[b]Witchfire[/b] is a dark, atmospheric roguelite extraction shooter with a solid splash of Souls-like game. Story-wise, it keeps things dead simple: there’s a powerful Witch terrorizing the land, and the Church wants her dead at all costs. You play as a Preyer an immortal witch-hunter resurrected from a dead sinner, handed a gun, and sent out to burn the Witch's coven to the ground.
Huge props to the devs for the weapon design the gun models are an absolute masterpiece! They look so incredibly detailed and punchy that I honestly wish the devs would release official .stl files so I could 3D print a few for my shelf. Pls)
[b]The Short Answer: Is It Worth Buying?[/b]
Right now, yes - if you actually enjoy heavy grinding. But if the thought of running the same maps over and over just to pump your stats makes you sick, you're better off waiting for proper balance updates.
[b]Playtime:[/b] 4/10
It took me around 18–20 hours to clear everything in the current Early Access build and reach the Mountain. I wasn't in a huge rush, so if you abuse certain mechanics or farm efficiently, you can definitely do it faster.
[b]Story:[/b] 3/10
You can sum up the narrative in a single sentence: "There’s a witch over there, go kill her, good luck." You do pick up notes and traces of fallen Preyers along the way, but actual story quests or deep narrative chains are almost non-existent right now.
[b]Music:[/b] 3/10
Totally forgettable. I literally can't recall a single track from the game.
[b]Graphics:[/b] 5/10
Looks really impressive. Unique visual style, great lighting, and the level detail especially on the weapons deserves serious respect.
[b]Mechanics:[/b] 7/10
It feels like a wild mix of Bloodborne, Dark Souls, and an extraction shooter. What really carries the game is the gunplay and shooting feedback. Every weapon feels amazing and distinct revolvers, stake-launchers, SMGs, they all have real weight and recoil. Plus, weapons feature "Attunements" that unlock magic effects (like fire or magnetism) just by using them. You also get spells, amulets, and a summonable grenadier ally. Exploration hits that Elden Ring itch: see a glowing red spot on the horizon, run over, and grab some cool loot.
Where the game hits a major snag is the economy and progression:
[list]
[*]Miserable Grind: Stat progression is painful. For a full, successful map clear, you get maybe 1 to 3 levels max - assuming you even survive.
[*]Gnosis & Replayability: Raising your world level (Gnosis) opens new map sections, and it also reshuffles enemies, traps, and chests,(after up level in hub) which at least keeps repeated runs from feeling totally stale.
[*]Calamity System: Take damage, build up madness. Hit 5 levels of Calamity, and an elite wave spawns in to instantly remind you who's boss.
[*]The Minimap: Honestly terrible. The maps have heavy verticality, but the minimap gives zero indication of whether an enemy or item is above or below you.
[/list]
[b]Personal Take[/b]
A super niche project with world-class gun design, stellar shooting mechanics, and great atmosphere, dragged down by an exhausting grind and broken balance.
The lack of mid-to-long-term quest goals leaves the world feeling empty you often end up asking yourself why you're grinding the same few maps over and over. Add in confused term localization, and high casual difficulty, and it can feel like a real slog to make your character feel powerful. It's a solid, atmospheric shooter foundation, but it needs a major balancing pass before full launch. It’s a great foundation, but the devs still have a lot of tuning to do.
If you have a different opinion, I’d be happy to discuss it in the comments (please bear in mind that English is not my native language).
[b]Overall Score:[/b] 73/100
