Retro shooters have made a solid comeback, offering players a lot of variety. While magic-based shooters have popped up recently, they’re still relatively rare. That’s where Wizordum steps in, transporting you to the world of Terrabruma to take on goblins with a magic-infused mace. Here’s a first look at what Wizordum brings to the table:
Mace and Spells
The mace is an underrated weapon, but in Wizordum, it feels just right for clearing out goblin hordes. Swinging that heavy mace and smashing goblins gives you a real sense of power. This melee weapon charges with magical energy for stronger hits, perfect for goblins, ogres, and even barrels.
Glowing Mace
The mace is for close combat, so you’ll take some hits. This adds a nice balance, making you alternate between melee and magic. You can soon start hurling fireballs, which use up fire essence. Luckily, there’s no need to reload like a gun; you just keep going until your fire essence runs out.
As you progress, you get more powers like a staff that freezes enemies, setting them up for a melee hit. While these abilities are fun, the combat design could use more depth. The magic feels like re-skinned guns. For example, fire spreading to nearby enemies or the environment would add more excitement.
Goblins and Critters
Wizordum lacks a detailed narrative for now, throwing you into a world overtaken by various fantasy creatures. You’ll face goblins in armor, shield-bearing ogres, and giant, leaping rats. The plot might get fleshed out during early access, but it’s simple for now.
Varied Enemies
You’re not the sole magic user; some goblins wield fire staffs too. There’s a decent enemy variety, even if they don’t have unique moves or force you to change tactics much. At least you won’t face the same foe repeatedly.
Visuals and Levels
The artwork is solid but somewhat generic. Still, the detailed sprites and natural movement help each enemy stand out. The rats, in particular, look pretty intimidating.
Playing through levels feels akin to classics like Wolfenstein and Doom. You’ll explore, fight, and find keys or items to progress. Levels aren’t huge but have multiple floors full of enemies, treasure, and secrets.
What’s Lacking?
While the gameplay is enjoyable, it doesn’t break new ground. Magic barriers instead of color-coded doors are a minor tweak that doesn’t fully embrace the medieval fantasy setting. Different visual elements between levels help, but within a level, things can get repetitive. Secrets often lead to more treasure, but don’t feel particularly rewarding.
More variety in level design would make exploration more engaging and memorable. As it stands, replays can feel monotonous because there aren’t many standout moments.
In summary, Wizordum in early access shows promise but has room for improvement. Enhanced magical effects and more varied level designs could really elevate the game. Also, I only noticed one music track, which was fun but could use some variety to keep things fresh.