Info about Magnetic: Cage Closed:

Official game description:
  
You are a prisoner trapped in a strange facility, filled with deadly traps and whispered secrets. At first the facility and its inhabitants all seem like a mystery to you, but soon you begin to understand: Your only chance to survive is to master the Magnet Gun and stay out of harms way. If you make yourself useful they will let you live a little longer, and sooner or later you will get your chance. As the Warden keeps on telling you: “There is always a way out…”  
**Unique Tool** - The magnet gun is a unique tool that can transform the environment, launch you through the air or assist with complicated box puzzles  
**Diversity** - The challenges in Magnetic come in many forms, and blend logical puzzles with skill based movement in a unique combination  
**No playthrough is the same** - Each choice has an impact on what comes next. New secrets and paths are just waiting for players to find them
**Magnetic: Cage Closed Collector's Edition**
---------------------------------------------
The Magnetic: Cage Closed Collector's Edition comes with a comprehensive Digital Artbook, Full Digital Soundtrack, and Two New Devious Challenge Maps.

Release date: May 26, 2015

Categories: First-Person Puzzle Platformer, Multiple Endings, Physics Simulation, Exploration, Chapter-based Puzzle Progression, Portal-like Puzzle Game, Skill-based Movement, Magnetic Gun Mechanics


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $5.00 - $10.00
  - Reasoning: The community consistently rejects the $15 base price as too high, recommending waiting for sales. Multiple reviews state that $4-$5 is a fair sale price, and the value perception aligns with a base price around $5-$10. The upper bound reflects that some players might accept $10 if the content were more polished, but most evidence points to $5 as the ideal fair price, with $10 as the ceiling before discounts are needed.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 24.0h
  - Story completion: 3.5h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Multiple reviews report first-playthrough (story completion) times ranging from 2.5 to 5 hours, with central estimates around 3.5 hours. One reviewer explicitly states finishing in under 2h30m. Several mention completing the game in 4–5 hours. For full game completion (all 9 endings, secrets), evidence indicates 7 complete playthroughs and 2 half-plays, plus an additional 6–7 hours for secrets. Assuming ~3.5 hours per playthrough, total game completion time is estimated at about 24 hours. No clear evidence for session length or endgame content beyond replaying for endings.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Players find the game boring, repetitive, and frustrating from early on, with no point where it becomes fun.
  - Stance: Never clicks
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: imprecise magnet jumping; slow pacing; repetitive puzzles; long unskippable dialogues; punishing death restart; steep learning curve for jumping
  - Unlock drivers: N/A
  - Conditions: N/A
- Player Archetypes:
  - Portal Devotee (sale)
    - Motivation: Reliving the Portal puzzle experience with a magnetic twist.
    - Playstyle: Systematic puzzle solving, exploring narrative choices, typically one or two playthroughs.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: puzzle game lover; Portal fan
    - Reference games: Portal; Portal 2; Bioshock; Magrunner; The Talos Principle
  - Jaded Puzzle Veteran (deep sale)
    - Motivation: Seeking original, challenging puzzle design; critical of clones and lack of innovation.
    - Playstyle: Analytical, critical, perhaps completionist but disappointed by low difficulty and derivative design.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - Labels: die-hard fan of first person puzzle games; old and tired
    - Reference games: Portal; The Talos Principle
  - Completionist Achiever (sale)
    - Motivation: Earning all achievements and completing the game fully.
    - Playstyle: Methodical multiple playthroughs, efficient routing, achievement tracking.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: achievement hunter
    - Reference games: N/A


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:
- Puzzles are good and fun (weight 0.47): Players consistently praise the puzzles as good, cool, and pretty cool. The puzzles provide an enjoyable challenge without being unfair.
- Multiple endings enhance replay value (weight 0.38): The game features nine different endings, which players find increases replayability and adds depth to the story. However, some mention the multiple endings are not well executed.
- Enjoyable and satisfying gameplay (weight 0.27): Overall, players find the game good, enjoyable, and satisfying. The gameplay is fun and offers the right amount of challenge.
- Soundtrack fits atmosphere well (weight 0.24): The soundtrack and music are described as well-integrated, immersive, and fitting the game's atmosphere perfectly.
- Interesting and non-linear story (weight 0.17): The story is seen as interesting and non-linear, with choices that affect the plot. There is also a deep choice system that influences the story or gives the illusion of it.
- Atmosphere and settings well chosen (weight 0.15): The atmosphere and settings are praised as well chosen and dark, contributing to the overall appeal of the game.

