Being a student of mystical arts is hard work.
Mystik Belle is an Indie Game developed and published by Last Dimension which focuses on the struggles of Belle MacFae, a freshman student at the Hagmore School of Magic who ends up being blamed for something she didn't do while staying up late to practice her magic. The game was released on Steam on May 22, 2015, and features pixel-art graphics and gameplay ranging between a Metroidvania and a point-and-click adventure game, with a sprawling academy to explore and plenty of characters to interact with along the way.A port for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 was released on October 4, 2017, published by WayForward Technologies. A Nintendo Switch version released on September 9, 2021.
Mystik Belle provides examples of the following tropes:
- Adjustable Censorship: The game's script contains a fair share of swearwords. An alternative script that replaces them with other words can be accessed in the options menu.
- Boss in Mook Clothing: Halfway through the dungeon area, just before the cave worm room, the player will encounter a winged reaper-type enemy surrounded by rotating blue flames, à la Leaf Shield. Not only does it have a lot of health for your average enemy, but it can't even be damaged until all the fire is taken out. The problem? The flames regenerate. Combine this with it advancing at you while simultaneously shooting at you, and you're gonna have a bad time.
- Carry a Big Stick: Belle will automatically switch to hitting enemies with her broom if they get close. It actually does a lot of damage.
- Chiptune: The soundtrack harkens back to the NES era.
- Deadpan Snarker: Belle often has things to say about the scenarios or objects she stumbles across.???: Ha-ha-ha-ha!
Belle: Hilarious, I know! Who's there, with such impeccable timing and comedic sense of humor? - Dem Bones: Several enemies, though the most apparent are the large bone-throwing skeletons and the club-wielding skeleton miniboss.
- Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?: Some of the bosses can be this, especially when comparing them to Belle's size. The final fight with the Old God fits this trope to a T, as you get to literally punch Cthulhu in the face with a giant robot, as said in the store description: "Punch Cthulhu in the face."
- Flying Broomstick: When performing a Dash, Belle can be seen taking a ride on her trusty broom.
- Frothy Mugs of Water: When played on console, Niki recounts how Ms. Willow drank a couple of espressos and danced on the tables at the club. In the original she's at the pub and gets drunk.
- Giant Space Flea from Nowhere: Near the end of the game, with the giant spider. It has effectively no relevance to the overall story, and the room it's fought in does little to foreshadow its appearance.
- Gosh Dang It to Heck!: Playing on consoles or with the alternative script will replace the language and some of the harsher dialogue.
- Hammerspace: While Belle only has seven slots in her inventory to carry things, she ends up carrying some heavy things. Add the wand and broomstick, and one might start to assume she has a Pocket Dimension under her hat.
- Harmless Electrocution: Ms. Willow's cat, Midnight, gives off a very potent static charge.
- Magic Wand: The weapon for Belle and potentially many other students is a magic wand.
- Never Say "Die": Played on console or with the alternate script, when Belle mentions what would happen if she were to be expelled from the school.Belle: (original) My mother would likely murder me.
Belle: (console/alt) My mother would disown me.
- Playing with Fire: Belle's main method of attacking is shooting fireballs from the tip of her wand. It's suggested she's been practicing fire magic prior to the events of the game.
- Russian Bear: One of the things you can encounter in the forest is a bear wearing a living ushanka while performing the Cossack squat dance.
- Shock and Awe: One of the abilities Belle can learn. Doubles as a Charged Attack in that you hold the attack button down and release it to fire the bolt. It'll turn into a blast of concentrated electricity when it hits something, proving to be handy for doing a lot of damage in a short period of time.
- This Is for Emphasis, Bitch!: The final battle ends with Belle yelling "SCIENCE - bitch!"
- Turns Red: Played straight with the bosses, who will gradually turn a stronger shade of red and gain increased speed with the more hits they take.
- Unintentionally Unwinnable: At one point, it was possible for the game to decide that you wanted to dash and drop an item at the same time, causing you to first dash and then drop it even if you were in the air or, say, over a pit of instant death from which you have no way of picking the item. Fortunately, the developer's foresight makes it easily fixable via save game manipulation.
- Video Game Caring Potential: After the wooden box has fulfilled its purpose, it's possible to bring it back to the Hermit Lizard you took it from. Belle even comments she almost felt bad for the little guy. Of course, you can always do the opposite and not bring it back.
- Wicked Witch: Due to the population of the academy being mainly comprised of witches and other magic users, there's bound to be some of these. None seem to fit better than Madame Hagmore, the head honcho of the school.
- Wizarding School: The game is set in a school for witches called the Hagmore School of Magic.
