Fact Box

Magic & Mayhem (UK) aka Duel: The Mage Wars (US), Mana: Der Weg der schwarzen Macht (DE), Arcanes (FR), Duelo de Hechiceros (ES) Year 1998 (UK & Europe) / 1999 (US) Developer Mythos Games Publishing Virgin Interactive (UK) / Betheseda Softworks (US) Plataforms PC-CD Rom Genre Real-Time Strategy RPG Play Mode 1 Player (Story Mode / Quick Battle) or 1/4 Players (LAN / Internet) Game Designer Julian Gollop, Ian Terry Coding Nick Gollop, Ian Tory, Andy Greene Release Price $37.90 (US)

The History

Magic & Mayhem is (for now) the last incarnation of mythical and successful Chaos. It is the result of three years of hard work to apply to Chaos successor Lord of Chaos even further new ambitious features. This project was Julian Gollop old wish of create a realtime wizard fighting game with easy control but with immersive gameplay. For those who never played this game it could be described as a kind of "Diablo meets Command & Conquerer".

Game was well received by fans and critics. For game success contributed not only Gollop brothers gaming experience but good atmosphere creators like the now DC/Vertigo comic writer Andy Diggle (those days in 2000AD magazine) who scripted the dialogues and etno-group Afro Celt Sound System that composed the soundtrack.

Following some game sucess Virgin announced (even before M&M be released in US) an "Magic & Mayhem 2: The Inquisition" with new co-operative multiplay campaign mode and a number of new creatures that was to be launched in late 1999 probably with same game engine. I'm not sure if this was to be developed by Mythos itself but this project never came out because probably Virgin prefered to spent more time doing it with a new 3D engine (see The Art of Magic section). After M&M conclusion Mythos started right away working in Dreamland Chronicles project.

Concept & Game Mechanics

Endless battles fighting other wizards and enemy creatures is what you can expect in Magic & Mayhem. During missions (or single battles) wizards can cast pre-determined own creatures and defensive/offensive spells that consume a certain amount of mana. Wizards can refill instantly his mana by collecting small and limited amounts of mana called "Sprites" or even better ocupping (by themselves or by his creatures) infinite regenerative (but slow) mana sources called "Points of Power". The territorial defense and attack of that strategic points are most the times the key of surviving and construct an solid army capable of defeat wizard enemies.

As in Chaos, alignment is a crucial element here. The choice between Law, Chaos and Neutral spells and creatures and the way of better use them, when to use them and how to balance the wizard's power is the wisdow that players must master in this game and defeat powerful wizards.

Wizards gain new spells by getting new magic elements that can be found or gained during missions. The beauty of that elements is that they represent three different new spells and not one depending how wizard aply that element in a Neutral, Law or Chaos talisman. For example the element Bloodstone in a Chaos talisman turns a Manticore, in a Neutral one is a Troll and finally a Griffin in a Law talisman. The way how the elements are used must be chosen/changed in the portmanteau (the wizard's box) before each mission starts and can't be changed until a new mission starts again.

Experience points are also conquered by acomplishing mission achievements that can be converted in later character development screen to improve wizards. That means more mana, health, control or new talismans for future use in the new missions since player must evolve in order to match new powerful enemy wizards.

Magic & Mayhem has a much deeper RPG component than Lord of Chaos. Storyline mode will give much to do and lot of hours of gameplay. You will conduct Cornelius across 3 Realms - Avalon (Celtic), Aegea (Greek/Classic) and Albion (Mediaevel) with 36 missions, some of the last ones very hard to complete. The last mission a living hell almost impossible to win and save is the only "cheat" you can do here and as I remember you can't save/load when you want. I had to replay it countless times until gods and luck were at my side finally. And final stages of M&M are so hard that I never saw a full walkthrought avaliable.

Solo players can also train doing battles in Quick Battle mode and this is a quite new way of improving and fighting new challenges. Multiplayer games can take place in local network (LAN) or in Internet gameplay (using MSN Gaming Zone portal meeting).

Mythos launched some patches (1.1 and 1.2) that fixed some MSN internet problems, some story map problems and changed too spell and creatures costs giving a new gameplay balance.

International Releases

This game was marketed and branded worldwide in several regional versions with different cover artworks, time releases and name titles. Game was first released in UK in November 1998 by Virgin as "Magic & Mayhem" or "Magic and Mayhem". In France was named "Arcanes" and in Germany titled "Mana: Der Weg der schwarzen Macht" that can be translated to english as "Mana: The Way of black Power". French and german versions have also their own package artwork and fully translated.

