Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree Review – Room to Grow

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If you’re a fan of platformer games, here’s another one for you – “Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree“. Developed by Primal Game Studio, it blends dark medieval fantasy with typical platforming elements like backtracking and skill acquisition. It also introduces challenging combat reminiscent of Souls-like games, complete with a stamina meter and weapons that scale based on your stats. This might deter some players from trying it out. However, despite having some core gameplay issues, “Mandragora” impressed me with its exploration, visual style, and the way combat feels. While I wouldn’t insist you should seek it out, there’s a unique charm to it that’s worth mentioning, especially considering the prominent role of witches in the game’s setting.

In a reversal of roles, your character finds themselves on the side of the Inquisition. During a so-called “witch trial,” they choose to execute the accused witch, thereby gaining mysterious powers that resemble those of a witch. The exact scope of these powers remains unclear, but those in authority are displeased by this act of rebellion. Regardless, power is seductive, and even with the reprimand, you’re tasked with finding another witch in the wilderness. A chilling whisper echoes through your mind, though, hinting that this quest might lead down sinister paths.

The idea behind this production is captivating and it’s bolstered by competent voice acting. However, some aspects like dialogue and character development could use improvement. Despite this, you’ll come across intriguing characters such as Shirin, the tailor who seems to have an uncanny knack for avoiding travel hazards. The real charm, though, often comes from the incidental conversations between passersby.

When it comes to discussing our superiors, they don’t quite match the complexity of Dark Souls gameplay, yet they present a reasonable level of difficulty if you are suitably experienced and prepared.

The interaction between a dad cracking a few corny jokes at his daughter and merchants bargaining prices seemed authentic; even the back-and-forth banter and jabs from robbers added depth to the game’s world. Unfortunately, my character’s dialogue and voice acting come off as overly scripted, often resembling too much of the “lone hero who talks excessively to themselves” trope. It’s not overpowering, but it did prompt a few eye rolls on rare occasions.

In this scenario, the experience of traveling takes precedence over the protagonist, and Mandragora delivers a robust design for these adventures. The initially secure city environment transitions into wilderness, complete with swamps, dilapidated structures teeming with assorted monsters, struggling towns, and even crumbling cities on the brink. There are multiple sewer networks to explore, each offering its unique flavor – one filled with toxic oozes and straightforward passageways, while another boasts intricate ledges for platforming.

The ability to discover new places is quite enjoyable too, though sometimes it leads to encountering a boss that’s far beyond my abilities (I don’t approve of clones and I won’t budge from this viewpoint). Side missions can be simple, like purifying an area from danger, and they serve their purpose while encouraging exploration. I’m not particularly fond of the excessive number of locked boxes, especially in the beginning when lockpicks aren’t easily found, but at least they offer a reason to revisit them for completion if nothing else.

Regarding the managers, they’re not on par with the complexity of a “Dark Souls” game mechanically, but they can still present a fair challenge if you’ve reached an appropriate level in the game. Initially, there seemed to be an excessive number of large rats, but as you progress, the threats become more diverse and include some truly frustrating (and infuriating) situations. This leads me to one of the game’s most irritating problems.

The fighting mechanics are strong, offering a variety of character classes and weapon options to select, including my choice, the Fire-Weaver. This class delivered both physical and magical damage effectively while also maintaining good survivability.

Overall, the movement mechanics are generally smooth, whether it’s evading enemy attacks by roll-dodging or navigating obstacles with jumps. However, there are instances where the movement can be less than ideal, such as taking fall damage (which sometimes results in death). The unpredictability of this can be disconcerting at times, and since you often have to retrace your steps from the closest checkpoint, it can lead to frustration. And let’s not mention the tricky business of landing on ledges!

As a gamer, I’ve found the combat to be quite robust, offering a variety of character classes and weapon types to suit different playstyles. I opted for the Flameweaver, a versatile choice that dished out both physical and magical damage while maintaining a good balance of sustainability. Each class comes with an intricate passive tree, but many game-changing abilities are located further down the line.

Most nodes primarily enhance stats, which is acceptable, but it reduces the thrill of leveling up since significant improvements are often found in nearby major nodes such as “An eight percent increase in damage after casting a fire spell.” Nonetheless, there’s an element of surprise as you can also uncover abilities for other classes while exploring. You’re free to distribute points across different passive skill trees too.

In simpler terms, to try multiclassing effectively, you’ll initially need a specific item that requires gold, and you might need to use a different set of weapons. Additionally, there’s a system for enhancing skills, which can lower mana costs or boost Adrenaline upon hits, offering more complexity in character building.

It’s not surprising that crafting plays a significant role due to the abundance of resources found and obtained. However, the issue lies in the fact that you need to level up the vendor in order to unlock the ability to craft specific blueprints, which is an additional task requiring effort. Opinions on this may differ – some might find it enjoyable, but personally, I found it tedious.

The game ‘Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree’ can be described as a collection of individual elements that, while interesting on their own, may not necessarily contribute to a cohesive experience that surpasses each part individually.

One aspect where Mandragora unquestionably excels is the visuals and art design. It evokes a sense of hand-drawn quality, similar to No Rest for the Wicked, but with slimmer outlines. The environments are beautifully illuminated and shaded, creating an atmosphere that’s truly immersive. The large character portraits used in conversations are well-done, though some may find them slightly different from their corresponding character models. The animations are exceptional – a small monster having its blade slip from its hands and impale it upon death is just one instance of the meticulous detail on display.

Title “Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree” remains a name that doesn’t necessarily convey a cohesive greater meaning from its individual components. Certain aspects, such as combat, are commendable; however, areas like progression and crafting could benefit from more refinement and enhancements.

Although I didn’t find myself deeply engrossed in the narrative, I did enjoy moving ahead, exploring fresh locations, chuckling at dead ends, and revisiting areas to see if there was further progress. Is it one of the top-tier platformers or Souls-like games on the market? Not quite, but it’s an interesting blend that’s worth a look and might impress you with its visuals, combat mechanics, and enemy design. However, be cautious about making any risky jumps until some updates are released.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

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2025-04-22 13:12