- Idle incremental with depth (weight 0.96): Cluster 1 indicates the game is an idle/incremental game with RPG elements. Cluster 2 adds reset-based progression. Cluster 3 mentions constant unlocks. Cluster 5 includes a narrative framework. Clusters 7, 11, 13, 15 highlight text-based, area upgrades, rebirth, and puzzle elements. Clusters 37, 48, 90, 99, 106, 132, 160, 162, 164, 169, 175, 185 further reinforce idle/incremental mechanics with various features like prestige, big numbers, and interconnected systems.
- Rewards active management (weight 0.42): Cluster 8 mentions active play yields more progress. Clusters 12, 32, 41, 82, 91, 107, 126, 150, 155 all emphasize that the game rewards active management, micromanaging, and strategic tweaking beyond pure idling.
- Deep item crafting systems (weight 0.32): Cluster 14 mentions item combining. Clusters 61, 104, 111, 117, 123, 172, 174, 181 discuss equipment transmutation, powering up items, equipment systems, crafting, item synthesis, equipment crafting, upgrade paths, and crafting gear for deeper exploration.
- Retirement/rebirth system (weight 0.3): Cluster 24 mentioned retirement system. Clusters 37, 57, 97, 122, 137, 149, 159 also discuss retirement, rebirth, retirement speed-ups, transcendence system, each generation focusing on problems, rerolling builds, and more customization of playthroughs.
- High replayability via resets (weight 0.27): Cluster 10 mentions replayability. Clusters 75, 84, 114, 124, 163 discuss restart challenges, NG+ Worlds mode, New Game Plus, infinite loop mode, and phases that introduce new content.
- Rich build variety options (weight 0.26): Cluster 17 mentions run-based with build crafting. Clusters 22, 28, 74, 87, 112, 147 discuss text-heavy elements, multiple builds like poison DoTs, pets, melee, build variety, and element-specific builds.
- Complex prestige and loadouts (weight 0.23): Cluster 19 mentions interlocking mechanics, prestige system, and menuing. Clusters 60, 77, 102, 103, 167 discuss loadout system, gear and builds, prestige forcing rebuilding, reactivating spells, and resets requiring reconfiguration.
- Strategic boss fights (weight 0.23): Cluster 44 indicates bosses require specific strategies. Clusters 53, 78, 88, 138, 177 mention bosses and storylines, dungeon crawling, final bosses, defeating bosses to unlock items, and boss combat with spells.
- Built-in hint systems (weight 0.23): Cluster 9 highlights an in-game compendium with tips. Clusters 18, 152, 183, 184 mention hint systems for missed events, guidance on triggering events, skill upgrades revealing hidden content, and a bestiary providing hints after boss losses.
- Auto-battler combat system (weight 0.23): Cluster 16 mentions idle/auto-battling simulation RPG. Clusters 42, 116, 133, 144, 175 also describe auto-battler features, autobattler system, hybrid idler/autobattler, and real-time combat elements.
- Not pure idle game (weight 0.2): Cluster 92 states 'not pure idle'. Clusters 126, 151, 156, 164 indicate the game has idle elements but requires some active play, waiting is rare, and it is meant to be an idler with enough to do.
- Custom automation options (weight 0.2): Cluster 23 mentions actions on intervals. Clusters 59, 66, 69, 157 discuss automation mechanics, logic for spells/transfuse, automations, and automation options for older content.
- Works in background (weight 0.19): Cluster 21 says can be played while doing other stuff. Clusters 125, 127, 136, 151 mention manual or automated play, background idle, half hour active catching up, and rarity of needing to wait.
- Engaging core gameplay loop (weight 0.17): Cluster 26 mentions gameplay loop with unlocks. Clusters 58, 138, 145 discuss core loop, defeating bosses to unlock items, and all systems leading to combat buffs.
- Functional pixel UI (weight 0.15): Cluster 39 mentions humble pixel graphics. Clusters 62, 64, 65 discuss UI with locking pages, inventory management, and monster bestiary.
- Grind-focused progression (weight 0.13): Cluster 20 mentions grinding towards progression goals. Clusters 55, 168 note fast fluid grinding and grind possibility.
- Long completion time (weight 0.1): Cluster 29 mentions 50-80 hours to complete. Cluster 158 says casual play took 2-3 months for full completion.

