Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree

Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch is an absolute game for Soulslike or Metroidvania fans. Despite a few missteps, its depth of play and immersive world-building are worth it alone. It is a breathtaking and unflinching indie masterpiece.

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.

I love 2D Metroidvanias and Soulslikes and guess what? Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree is both and it offers one grand adventure.

Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree is a Soulslike fan’s must-play, and could be a good option for fans to cut their teeth on if other titles seem too difficult.

Mandragora is one of the most nerve-wracking games I’ve played in years, and I’m already eager to pick up another of its classes and wallow in its infuriating joy all over again.

Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree doesn’t veer off well-traveled paths, but that doesn’t mean its familiar combination of mechanics isn’t fun. Though it doesn’t necessarily stand out in any one area, Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree is still a substantial, visually impressive and generally engaging experience.

While it may not reside in the upper echelons of Metroid-style games or Souls-likes, Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree is built on competent foundations and could grow into something special with more fine-tuning.

Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree is a good, feature-rich Metroidvania ARPG with an entertaining narrative, a big world to explore, and a variety of playable classes to try out. The story is fun, if a bit rote, but beautiful visuals and great voice acting help push it over the line. While the boss encounters can be infuriating at times and the checkpointing feels a bit unrefined, Mandragora remains an entertaining experience from tip to tail.

Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree is an interesting Frankenstein of action-RPG ideas that never quite comes to life.

For fans of soulsvania combat, Mandragora is a must-play for its astounding build variety alone, but that's thankfully not its only good quality. Addicting combat, a thoughtful narrative, and premium visuals make for a memorable game that uplifts the genre and sets an example to follow.

While Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree is a decent mix of search action and soulslike, it's rough around the edges and does not excel in any particular facet.

Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree is an example of a game that is “just fine.” If you’re looking to scratch an itch, then Mandragora might be the one for you.