Forbidden Magic (2023)

Developer: Heart's Choice
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Genres: Indie, RPG
Rating: 4.1 of 5, 16 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 4.2 hours
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

A text-driven paranormal romance where you investigate arson cases and navigate romance as a mage on parole, with a focus on narrative choices and character-driven storytelling.

interactive fictionparanormal romancetext-basedstory richchoices mattermysterious tonesupernatural intriguechoice-driven pacing

What players say

Players mostly enjoy the story and romance, but many find the stat checks punishing and the plot clichéd. The game is short, with romance tied to a late-game choice rather than relationship scores. Long-time fans of the author's other works note it feels less polished.

Screenshots

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More by Heart's Choice

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.