Magic Carpet 2: The Netherworlds

Magic Carpet 2: The Netherworlds

MS-DOS - USA - 1st edition.

Developer Bullfrog Productions Publisher Electronic Arts Published 1995-??-?? Platforms DOS, Windows Genres Action, First-person shooter, Shooter, Vehicular combat Themes Middle Eastern Series Magic Carpet Multiplayer Simultaneous versus Distribution Commercial

Magic Carpet 2: The Netherworlds is a vehicular combat video game set in a fantasy Middle Eastern setting and sequel to Magic Carpet. It was developed by Bullfrog Productions and published by Electronic Arts for MS-DOS and Windows in 1995. Like the first game, you control a wizard who rides on a magic carpet and uses magical spells to destroy monsters in an attempt to restore harmony to each world you enter. Slain monsters leave behind mana which you can collect and bring to your castle to increase to power of your spells so you can defeat more powerful monsters. Other wizards also inhabit the land and you must compete with them at collecting mana. There are many spells to learn and 50 worlds to save. The game introduces new spells, monsters, and two new environments, night time worlds and underground worlds.

Personal

Own?	Yes. I own the Windows CD and jewel case.
Won?	Yes.
Finished	2002-10-20.

I first played Magic Carpet 2 at my friend Kevin's house where I played the first Magic Carpet. He had gotten it for Christmas, and we played it quite regularly for awhile, but never finished it. Later, in 2002, I bought a discount copy for myself and played it through to completion. I found this game to be better than the first, and underrated, no doubt because it was only released on home computers.

Review

8	7	8	7	7

Best Version: Windows

— This section contains spoilers! —

Good

• Like the first game, it has great graphics, sound, music, and animation. The real-time landscape changes are amazing, the theme is great, and so on.
• The new spells and being able to level-up your spells was a good addition.
• The new terrains (night and underground) add an interesting element to the game, and so do the new monsters.
• The added over world map is a nice framing device for the levels.

Bad

• In terms of maps, the game is only half as long as the first.
• Like flight simulators, the controls are a bit difficult at first and take awhile to become acclimated.
• The 3D mode doesn't really work.

Ugly

• The main villain, Vissuluth, who appears in cut-scenes, never makes an appearance in the game, and you don't defeat him directly. The last level is just a difficult level that ends when you kill all the monsters. Quite a letdown.

Media

Box Art

• 

  The American box art shows the player riding the titular magic carpet while casting a huge fireball with Vissuluth reaching out toward him. While the CGI doesn't hold up, it's still a good action scene that gets the game's message across. I prefer this art.

• 

  The European art, for some reason, eliminates the player on the cover showing only Vissuluth now hurling a fireball. This loses the message and also focuses on a villain that you never fight.

Documentation

• 

  The UK game manual.

Videos

Longplay.

Play Online

MS-DOS

Representation

Strong female character?	Fail	Two of the seven other carpet riders are women, but they're all generic.
Bechdel test?	Fail	None of the women talk.
Strong person of color character?	Pass	Everyone in the game, including the hero, is Middle Eastern.
Queer character?	Fail	There are no queer characters.

Links