Common complaints:
- Repetitive puzzles and design (weight 0.27): Puzzles become repetitive and inconsistent, with some being frustrating or too easy after learning basics. This reduces the long-term appeal and challenge.
- Game is too short (weight 0.24): Players frequently note the game's short length, with a single playthrough lasting only about 5 hours. This is considered disappointing for the genre and content offered, and makes completing the game feel rushed.
- Poor voice acting (weight 0.2): Voice acting is often over-acted, poorly synchronized, and at times comically cringe-worthy. This negatively impacts the overall atmosphere and dialogue experience.
- Graphics are unimpressive (weight 0.16): The visuals, including graphics that are brownish, crusty, or flat, are not pleasing to the eye. Overall, they feel modest and lack polish.
- Magnet gun control issues (weight 0.16): The magnet gun is poorly implemented and not fun to control, and the jumping pads are inconsistent, sometimes working differently. This negatively affects the gameplay experience.
- Weak story and narration (weight 0.13): The story is described as weak, silly, and poorly narrated, which does not engage players. This includes a lack of interesting dialogue with characters like the psychologist and warden.
- Level restarts on death (weight 0.09): Dying restarts the entire level, which reduces the enjoyment, as players have to redo sections. This is especially annoying in longer parkour sequences.
- Movement is slow and clunky (weight 0.09): The movement feels slow and clunky, making navigation and platforming feel tedious. This is especially noticeable with the elongated gameplay segments.
- Cube physics inconsistent (weight 0.09): The cube has no weight and moves too easily, but sometimes barely moves when pushed. This inconsistency causes frustration during puzzles requiring precision.

Gameplay feedback:
- Magnetic gun core mechanic (weight 0.97): The game is a first-person puzzle game centered on a magnetic gun that attracts and repels objects, with physics-based puzzles built around this mechanic. This is the primary gameplay feature described across multiple clusters, indicating it is fundamental to the game design.
- Portal-like puzzle game (weight 0.71): Players consistently compare the game to Portal, noting similar puzzle structures, chambers, and visual style, but with a magnetic gun instead of portals. This suggests the game occupies the same niche in the puzzle genre, which is a key hook for players.
- Multiple endings from choices (weight 0.57): The game features branching story paths and several endings, often reported as nine total, that are determined by player decisions. These endings vary between death, save, and a unique outcome, giving the game replayability.
- First-person puzzle platformer (weight 0.27): The game is described as a first-person puzzle game that includes platforming and jumping sections, often with physics-based manipulation. This combines puzzle-solving with movement challenges, enhancing the gameplay experience.
- Chapter-based puzzle progression (weight 0.18): The game is structured into chapters and rooms, with players solving a test in each to advance. This room-by-room progression is central to the puzzle experience, similar to test chamber designs in Portal.
- Player prisoner experimentation (weight 0.15): The game is set in a prison-like facility where the player is a prisoner required to complete tests to progress. The narrative framework mirrors Portal's story interconnection with puzzle gameplay.

Performance notes:
- Performance is inconsistent across platforms (weight 0.21): Some players report great optimization with stable FPS and no crashes, while others experience lag, stutters, and FPS drops. This suggests performance varies widely by hardware or settings.
- Game stability has mixed reports (weight 0.14): Some users report the game runs without crashes or bugs, while another user experienced crashes. This discrepancy may depend on system specifications or game version.
- Physics glitches cause gameplay issues (weight 0.14): Multiple reviews mention poor physics, occasional glitches, and even falling through the void between levels. These physics problems can break immersion and progress.
- CPU-based system performance varies (weight 0.05): Controls have a nearly one-second delay, which is a serious input lag issue. This is distinct from general stuttering and can make the game feel unresponsive.
- Triggers malfunction during gameplay (weight 0.05): One reviewer noted broken triggers, which suggests a specific control or interaction bug affecting gameplay. It could be tied to input latency or mapping issues.

