These days, if you want your game to stand out, you need to have some sort of hook. Some sort of compelling reason to keep coming back for more. Expedition 33 has it in spades, with a remarkable story and a powerhouse battle system. And Doom: The Dark Ages lets you kick serious ass time and time again, with a plethora of weapons. Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree, however…it’s hard to pin something down.
That’s not to say there’s nothing appealing about this game. The developers at Primal Game Studio did put together a stunning world to explore after its Kickstarter success. And what’s more, there are some interesting aspects, particularly with its Souls-like approach. (That’s a popular factor with a lot of today’s game.)
And yet, there are some frustrations that keep it from greatness. The big thing is the combat. Rather than finding an ebb and flow, it instead leans on the repetitive. Even with a massive skill tree, it just feels like you’re doing the same old thing. There’s also something about the boss design and awful enemy placement that bogs the game down. And when you lose, you have to backtrack so much to the battle that you begin to wonder if it’s worth it.
I think some better design choices during Mandragora’s development would’ve done it a world of good. As it stands, there are things that stand out, like the unique level design. But is it enough to counter-balance the flawed gameplay and anger-inducing setbacks? Even a skilled player may find themselves asking if it’s worth the investment. Proceed with caution.
Mandragora Sets Out on a Dangerous Task
The world of Faelduum (say that three times fast) has fallen into chaos. Monsters pretty much rule every corner of this place, making it an absolutely dreaded existence. But as the Inquisitor, it’s tasked to you to clean house. After defying the King Priest, you choose from one of six classes and set out to eliminate the threat.
Sounds compelling? Well, kind of. Storytelling isn’t exactly Mandragora’s strong suit. But it does set the game into motion.
As mentioned, there are six classes here. You’ve got the Vindicator, Wyldwarden, Nightshade, Spellbinder, Flameweaver and Vanguard. Each one has their own class tree, and stuff you can obtain to make your warrior altogether better as you venture out into this world.
And you’ll need to be better. Over the course of the game, you’ll run across various types of enemies before getting to bosses. Get through them and you’ll venture deeper into the world.
But the real question is if this is all worth it. Surprisingly, Mandragora has a lot working against it.
First off, despite the class variety and the different stuff you can unlock, the combat never really warms up. It never reaches its Soulslike potential and even becomes repetitive. That’s a bit shocking considering the plate of stuff that’s been presented here.
But what’s more, there are flaws in the overall design. The boss battles drag on more than intended, and you never really feel like you conquer anything. Worse yet, if you lose, you don’t immediately dive back into the battle. You have to start all the way back at an earlier point and then get to it again. The momentum is gone.
What’s more, the enemy placement is absolutely frustrating. Hitting them is enough of a task as it is, thanks to a somewhat questionable hitbox system. But then you have the traps, which you’re guaranteed to hit as you dodge someone’s attack.
Maybe it was just something that the developers planned to make the game feel different. But the truth is it drags the whole experience down. Between the lack of a memorable story, average combat and rage-creating moments, Mandragora definitely asks a lot of the player. The question is if it’s your speed. Well…
At Least the World Looks Nice
One aspect that Mandragora does manage to get right is its design. The team at Primal knows Metroidvania level style design, and nails it to a T.
The world looks moody and atmospheric around every turn, and the little details truly shine out. What’s more, even though they’re not great to face off against, the enemies do look good as well. It’s definitely a looker, especially on the Xbox Series X.
On top of that, the sound is just about right. The tunes within the game do set a solid atmosphere, along with the haunting sound effects.
So, yeah, there’s nothing wrong with the design. Just the choices that went along with it.
Mandragora Definitely Feels Like a “Drag” At Times
I wanted more from Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree. I really did. Though the story isn’t the greatest out there, it does set the stage for dread and chaos. And the presentation is top notch enough to keep players intrigued. But some key decisions with the gameplay really hold it back. There was a whole bunch of stuff the team could’ve done here, but, shockingly, it comes up short.
Die-hard fans of the Metroidvania genre may feel like taking a gamble, but proceed with caution. Mandragora’s flaws are way too easy to see, but not as easy to forgive.
GAMERHUB RATING: 2.5 (out of 5) JOYSTICKS
Thanks to Primal Game Studio for the review code! Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree is available now for Xbox, PlayStation, and Steam/PC.
Seeking more adventure games? Check out our review of Revenge of the Savage Planet!
