The Spell Brigade Reviews
The Spell Brigade doesn't do anything wrong, but it also doesn't do anything to make itself stand out in a sea of survivors-like games. Its gameplay isn't all that exciting, its art and sound design is ho-hum, and any meaningful upgrades take far too long to unlock. There are plenty of other games in the genre that are far more rewarding to play.
The Spell Brigade has delivered a 1.0 release that really does shine! Wizards and spells are abundant, and co-op play is a lot of fun. Though the core gameplay loop is a little too familiar at times, there’s no denying that this is still one of the best recent entries in a now crowded genre.
The Spell Brigade delivers chaotic and highly entertaining matches, whether played in co-op or solo. The spell system combined with friendly fire creates unpredictable moments that work especially well with friends. On the downside, repetition sets in early due to limited enemy variety, maps, and objectives. On the base PS5, performance issues in later stages and a bug that freezes the selection screen also impacted the experience. Still, with potential fixes at launch, the game remains a solid option for those seeking carefree fun.
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The Spell Brigade offers a chaotic and enjoyable co-op experience, with creative spell combinations and strong teamwork moments being its biggest strengths. However, its excessive grinding just to unlock the next thing, small handful of maps, and general repetition, leaves this initially fun experience feeling exhausting. It’s better in short bursts rather than extended play sessions.
The Spell Brigade separates itself from the pack of Vampire Survivors-adjacent games by letting up to four players engage in unruly, wave-based chaos. However, the power climb is locked behind a steep grind that takes too long to feel rewarding.
There’s a fair amount down to chance in this game other than your starting weapon since that’s intrinsic to your wizard. Upgrades to your spells can be rerolled a few times once you progress far enough. Being able to gamble a reroll on the choice of augmentations and relics at the expense of health is a cool mechanic. This is incredibly valuable at higher levels when you know the playstyle of the wizard you like and what spells you need to make it work. That said, the only thing you can’t reroll are the spells. As frustrating as this is it does encourage players to try out new combinations. Plus, you won’t get stuck in ruts too often. This is a big part of what keeps this game feeling fresh every time. Embrace it!