Recommendations:
- Buy on sale only (weight 0.62): A significant portion of reviewers advise purchasing the game only during a sale, citing its short length and perceived lack of value at full price. This sentiment appears across multiple clusters, indicating a consistent community agreement.
- Recommended for Portal fans (weight 0.46): Multiple reviewers recommend this game to fans of Portal and similar puzzle games, often comparing it favorably to Portal 2 and other portal-likes. The game appears to scratch the Portal itch while offering its own puzzle mechanics.
- Appeals to platformer fans (weight 0.29): Some reviewers note the game's platforming elements are appealing to players who enjoyed platforming in comparable titles. Specifically, fans of Portal and platform games are given as a recommended audience.
- Recommended for puzzle genre fans (weight 0.26): The game's puzzles are positively highlighted for fans of the puzzle genre, especially those who enjoy first-person and physics-based puzzles. It is considered a solid choice for these players.
- Not worth original price (weight 0.23): Multiple reviewers explicitly state the game is not worth its full retail price, with some suggesting Portal 2 or other games offer a better experience for less. This is a common caveat in recommendations.
- Wait for sale if interested (weight 0.21): General advice is to wait for a sale before trying the game, reiterating the value-for-money concerns. This is often paired with a mild recommendation for the right audience.
- Not for difficulty-intolerant (weight 0.17): Several reviewers warn that the game is too hard for some and requires patience, especially with gravity puzzles. The game's difficulty might be a barrier for casual players.
- Alternatives are recommended (weight 0.17): Some reviewers suggest playing other games like Portal, Talos Principle, or Turing Test instead due to being more fun or cheaper. This directly competes with the game's own recommendation.
- Positive overall recommendation (weight 0.14): A minority of reviewers give a strong positive recommendation, saying everyone should buy it or that it is definitely worth playing for puzzle enthusiasts. These are often unconditional praise.
- Low quality compared to classics (weight 0.13): Some reviewers rank the game below classic titles like Portal and find it not worth even a low cost. They claim Portal 2 at a lower price provides far more fun.
- Limited recommendation for die-hard fans (weight 0.11): A recommendation is reserved for die-hard fans of first-person puzzles or those who love the genre. For others, the game might not justify a purchase.
- Save system discourages endings (weight 0.08): The save system limitations are pointed out as a hindrance for replayability and exploring all endings. This may frustrate players seeking completion.
- Magnet mechanic praised when on sale (weight 0.08): The magnetic system that differentiates the game is mentioned as a highlight, especially when the game is discounted. Some see this as a reason to consider the purchase.
- Not for those without patience (weight 0.08): The game requires patience, especially with gravity puzzles and difficulty, and may be unappealing for players who are not patient or are easily bored.
- Enjoyable for action-oriented players (weight 0.07): A few reviewers note the game is more for action-focused gameplay rather than pure Portal-like puzzle solving, suggesting it might be better suited for players seeking that skill-based challenge.
- Free DLC content available (weight 0.04): There is a mention that free DLC exists, potentially offering players extra content, which might add value. This is a positive note for potential buyers.

