I am bloody , yet blissful .
While Witchfire may only be the second title officially under The Astronauts ’ bash , it ’s just one of many nick added to the developers ’ prospicient and rich history of game development . The indie studio , lie in of a small radical of developer in Poland , was most recently responsible for the horror adventure The Vanishing of Ethan Carter . Still , some of its members also create critically hail first - soul shooter smash like Painkiller and Bulletstorm in their late studio , hoi polloi Can aviate . After some fourth dimension in its bloodcurdling macrocosm , it ’s clear how those past projects assist mold what Witchfire is today , from its photogrammetric landscapes to its affinity towards blasting otherwordly occultists out in spooky woods .
..And the Only Prescription Is More Witchfire
As far as my personal discernment are concerned , Witchfire came out swinging as a hodgepodge of the best elements from some of my favorite game genres . Its smooth and silky shootout gives me that well-off feeling of a Bungie statute title ’s tight and responsive controls while its gorgeous , mediaeval world welcomes me into a beautiful yet unsettling air . It ’s punishing , but nottoo punishing , sprinkling just enough roguelite elements into the mix to provide a challenging and rewarding gameplay loop that never feel ho-hum .
From the bit you start , Witchfire ’s tone is typeset in rock – you are alone in this adventure , and the only other subsist thing are hellbent on pull you apart . The secret plan ’s hub area is n’t immediately welcoming , and I get the feeling that ’s by design . by from a abbreviated tutorial field , you are presented with various workstations and passageway , some being approachable while others are not , and it ’s up to you to figure out on the nose what each does .
It ’s a strange feeling when you realize that you require the biz world more than it require you . You ’re the uninvited guest here , and only through trial and error will you commence to piece together what ’s start on . You ’ll soon realize that the hub is essentially your base of operation , a haven where you ’ll craft your potions , finagle your equipment , and spend lots of meter in front of a peculiar floating mirror . When you break , you ’ll return to the hub world , forgetting the ability you may have get a line from your last junket , but retaining your paraphernalia and weapons for the next foot race .
Frankly , the only matter missing is your character emerging from the Pool of Styx to face your disapproving dad , who also find to dominate the underworld .
In typical early - memory access fashion , Witchfire has some kinks to iron out , but I never bump any major bugs or design decisions that I could n’t give a pass to . While the enemies are alone and memorable , their variety could be blow up upon and hopefully will as future message is introduced . The on - screen visual effects from enervation and damage are a act uttermost , and the onslaught of blurriness and twofold - vision is more disorient than immersive . scathe falloff with mid - range weapon feels slimly ridiculous , rendering them almost useless if not within distance to see the T. H. White of my enemies ’ eyes . And foe scaling as you even out up seems like an odd choice for a secret plan like this , where I never quite feel the magnate spike I ’m seeking , often opting to carry redundant Witchfire and not inconvenience leveling up .
Yet , when Witchfire strike , it hits just right , and I ’m pretty quenched with the features include thus far . Despite only make two out of its six presented worlds useable to play , all of the cogwheel you collect and spell you teach have multiple tier of upgradable unlocks to grind for . The workshop mirror provides plenteousness of incentive to keep venturing out to the same worlds . disperse throughout those worlds are cardinal point and cursed relics , indicating potential secrets and sidequests to look forward to .
Image via The Astronauts
After more than 12 hr of gameplay , I ’ve only just beaten the genus Bos of the first creation and unlock the entering to the 2nd . And yet , I ca n’t shake the feeling that I ’ve exit stones unturned and secrets unexplored . I keep return to that same world , just as enchanted and curious as before . Witchfire excels at take out you back in for just one more outpouring , and its alluring and rewarding gameplay loop makes me optimistic that The Astronauts are set up the course for a marvelous FPS .
A written matter of this plot was provided by the publisher .
Image via The Astronauts
Image via The Astronauts
Image via The Astronauts
Image via The Astronauts
Image via The Astronauts
