‘MAGE’ Pushes the Limits with Physics-based Magic Mayhem at 120 FPS on Quest 3

MAGE is a magic and physics sandbox in early access on Quest 3 that not only offers up fun physics-based mayhem, but does it at an eye-blistering 120 fps.

“We feel that no game has truly taken advantage of the power of standalone VR hardware,” says Charlie Shenton, Mage’s engine programmer and other half of the two-person team. “Nothing ruins our immersion more than laggy games barely hitting 72Hz, with blurry visuals, and spongey physics.”

To solve this, Shenton and fellow dev Matthew Alexander Gregory built a game engine, dubbed ‘Micron’, and their own physics solver specifically for standalone VR, doing things you’d only really expect with the the larger power envelope of dedicated PC graphics.

Granted, Mage isn’t a massive multi-hour adventure, but as a proof of concept for Micron, it’s pretty impressive on its own, running at a “solid 120Hz even with dynamic lighting, shadows, magic vfx, >100% render res, and hundreds of high fidelity dynamic physics props,” Shenton tells Road to VR.

In addition to pushing the envelope on what’s possible on standalone headsets, Mage also offers up a sandbox environment that promises to deliver “the ultimate magical power fantasy,” including things like destructive fireballs, time reversal, telekinesis, flying and more.

Mage is now in early access on Quest, although the studio says it also has “plenty more planned,” as they inevitably look out for cool and new ways to push Micron even further and deliver yet more impressive magical feats.

You can find Mage over on the Horizon Store for Quest 3 and 3S, priced at $20.