Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree Reviews
We have fun and varied combat, with a good amount of skills, classes and improvements to unlock. In addition, the metroidvania structure and the different missions and secrets grant a good amount of things to do.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Primal Game Studio has crafted one of my favorite games this year, an experience that seemingly came out of nowhere. With a flexible class system, and wonderful level design, as well as a host of deeply challenging boss encounters, it's the best Metroidvania since Metroid Dread, a title I cherish as a near-perfect experience. Mandragora has its flaws, and some are more apparent than others, but ultimately is a wonderful new addition to the genre, and an absolute must-play.
Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree surprised me a lot with its range of build possibilities and its very well-made bosses. I expected a lukewarm Metroidvania in its combat, and I was surprised with something completely different. Its art direction is impeccable, bringing all the decadence and horror of this fantasy world. Its skill tree is a show in itself, with a wide range of possibilities for combining builds. Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree fulfills its role, offering great combat with elements of Soulslike and Metroidvania and with jaw-dropping art direction.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Halfway between a 2D soulslike and a metroidvania, Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree delivers a compelling and original RPG experience, as well as plenty of fun. With solid, satisfying combat mechanics and well-structured progression, its only minor flaws lie in the entropy-based levels and somewhat inconsistent difficulty. Overcoming these, Primal Game Studios offers an engaging, carefully crafted adventure that provides hours of entertainment—an underrated title with a fresh take on the soulslike genre.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree is a unique and fun-to-play side-scrolling Soulslike, with great gameplay and an original world that’s easy to get immersed in. While I’d make some minor changes, the intrusive EULA policy is the biggest downside and prevents me, in good conscience, from giving it a higher score.
Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree stands out because it makes different genres work in one game. It's an ARPG and metroidvania that engages with its direct combat and character customization. If you like to explore, improve your character and fight, here you have a solid, long and very enjoyable adventure.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Si te atraen los títulos con combates de dificultad elevada, en los que vamos a morir mucho y bien, pero que siempre te mantienen con una sensación de justicia bien medida, y además eres fan de la exploración basada en el backtracking y en ir desbloqueando habilidades para acceder a nuevas zonas del mapa, no te lo pienses y sumérgete en esta colorida experiencia que te va a dar muchas horas de diversión.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The fusion of soulslike action and metroidvania-style exploration isn’t really a new thing, but every aspect around the core gameplay helps Mandragora to stand out as something truly special. Great visuals and audio, a very polished technical state, and a reasonable price make this a game you won’t want to miss.
Review in Unknown | Read full review
Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree is a striking 2.5D soulslike action RPG set in a grim, crumbling fantasy world. With immersive exploration, challenging combat, and deep class customization, it rewards curiosity and skillful play. While its narrative takes a back seat to gameplay, its haunting art direction and oppressive atmosphere make it a standout experience for fans of atmospheric, challenging RPGs.
With good ideas that help Mandragora's two main genres merge, this action RPG is well worth the time invested in it, especially considering the price tag. R$199.50 for a good game that can easily last over 40 hours is a great deal. (Translated from Portuguese)
All in all, Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree is a visually impressive and narratively engaging action RPG that melds Metroidvania exploration with Soulslike combat mechanics well. The combat on the whole is fun, the world layout is full of interesting little hideaways and secrets. The story is solid, and it’s told in a darkly beautiful world, enhanced by the broad brushstrokes of the art style and the fantastic soundtrack. Nonetheless, repetitive combat, occasional technical issues, and certain design decisions may put some people off.
With a story that is happy to take a backseat to exploring its dangerous, beautiful world, Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree delivers everything a fan of the genre could want.
The game may not be perfect, but it's so good that it doesn't even have to hide behind "Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown," which certainly had a considerably higher budget. So, we definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys side-scrolling RPGs. If you want to be completely sure, you can check out the demo on Steam first.
Review in German | Read full review