Performance notes:
No performancepoints

Recommendations:
- Highly recommended for idle gamers (weight 0.53): Multiple clusters strongly endorse the game as an excellent idle game, calling it the best in the genre and appealing to fans of idle, incremental, and RPG games.
- Strongly and enthusiastically recommended (weight 0.26): Several clusters offer strong, enthusiastic recommendations, with some calling it a top 10 game and others recommending it even to non-genre fans.
- Try demo first if unsure (weight 0.16): Clusters suggest trying the demo first if unsure, noting it is a fully featured and fair representation of the full game.
- Requires active participation (weight 0.09): Cluster 11 notes the game requires active participation and is not a set-and-forget idle game, while cluster 19 recommends it for those who can handle reading.
- Good for micromanagement and passive play (weight 0.09): Cluster 9 recommends the game for players who like micromanagement, and cluster 26 recommends it for playing during work, implying it fits a passive playstyle.
- Hard to not recommend after 100+ hours (weight 0.05): Cluster 15 remarks that after over 100 hours of play, it is hard not to recommend the game, implying deep engagement.
- Gold for brainy idle gamers (weight 0.05): Cluster 16 calls Magic Research 2 gold for players who enjoy idle games with brain, suggesting it offers intellectual depth.
- Better than Cookie Clicker and Realm Grinder (weight 0.05): Cluster 29 recommends the game over Cookie Clicker and Realm Grinder for a shorter but more enjoyable play session.
- Long playtime to 100% completion (weight 0.05): Cluster 39 warns that completing the game to 100% takes almost 4 months, indicating a long playtime.
- Advice to restart when asked (weight 0.05): Cluster 17 advises players to restart when asked, implying this is a gameplay mechanic that enhances the experience.
- Not a Cookie Clicker clone (weight 0.05): Cluster 25 warns that the game is not like Cookie Clicker, suggesting it offers a different idle experience.
- Second game playable standalone (weight 0.05): Cluster 33 notes the second game is playable alone, implying no need to have played the first.
- Play Magic Research 1 first (weight 0.05): Cluster 34 advises playing Magic Research 1 first, suggesting that enhances the experience of this game.
- Start with Modern, then Classic mode (weight 0.05): Cluster 43 provides mode advice: start with Modern mode, then switch to Classic mode after one or two resets.
- Recommended for specific demographic (weight 0.04): Cluster 24 gives a niche recommendation for a specific demographic, implying the game's content appeals to that group.

Other player notes:
- High playtime required (weight 0.43): Player reports range from 50 to 240 hours of active play, with 40 to 180 hours needed for full achievement completion. Most reviews indicate the game offers substantial content across multiple playthroughs.
- Strong sequel improvement (weight 0.34): The game is a direct sequel to Magic Research 1, with most reviewers noting it as a straightforward improvement that adds quality-of-life features and better systems, making it hard to return to the original.
- High replayability (weight 0.22): The game offers high replayability through New Game+ cycles, world mode resets, and multiple difficulty levels, adding hundreds of hours of extra content.
- Available on mobile and Steam (weight 0.16): The game is available on both mobile and Steam, with some players purchasing it again on a different platform after initial play, showing cross-platform satisfaction.
- Community translations exist (weight 0.16): Community translations exist for Chinese and Korean, though the Korean patch is incomplete for some events due to script changes. The official provides a translation community.
- Solo developer care (weight 0.14): The game is developed by a solo developer named Maticolotto, which is appreciated for the personal touch and consistent quality.
- Unique idle game (weight 0.13): While some compare it favorably to Melvor Idle, Trimps, and Orb of Creation, others note it is not a direct clone, standing on its own merits as a unique idle game.
- Ongoing developer updates (weight 0.13): The developer provides constant updates, including post-ending challenges and story content, keeping the game fresh and supported.
- Fans want third game (weight 0.13): Many reviewers express hope for a third installment and view the developer as an automatic buy, indicating strong franchise loyalty.
- Idle RPG hybrid (weight 0.12): The game has a spike activity pattern with long initial sessions but is described as an idle skin over an RPG, where active play yields more profit than typical idle games.
- Full achievement support (weight 0.11): The game includes achievements that are fully attainable without excessive grinding, appealing to completionist players.
- Useful demo available (weight 0.1): A demo is available that accurately represents the full game, allowing players to try before purchasing.