Other player notes:
- Heavily inspired by Portal (weight 0.95): Multiple reviewers frequently compare this game to Portal and Portal 2, noting strong similarities in mechanics, setting, and atmosphere. Some find it derivative or inferior, while others see it as a darker twist on the formula.
- Nine endings with multiple playthroughs (weight 0.67): The game features nine distinct endings that require multiple full playthroughs to unlock. Reviewers often criticize this design because the lack of save points or level selection forces replaying nearly identical content.
- Short game length (weight 0.42): Many players note the game is short, often ranging from 2 to 6 hours for a single playthrough, depending on the pace. This brevity is often cited as a drawback, especially when compared to the price.
- Cloning the Portal formula (weight 0.34): Many reviewers outright call the game a clone that borrows heavily from Portal, Magrunner, and the film Cube, with no clear originality. Although not a parody, it fails to escape the shadow of its inspirations.
- Lacking polish compared to Portal (weight 0.31): Compared with Portal and Portal 2, the game is often described as less polished in graphics, story, humor, and overall execution. Because Portal 2 is cheaper and more content-rich, many reviewers find it hard to recommend this title.
- Poor save system design (weight 0.26): The game has a restrictive save system that prevents manual saves, forcing players to replay long stretches or entire playthroughs to see different endings. This is heavily criticized for discouraging completionists and adding unnecessary tedium.
- Indie development strengths and pitfalls (weight 0.24): Acknowledged as a small indie effort, the game shows good voice acting and a decent narrative for its scale. However, some reviewers note that a limited budget and lofty ideas led to a less polished execution and underutilized assets.
- Specific comparisons to other titles (weight 0.23): Some reviewers bring comparisons to other similar games like Q.U.B.E, The Turing Test, and Event[0], with varied degrees of favorability. These references are niche but provide context into how the game fits in the puzzle FPS landscape.
- Atmosphere and tone praised (weight 0.21): The game's dark and serious atmosphere, reminiscent of films like Cube and Saw, was positively highlighted by some reviewers. The for horror and psychological elements are considered a strong point, setting it apart in the puzzle genre.
- Unique magnet-based mechanics (weight 0.2): Reviewers highlight the magnetic manipulation mechanic as the game's distinguishing twist, setting it apart from other Portal-like games. This feature is often praised as creative and engaging, adding a fresh layer to puzzle design.
- Story depth criticized (weight 0.2): The narrative is seen as silly and not fully delivering, with world-building sometimes underwhelming when compared to the original source. The dark story has its fans, but it is not universally praised.
- Price not justified (weight 0.19): Often cited as overpriced for its length and content, especially with frequent 90% sales. Reviewers suggest waiting for a sale or recommending buying Portal 2 and its DLC instead, since it offers more value at a lower cost.
- Visuals not impressive (weight 0.17): The graphics are often described as outdated, generic, and unremarkable, with a few calling the protagonist design ugly and the art misleading. Performance is generally stable at 60 FPS but the presentation fails to stand out.
- Limited replay value (weight 0.16): Although the game offers multiple paths and endings, reviewers often feel that the replay value is low because replaying almost identical levels becomes boring. The variety of choices does not fully justify the repetitive nature of the playthroughs.
- Lack of Steam Workshop support (weight 0.16): Several reviewers express disappointment that the game has no workshop support or level editor, which they believe would greatly extend its longevity. They specifically mention that Portal 2's custom maps offer free, endless content that this game lacks.
- Positive puzzle design aspects (weight 0.12): Some reviewers consider the puzzles well-designed and responsive, and the three-dimensional puzzling enjoyable. The game's variant portals distinguish it, even if not on the level, and its underlying mechanics sometimes receive higher praise.
- Atmosphere vs. relaxing puzzle games (weight 0.11): The atmosphere is more serious and dark, contrasting with more relaxed puzzles like The Talos Principle. This is polarizing: some appreciate the horror vibe, while others miss a calm puzzle-solving experience.
- Game's post-release plans vague (weight 0.07): Some criticism points out that path variety requires rework, and the developer could enhance the game with updates and Workshop integration. These suggestions are fair but low-frequency and speculative improvements.
- Lack of controller support (weight 0.05): A valid UI issue mentions that the game does not support controllers, which might be a problem for specific players who prefer playing with a gamepad. This is a concrete technical limitation.

