Witchspire
Preview

In many ways, it feels like a magical version of Palworld or Breath of the Wild, where you can soar above the sky on a broomstick, create floating platforms and bases, and make friends with adorable elemental spirits - Familiars.

Being in Early Access now, Witchspire is bursting with heart, charm, and co-op potential. However, some of its Early Access problems prevent it from unleashing its full potential right away.

Exploration and Traversal Through The Magical World

It is no secret that one of the most distinctive aspects of Witchspire is its movement and exploration mechanics. As soon as you obtain your flying broomstick, the world is opened up most satisfyingly. Gliding over various lush biomes, diving under the waterfalls to find hidden treasure chests, and hunting for rare Familiars is a smooth and fun experience.

Another strong aspect of the game is its building mechanics thanks to the "Astral Projection" mechanic. Rather than struggling with awkward camera angles and gravity, you can untie your spirit from your physical body and create your base freely by snapping walls, beams, and various decor. Thanks to the huge variety of witchy decor, hats and cloaks which offer not only cosmetic upgrades, but stat bonuses too, creative players are able to enjoy their crafting.

As for combat, although in Witchspire there are no traditional survival mechanics such as hunger and thirst, it is action-packed enough. By using wands and spellblades, you can switch between casting spells from a distance and launching yourself in melee. Using your bonded Familiars to absorb some damage or to perform various elemental strikes adds a lot of fun to the bigger battles.

Problems in Early Access and Creative Choices

Despite the amount of heart and charm that Witchspire has, it suffers from a couple of bad creative decisions and QoL problems that make the gameplay somewhat frustrating.

Sometimes the game uses survival clichés that aren't really related to its magical theme. For example, harvesting lumber using a magical pickaxe seems like a mechanic that doesn't fit perfectly with the theme of a witch game. Sometimes it seems more like a generic survival skin on top of the magical aesthetics than unique mechanics of interaction with nature for a witch.

Even more pressing are the mechanical problems with the game:

• Inventory Problem. There is a limit to how much you can carry. Stacks are small, the chest fills quickly, and there are no modern QoL things like a sort option and a trash slot yet.
• RNG-based familiar catching. To get high-tier familiars, you need to use crafting consumable incense, which increases their probability of appearing. However, the buff lasts only around 20-25 seconds, which makes crafting them not worth it.
• Lack of directions. The world is filled with tons of lore, puzzles, and interactive elements, but the game needs a journal/codex to know which information is important and what is not, and to remember which Familiars you met before and what coven symbols are activated.

The Verdict

Witchspire is a truly charming and cozy sandbox game with tons of promises in it. Flying around the world with your friends, creating your floating castle, and finding adorable Familiars is a fun, mindless activity that will take lots of time.

If the team at the studio concentrates on refining the UI, adding necessary QoL options, and improving the familiar catching mechanics as well as deepening the witch lore, Witchspire will become the new staple of the genre.