In Iberian market Virgin and local distributors had apart strategies but using both UK's "Magic & Mayhem" release artwork. Spanish market had a full game translated version called "Duelo De Hechiceros" (something as Duel of Wizards). In Portuguese version Portidata/Ecofilmes (the local distributors) used imported UK version package. Only the instructions booklet was replaced for a translated portuguese version. Also changed the back box that was the same as spanish version that contained both portuguese and spanish promotion text. In Poland the same low-cost system was used but using a polish only back box.

Only some months later in May 1999, Betheseda Softworks and not Electronic Arts (Virgin's american usual distributor) decided finally release it in USA market with "Duel: The Mage Wars" title and fully revamped package artwork. Check gallery to discover custom regional package artwork.I believe there is also japanese and chinese versions. If anyone have info about other versions please contact me.

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Soundtrack

Magic < Mayhem soundtrack (O.S.T) was composed by Afro Celt Sound System that produced a remarkable instrumental album. The twelve songs soundtrack ties closely to M&M visual environment drifting in celtic, greek and medieval ambients. Since the music on game CD-Rom are stored simply as CD audio tracks the soundtrack can be enjoyed in any CD player by skipping the first track (the game track data).

Following the interest in the acclaimed soundtrack, Real World Peter Gabriel's famous world music label (and also Afro Celt recording label) announced then the intention of release this OST as regular Audio CD offering a bonus track sung by Sinead O'Connor (probably the vocal version of "Release" aka "Celtic 2" ). However and sadly never came out. Several song versions of this soundtrack can be found in other Afro Celt Sound System works. For example the flagship song "Release" was released also in second Afro-Celt album and with Sinead O'Connor vocals. It was also re-release and remixed in several maxi-singles and compilations.

Simon Emerson, one of the key figures of Afro Celt Sound System wrote in M&M booklet some notes how about this soundtrack was conceived and distributed there some thanks.

Soundtrack tracklist (UK Version)

01 Game Data Track (not playable)
02 Celtic I [Urban Aire in Vol.2:Release] (1:51)
03 Celtic II [Release in Vol.2:Release] (9:10)
04 Celtic III (2:08)
05 Celtic IV (6:16)
06 Greek I (2:04)
07 Greek II (5:19)
08 Greek III [Eistigh Liomsa Sealad/Listen to Me in Vol.1 - Sound Magic] (2:07)
09 Greek IV (2:23)
10 Medieval I [Eistigh Liomsa Sealad/Listen to Me in Vol.1 - Sound Magic] (2:38)
11 Medieval II [Sure As Not in Vol.1 - Sound Magic ] (3:41)
12 Medieval III (3:03)
13 Medieval IV (0:43)

Notes:

Tracks haven't real given names and are titled acording zone game environment. Titles in brackets [] denotes named versions in other Afro Celt Sound System (ACSS) works.

Reviewing this ACSS fan website there is the possibility that the soundtrack in the USA version of the game are slighty different since "Release" (track 3) is timed 6:33 and not 9.10 as in UK game version. Also Medieval 3 (track 12) is shorter in american version (2.39).

Reviews & Scores

IGN.com 7.3/10 Review here http://pc.ign.com/articles/161/161185p1.html GamePro.com Review here4.5/5 http://www.gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/753.shtml Adrenaline Vault (Avault) 3/5 Computer Games Magazine 4/5 http://www.cdmag.com/articles/017/145/magicm_review.html

Magic & Mayhem: The Art of Magic

"Magic & Mayhem: The Art of Magic" called sometimes "Magic & Mayhem 2" is not really a sequel but a remake of the original that was released later in 2001 with more spells and creatures to gain and control. Now featuring real 3D graphics and another storyline it keeped however almost the same concept of the original gameplay. It was not done by Mythos Games but by Climax and Julian Gollop team only had a consultant role in transition of the code. This game version/remake is the result of two years work due some complications. Nottingham based developer Charybdis started it but company collapsed meanwhile. Dozens of former workers moved then to Climax (of same UK town) where game was then finished for Virgin relief.

Announcing now eye-catching 3D environment and dazzling spell effects however the game hadn't the success and the good reviews of original version spite of an official RPGA endorsment and prizes as "PC Zone Award for Excellence" or "Strategy Players Game of Distinction" in the box cover. 3D was to be the main innovation but that also killed gameplay with a slow 3D engine considered by fans and reviewers annoying and sluggish. Big scenario elements as trees for example make players have to do constant rotations/zooms/toggle to easily see and control wizards and creatures when in route or in battles. Final released version had too several graphical glitches and bugs.

Other things that changed in this version is that maps don't loop itself as original version or as in Lord of Chaos. So some travels and "rescue missions" could last longer than wanted when travelling across maps. Game is also easier than original version and offered poor resistance for those who mastered first version.

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Quick Links

Fact Box

The History

Concept & Game Mechanics

International Releases

Soundtrack

Reviews & Scores

Magic & Mayhem: The Art of Magic

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