Love of Magic Book 3 The Return

Trilogies Usually Don’t End Nicely

Love of Magic Book 3: The Return is the final chapter in the Arthurian-inspired Urban Fantasy trilogy, blending elements of an erotic visual novel with RPG mechanics. After winning the war in Book 2, you’re now tasked with tying up loose ends, deepening relationships, and—naturally—saving the world one last time. While the journey in Book 3 promises to wrap things up neatly, it’s not quite the grand finale fans were probably hoping for. Unfortunately, this conclusion doesn’t bring much new to the table, and the stakes just feel... well, kind of deflated.

About This Game

Storyline

Book 3 picks up after the costly war of the second game, and now you’re tasked with one final mission before “happily ever after” can settle in. The story focuses heavily on your relationships—especially with Emily Pendragon—while throwing in a few last-minute quests and kingdom events to keep you busy. The war might be over, but you still need to grow stronger, forge alliances, and prepare for your ultimate ascension.

Here’s the thing though: the plot is way less climactic than you’d expect for the final instalment of an epic trilogy. The stakes, which were sky-high in Book 2, have been dialled back considerably. What should have been a series of thrilling, world-shattering events feels more like a rehash of old plot points. The introduction of the alternate reality trope doesn’t help either. Instead of raising the tension, it saps the story of any meaningful consequences, making the entire plot feel like a soft reset.

And then there’s the issue of loose ends. You’ll meet plenty of characters, old and new, but many of them feel underused, and some key plot elements don’t get resolved. Side-characters pop in, contribute nothing of value, and then disappear again. By the end, you’re left with a nagging sense that so much was left on the table, especially when it comes to developing the relationships that were teased in earlier books.

Gameplay Mechanics

If you’ve played the previous two games, you know what to expect from the gameplay. The poker-based combat system returns with minor tweaks, but nothing revolutionary. It’s serviceable, sure, but it doesn’t evolve much from what we saw before. You’ll still engage in card-based battles in random dungeons and have the option to grind through some additional content, but this feels more like filler than essential gameplay.

There are also new Kingdom Events and side quests, but these often feel like busywork. Some quests get stuck behind random triggers, meaning you’ll waste time bouncing between locations hoping to hit the right event flag. It’s a frustrating mechanic that makes parts of the game feel aimless. The lack of true player agency, where many key story beats happen regardless of your choices, also leaves the experience feeling more on-rails than a sandbox RPG should.

The sandbox aspect of the game remains, offering optional content like dates, hanging out with friends, or even dabbling in Shibari lessons. But these moments, while entertaining, don’t quite fill the gap left by the underwhelming main plot.

Visuals & Audio

Visually, not much has changed since the previous entries. The character art is still nice, but animations and cutscenes remain awkward and stilted. The game’s environments look the same, and there’s a sense of visual fatigue setting in by this third instalment—especially since nothing’s been notably improved.

The soundtrack does its job, with some familiar tunes alongside a few new ones that fit the game’s vibe. It’s competent but not groundbreaking, and while some tracks stand out, the audio design overall feels as if it's just coasting along.

Pros

Wholesome Romance: The relationship with Emily and a few other romantic interests still provides emotional depth, even if the rest of the game doesn’t. Some romantic scenes are genuinely sweet.
More Time in the World: If you loved the world building of the first two games, this one still delivers on lore and atmosphere. The world is rich and immersive, even if the plot is lacking.
Consistent Writing: Despite plot stumbles, the writing quality remains solid. Conversations with characters and moments of humour keep things engaging when the story slows down.

Cons

Underwhelming Plot: The story lacks the stakes and climax you'd expect from a trilogy's conclusion. The alternate reality angle saps the plot of any real tension, making it feel like a retread of Book 2.
Unresolved Plot Points: Many of the new characters and side stories feel neglected. There’s a lot of potential here, but not much is followed through.
Linear Gameplay: For an RPG, the game feels surprisingly linear. Key story events happen on a fixed schedule, with little room for meaningful choices or branching paths.
Tame Erotic Content: For a game in the erotic VN genre, the sex scenes feel sparse and unsatisfying. There’s not much payoff, and the “vanilla” nature of the scenes makes them feel bolted on rather than integral.
Repetitive Mechanics: The poker-based combat system, while functional, hasn’t evolved much and starts to feel stale by this point.

Conclusion

Love of Magic Book 3: The Return wraps up the trilogy with more of the same, but that’s both its strength and its weakness. If you’re invested in the story and just want to spend more time with the characters, it delivers. The worldbuilding and romance are still enjoyable, and the overall atmosphere keeps you hooked for the most part. But as a final chapter, it feels underwhelming.

The plot’s reliance on tired tropes, the lack of real stakes, and unresolved storylines leave you with the sense that this trilogy didn’t quite stick the landing. If you’ve already played the first two games, there’s still value in finishing the journey, but don’t expect a mind-blowing conclusion. The game wraps up the story, sure—but it does so with more of a whimper than a bang.

If you loved Book 1 and 2, you’ll probably find The Return passable. But if you were hoping for a grand finale to justify the whole trilogy, you might be left a little disappointed.

If you’re in it for the plot—and I mean the actual plot—this is still a ride worth taking. Just don’t expect it to blow your mind.

Rating: 5/10

I am slowly getting tired of these games fr...