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.21): Players were let down because the game fails to live up to its clear Portal inspirations, lacking the polish, narrative depth, and innovative puzzle design of Valve's titles. The story is weak, voice acting falls flat, and the game suffers from frustrating physics, limited save options, and a short, anticlimactic ending that does not reward exploration of its branching paths.
- Frustration (weight 0.2): Core frustrations stem from unprecise and buggy physics, especially with the magnet gun, leading to many unfair deaths and needing to repeat lengthy chambers. The absence of a quick-save/restore feature forces full replays for different endings, while slow transitions and pacing exacerbate the punishing difficulty spikes and readability of puzzles and controls.
- Annoyance (weight 0.08): Players are annoyed by weak and buggy magnet gun mechanics, unsatisfying shooting, and oversized jump pads which create repeating and inconsistent gameplay, especially in small levels. The forced interactions, repetitive crawls, and lack of manual saving add to the irritation, along with overacted voice work and annoying sound effects. Replaying the whole game to see alternate endings also greatly amplifies the annoyance.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.08): Players reported satisfaction from solving well-designed and varied puzzles, especially when the game balances skill and challenge. The game runs smoothly with no technical bugs, has a good atmosphere, and delivers strong value at a discounted price, providing a noteworthy but short-lived experience.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.07): Players find the FPS-puzzle mix of platforming and physics engaging, with puzzles that excite the brain and a story that hooks. With good sound, smooth mechanics, and satisfying magnetic gun gameplay, the experience is addictive and fun, even if later levels become less approachable.
- Boredom (weight 0.05): The repetitive and shallow puzzles, combined with forced replays and long unskippable dialogue, make the game grow boring when trying to see all endings. The environments stay the same and lack evolution, and the final levels are tedious obstacle courses that kill motivation, especially after the first two hours of too-easy puzzles.
- Fun (weight 0.02): Players have fun with magnet-based puzzles and the clever self-propulsion mechanics, which improve the game's skill curve. The mix of physics and gunplay is engaging enough on early runs, making the puzzle-solving enjoyable and rewarding.
- Amusement (weight 0.02): A mix of Saw and Portal, with a warden's dialogue breaking the fourth wall, matched the player's thoughts and provided laughs. Realizing that the player character is swapped for another prisoner, and the comedic twist of getting killed just after the refusal, made the game even more amusing.
- Appreciation (weight 0.02): Players recognize the game's solid art direction, stability even at lower graphics, and its well-balanced design, pacing, and story. Overall, it is a beautifully crafted puzzle game that feels like a hidden gem, from its narrative to level distribution.
- Anticipation (weight 0.02): The reviewer is eagerly expecting a sequel or workshop that adds more content, as the game is short and leaves a desire for more. The interest got piqued at the Devolver Weekend Sale, and despite a good ending, it was clearly an insult to the game's quality.
- Irritation (weight 0.02): Having a male voice actor voice a female character ruins the experience for some players. Unreasonable weapon weapon-power modifications make aiming and piloting feel cumbersome and interfere with tight controls, and disruptive flip/dexterity sections are not welcome by people who want pure puzzles.
- Frustrated (weight 0.01): The lack of a workshop mode and its short length stand out as major problems for players who recognize the game's potential but expect more content or replay value. In addition, some specific puzzles are difficult and break the pace, leading to a frustrating overall experience.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): The non-linear story and the surprising canonically violent or disturbing death endings (e.g., the player killed for ignoring orders) leave players pleasantly surprised by the game's narrative structure, which goes beyond what they expect.
- Excitement (weight 0.01): Excitement comes from the thrilling initial concept, well-observed story, and its addictiveness for first-person puzzle fans. The difficulty ramping up as the game progresses also contributes, as the game stays engaging and a bit more lethal.
- Anger (weight 0.01): Players feel anger from specific, tedious camera setups and sequences, particularly jumping sequences that are nearly impossible or unfair. Those difficulty spikes cause unrestrained rage because they seem gratuitous and remove from the player's fun.
- Interest (weight 0.01): The game's dark, grimly realistic prison environments are intriguing and help create an atmosphere to pull the player in. With its unique sci-fi premise and its grungy aesthetic, the game draws attention and rewards careful exploration.
- Admiration (weight 0.01): High praise for the polished and responsive feel of the game and level pacing, which is similar to the beloved Portal games. The gameplay is fresh and top-notch, and in a sense shows true respect for its predecessors.
- Dislike (weight 0.01): The dystopian prison setting and the poor voiceover quality are major turn-offs, along with the fact the game ends without a proper end-song. These elements dull the overall experience and leave the player with a bitter taste.
- Uncomfortable (weight 0.01): The dark, unwelcoming prison world with his blood trails triggers uncomfortable feelings, contributing to an unsettling, atmospheric experience that errs on the side of trauma, rather than comfort.
- Respect (weight 0.01): Despite its obvious inspiration, the game has kept its authenticity a greater degree, feeling like an own creation while still honoring the puzzle genre. The well-designed mechanisms make the player connect with the original because of the way it evolves the ideas.}