[quote][url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AI_slop][b]Warning: AI Slop[/b][/url]
Marketing materials for this product were produced with soulless AI generated content. The developer violated the Valve requirement to warn gamers about any use of AI slop in a direct attempt to use AI slop for profit.[/quote]
This is more junkware from DIG Games, in this case not an asset flip, instead, if feels like someone tried to "vibe code" a chess game... well, a chess/checkers hybrid where you're supposed to capture the enemies pieces by sandwiching them... put one of your pieces on each side of one of the enemies and capture it. Okay.
Thing is, and this is where I feel this whole thing is a vibe coded AI slop mess, is that the game doesn't actually work that way at all... in fact you capture pieces just by walking up to them with the right piece of yours. Which makes you really scratch your head, because that's not what the tutorial says. Exactly the kind of thing you'd get from an AI chatbot hallucination, isn't it?
Well, there's no evidence that proves this is AI slop, beyond this game being complete and utter garbage, and that's really all it should take for me to recommend you don't buy this. Let's go into the rest of the problems anyway.
DIG Games have shown a repeat pattern of unethically dumping other people's work onto Steam as a cheap, nasty cash grab, through this account or through closely linked/alt accounts. Here's some examples so you can see for yourself:
[list]
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1512320]Yabgits: Haunted Cemetery[/url]" = [url=https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/templates/packs/block-breaker-template-63173]Block Breaker Template[/url] developed by Daniel Buckley
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1669120]Go Rocket[/url]" = [url=https://craftpix.net/freebies/free-space-shooter-game-objects/]Free Space Shooter [/url] developed by Craftpix
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1653400]GraveRunners[/url]" = [url=https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/templates/systems/infinite-runner-engine-3d-60326]Infinite Runner Engine 3D[/url] developed by Denvzla Estudio
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1814100]In Shape 2[/url]" = [url=https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/templates/packs/shape-change-complete-game-142295]Shape Change Complete Game[/url] developed by Ragendom
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1786570]Driftence[/url]" = [url=https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/templates/systems/extreme-drift-88601]Extreme Drift[/url] developed by Mehdi Rabiee
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1652940]HopHeaders[/url]" = [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_TerzLwx0A]Bighead Run Run[/url] developed by SgLib Games
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1769390]Lack of Water[/url]" = [url=https://www.sellanycode.com/item/297/happy-glass]Happy Glass Source Code[/url] developed by SellAnyCode
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1907620]Gamma Space[/url]" = [url=https://marketplace.gamemaker.io/assets/8516/gmsasteroids]GMSAsteroids[/url] developed by FiveSprites
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1785280]Word of Kitchen[/url]" = [url=https://www.sellanycode.com/item/519/word-search-puzzle-game-source-code]Word Search Puzzle Game Source Code[/url] developed by SellAnyCode
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1647280]ChicScape[/url]" = [url=https://gleygames.com/mobiletools/]Mobile Tools + Complete Game (Jumpy)[/url] developed by GleyGames
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1265130]iMemo[/url]" = [url=https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/templates/packs/memory-game-starter-kit-19589]Memory Game Starter Kit[/url] developed by Eikester
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1842130]Blinky[/url]" = [url=https://github.com/GambusinoLabs/Vlinky]Vlinky[/url] developed by Gambusino Labs
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1630270]Death Moon[/url]" = [url=https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/templates/tutorials/2d-game-kit-107098]2D Game Kit[/url] developed by Unity Technologies
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1618000]Monkey Hit[/url]" = [url=https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/templates/packs/kong-hero-platformer-complete-game-template-66709]Kong Hero – Platformer Complete Game Template[/url] developed by ADDPGAMES
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1832230]Color Flash[/url]" = [url=https://www.codester.com/items/24956/colorbattle-complete-unity-game]ColorBattle Complete Unity Game[/url] developed by Hacel
[/list]
The game is very simplistic, small and limited in scope and ambition. This feels more like a tech demo, proof of concept or student homework assignment rather than a fully fledged product designed for PC gamers. As such it doesn't offer any real value as a serious PC game.
Taking this shovelware seriously as if it was a genuine attempt to make a game, it doesn't meet basic minimum requirements that most PC gamers expect as standard.
The implementation here is of such poor quality, the developer couldn't work out how to make the game display in fullscreen, it only runs in a window.
There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks. There's no way to ensure this is running at the native resolution of your display. There's no guarantee this game will look right on any PC as a result of this hamfisted design decision.
The game features lazy minimalist/untextured low-polygon "retro" assets and visuals, making this look like a barely functional 3D game from the early 1990s. The lack of textures is a method that lazy devs often use to disguise their lack of talent/interest in doing the graphics properly and trying to disguise it under the name of "art", or "We made it look bad on purpose", which really isn't something gamers should have to put up with. It's unclear why the developers weren't willing to arrange high quality, high polygon count contemporary assets and high resolution textures for the game. It looks bad as a result of their decisions, and that's just another reason to avoid it.
The controls can't be customised because the game has such a dumbed down, simplified interface that it's just point and click stuff like a browser/Flash game. The fact that the interface is this dumbed down might be seen as a problem in itself, however... this is a fairly shallow experience if you're the kind of gamer that likes to play games with deep, rich control schemes and interaction.
These technical defects push this game below acceptable standards for any modern PC game.
The poor quality of this game is reflected by how many people spent time with it. At the time of this review, SteamDB shows the game all-time peak player count was only ONE player. That's right, only one person ever played this at a time. When I played this for the purposes of reviewing it, I equalled the peak player count for the game. OUCH.
The only player activity occurs once or twice a month, presumably someone loading it up to see what it is then quickly uninstalling it. Considering there's over 130 million gamers on Steam and well over 140,000 games for gamers to choose from, the overwhelming lack of interest in this low quality game is to be expected.
Next is pricing and value. Is this game worth buying from among the 140,000+ games on Steam?
magical capture has the almost unethical price of around $6 USD, it's not worth it given the defects and shortcomings with the product, especially considering the unethical nature of the developer.
For comparison, the $6 asking price for this game could get you games like "Hearts of Iron IV", "Grand Theft Auto V" or "Monster Hunter World". Quality, professionally made games like those are frequently on sale cheaper than this.
Given the defects and quality issues with the game, coupled with the unrealistic price, and the questionable ethical nature of the developer and/or their associates (as outlined above), this is impossible to recommend.
