Witchfire is a first-person shooter Roguelite game developed by The Astronauts, a company recognized for creating The Vanishing of Ethan Carter. The game’s development process involved a team of twelve individuals.
Witchfire takes place in an alternate realm. A conflict of great magnitude has emerged, pitting immensely influential witches against the Church. As a player, you assume the role of the Preyer, a formidable witch hunter. Prepare yourself by equipping your six shooter and adorning your cloak. The moment to embark on a crusade against witches has arrived.
The Preyer, whom you portray, has access to guns, spells, and abilities to help you slay your way through the Victorian gothic atmosphere of the witch’s territory that you land in. Handholding is minimal once you are thrust into the world. Another minimal aspect is the story, which isn’t a bad thing.
It’s nice to have a game that isn’t 100 hours of complicated story. 2023 has been filled with plenty of those types of games. The main story is conveyed through pictures, similar to what The Witcher 3 did.
Witchfire Doesn’t Mess Around With Its Difficulty
This extraction shooter made me downright angry within the first thirty minutes of playing. It starts very difficult, but I also wasn’t playing into the gameplay loop correctly. Once I figured out how to get a decent amount of kills and retreat to power up, everything started to fall into place.
Don’t give up before it gets good. It is still one of the more challenging games I’ve played in a long time. You have to roam the map to get kills and power up before you fight your boss monsters. After defeating the boss, you gain access to the next location.
The gameplay may present a challenge when it comes to adaptation. Initially, the combat involves a close-range style and requires the utilization of dodging maneuvers. If your firearm fails to inflict sufficient damage, getting up in the enemy’s face becomes essential. Engaging in numerous encounters and subsequently returning to the portal is what you should prioritize. Prioritizing upgrades should be your initial focus.
Once you have acquired various weapons and spells, you will be adequately equipped to progress through the level. Personally, I found it advantageous to carry two weapons and two spells. You have slots to carry three additional items. These slots are designated explicitly as relic, fetish, and ring.
Wrapping Up
Witchfire is rough around the edges, but updates should continue to improve this game. Since I’ve received my code, the game has been updated at least three times. I’ve seen people online already hitting levels above 100. Around those levels, content starts to run dry, but there are plenty of things on the horizon to look forward to.
While Witchfire is dark and gloomy, the future looks bright. If you like Destiny, DOOM, and Souls-like games, you should give this game an honest shot.
Get it? Honest shot.
Okay, dad jokes aside, if difficulty isn’t your thing, you might want to steer clear.