- Simple looks, deep gameplay (weight 0.09): Despite its text-based and visually simple presentation, the gameplay is engaging and deep, appealing to players who prioritize mechanics over graphics.
- Hundreds of hours depth (weight 0.09): The game contains hundreds of hours of depth, with actual active interaction spanning 50–100 hours over several months.
- Sessions are short (weight 0.09): Sessions require only 10–15 minutes of active interaction after unlocking auto features through 1–2 prestiges, making it suitable for casual play.
- Infinite loop mode (weight 0.09): An infinite loop mode with difficulty up to D10 (cap D11) adds replayability, though the game can slow down with repetition late-game.
- Not traditional idle game (weight 0.07): The game cannot be classified as a traditional idler because only offline earnings are Time Pieces that speed up regular gameplay, and the install size is 1 GB.
- No music or sound (weight 0.05): The game has no music or sound, which is noted as a minor downside but does not detract from the overall experience for most players.

Emotions:
- Satisfaction (weight 0.18): Players feel satisfied due to the game's rewarding progression, meaningful prestige mechanics, and high value for playtime. The ability to use diverse builds, achieve 100% completion without chores, and enjoy a polished idle game with an ending contributes to this emotion.
- Frustration (weight 0.13): Frustration stems from excessive micromanagement, tedious reset processes, poor UI design, and slow early-game pacing. The lack of smart automation and difficulty balancing active attention with idle mechanics amplify these issues.
- Excitement (weight 0.12): Excitement is driven by uncovering game-breaking combos, deep interacting systems, and constant new unlocks like spell types and familiars. The anticipation for more sequels and the engaging endgame content sustain this emotion.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.1): Players enjoy the game's steady inflow of fresh mechanics, rewarding progression loops, and QoL improvements over the first title. The flexible play styles, engaging story, and well-constructed design make it fun despite lacking audio.
- Disappointment (weight 0.05): Disappointment arises because the game feels like a remix of the first with no major improvements, and becomes actively frustrating for some. Key issues include a poorly handled ending, linear progression, and reduced build diversity late-game.
- Admiration (weight 0.05): Admiration comes from recognizing the game as a work of passion with masterful design and excellent numerical balance. It is considered the gold standard for idle games due to clever run-based mechanics and interconnected grind-to-fun ratio.
- Appreciation (weight 0.04): Players appreciate the thoughtful QoL patches, hint system, and design that encourages AFKing without penalties. The game improves on the first by adding mechanics that solve common incremental genre annoyances.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): Surprise results from the game exceeding expectations as more than a simple idle game, revealing hidden RPG depth. The dramatic time discrepancy and surprising mechanics behind a minimalistic interface also contribute.
- Engagement (weight 0.02): Engagement is maintained by constant grinding toward progression goals and interesting mechanics to research. The demo hooked players, leading to sustained involvement with the game's challenges.
- Love (weight 0.02): Love stems from an overall excellent experience with deep mechanics and strategy that keeps players engaged through multiple playthroughs. The game is enjoyed thoroughly from start to end.
- Desire (weight 0.02): Desire is expressed by players coveting the game's depth and balance, along with hopes for a sequel to continue the experience.
- Approval (weight 0.02): Approval is strong due to clear improvements over the predecessor, including quality-of-life upgrades that make the game highly recommendable.
- Addiction (weight 0.02): Addiction emerges from the game's constant engagement loop that makes it hard to stop playing, providing a compelling and addictive experience.
- Fun (weight 0.02): Fun derives from the replayability through synergies, active gameplay spikes, and overall entertaining mechanics that keep players enjoying the game even on repeat playthroughs.
- Intrigue (weight 0.02): Intrigue is fueled by the need to use every build in late-game and event storyline unlocks that motivate continued progression.
- Impressed (weight 0.02): Players are impressed by the gameplay design that offers 100+ hours of engaging active micromanagement without feeling stale.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): Boredom arises from tiresome repetitive grind and a slow middle section, compounded by the lack of music or sound effects during long reading and clicking sessions.
- Awe (weight 0.02): Awe comes from the game setting an unreasonably high bar for the idle genre, showcasing its full potential as the best incremental game.
- Happiness (weight 0.02): Happiness is felt because the game is a top-tier incremental with impactful choices, rewarding gameplay, and strong recommendations from players.
- Pleasure (weight 0.01): Pleasure is derived from the game's ability to continue offering content just when it seems to be winding down, extending enjoyment unexpectedly.}