New colony sim game exits early access, gets full Steam release with 'Very Positive' reviews and 25% launch discount

After more than a year in Early Access, Mind Over Magic has finally launched its full version on Steam, and players seem to be enjoying it. The game has been developed by Sparkypants and was published by Klei Publishing, and it first hit Early Access on December 14, 2023 - before being officially released on February 12, 2025.

At its core, Mind Over Magic is a colony sim where players build and manage a magical academy. Students need training, resources must be managed, and classrooms have to be designed efficiently. But there’s more to the game than just school management—underneath the academy lies the "Underschool," a dark dungeon filled with secrets that could potentially lift the academy’s curse.

Customization plays a big role here. Players can design their academy however they want, experimenting with different layouts, decorations, and hidden efficiency bonuses. The game also features magical creatures, including dragons, that can be raised and used to unlock new abilities and quests outside the school.

Now that it’s fully released, Mind Over Magic has been getting solid feedback, with 89% of its 2,249 reviews being positive. Many players praise its mix of base-building, exploration, and strategy, calling it a refreshing take on the colony sim genre. The game is normally priced at $24.99, with a 25% discount currently taking its price down to around $18.74.

With an interesting mix of magic, management, and dungeon-crawling, Mind Over Magic is proving to be a great game for fans of the genre—now fully released for anyone ready to build their own academy. For those interested in a visual overview, the launch trailer (below) provides a glimpse into the game's mechanics and aesthetics.