In Ikenfell, there’s no such thing as MP, so cast away! There’s some clumsy internet-age dialogue, but in most cases it helped make the character’s relationships more endearing to me. The more we see this kind of representation in video games, the more it helps people understand who we are. It’s also one of the first games where I’ve seen use of ze/zir pronouns for a character, one who holds a position of authority and plays a key role in parts of the story, which is fantastic. Their identities and sexualities are treated as they should be, completely normally and in a way that celebrates and uplifts them. It’s also extremely queer friendly, with characters of all identities integrated into the world naturally. It’s a fantastic accessibility feature that I’d love to see implemented in more games going forward. If you’re concerned about any of these scenes being upsetting, there’s an option in the menu to turn on content warnings, which will pop up just before a scene or section of the game to warn you of an uncomfortable topics. Some of the resolutions to these arcs feels a bit undercut by just how saccharine the tone gets, but the heart and empathy on display is undeniable. I found the scenes where a certain character experiences panic attacks to be understated and poignant seeing how the other party members struggle to deal with this but also learn to help was really touching and sensitively addressed. Still, this sweetness does help balance out some of the more difficult moments where some of the group deal with mental health issues and struggles. It’s a very positive game, but sometimes a bit sickly sweet. It accomplishes this through the amusing characters that perfectly capture the joy of being a mischievous kid at school and twee humour. What makes Ikenfell stand out is the lighthearted, quirky tone it sustains. Right down to the gameplay, Ikenfell is happy to not venture far out of its comfort zone. From the vibrant use of colour to the expressive sprite animations/character portraits, and even some catchy music and pop vocal tracks (composed by some of the people behind Steven Universe’s soundtrack), the game is like a warm hug throughout. It’s evocative of the kind of games you’d stay up late at night with as a kid and play while hidden under the duvet. ![]() Ikenfell feels like a cozy mix between a Game Boy Advance game and a 1980s coming-of-age comedy. ![]() Soon after she arrives, she gains pyromancy abilities and joins up with a few of the students to uncover the academy’s secrets and find out the truth behind why the school has been shut off from the rest of the world. When her sister fails to return home from the magic school of Ikenfell one summer, Maritte, an Ordinary who is unable to use magic, heads there to find out what has happened to the school’s star pupil. Ikenfell doesn’t quite give you the chance to live out your wizard school fantasies, but it does open the doors to a world where magic is real while capturing the wonder and mystery of an academy that has some dark secrets to hide. ![]() Attending classes, taking exams, and dealing with murderous teddy bears are all common things (okay, maybe not that one), but if I were to have a dream school scenario, it would be to attend a magic school, and not too many games other than the Mana Khemia subseries let you do that. In many of the video games I’ve played, depictions of schools have always felt a bit too close to home.
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