Wizard with a Gun is shooting magic back into survival games
Trading science for magic
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Wizard with a Gunis a delightful action-adventure isometric RPG that is enjoyable alone or in a group as you traverse an unknown magical wilderness full of loot, enemies, and arcane mysteries.
Despite looking like your average top-down isometric platformer,Wizard with a Gunplays like more than just a dungeon crawler. Rolling through the various quests to find a source of magic, fix ancient artefacts, and finally find that promised gun gave me a child-like joy as I marveled at the intricate weapons, structures, and vibrant colours. But the icing on the cake had to be my first encounter with The First Edition.
This mysterious book, presumablythe first of its kind, let me into all the secrets of this strange world. By pointing The First Edition at objects and scanning them, I was able to build a magical encyclopedia of the world around me. With this, I could craft new recipes and understand the strange lore of this land. I got to scan the mysterious gunslinger, Hilda, a steampunk research mechana, and even a smiling turnip.
The joy of understanding the seemingly complicated world I was dropped into immediately reminded me of one of ourbest survival games,Subnautica. Swimming around scanning every fish, coral, and rock I encountered may not have been vital for the game’s narrative progression, but it did wonders for world-building. It is in this way that The First Edition came into its own. By piecing together the puzzle of the ruins surrounding me, I began understanding how this world came to ruin and what I’ll have to do to bring it back from the brink.
The cartoonish animation of Wizard with a Gun is immediately captivating
At first glance, the top-down and 2D models are reminiscent of isometric RPGs likeDon’t StarveorHades, providing players with a spacious overlook of the action and puzzles ahead. But even though your character may run in the same uncanny way as the characters inDon’t Starve Together,Wizard with a Gunuses its own vibrant art style.
The cartoonish animation ofWizard with a Gunis immediately captivating; I’m talking screensaver material. While the background was slightly too dark at times, leaving me stumbling into one too many walls or bookcases, the ruined steampunk settings gave me more than enough to look at with old books piled high or archaic mossy ruins.
The craftable items were also beautiful to look at in an odd way. Each weapon and item was beautifully drawn with unique trappings, knicks, and details. The heavy blue furniture gun would clunkily shoot out crafting tables, among other essential tools, while the quick action magic revolver shot blazing red bullets full of arcana. But it’s not just about weapons; bright red fruits and mysterious glowing elixirs, among other fantastical items, should make your journey easier, if not more delightful.
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With this early demo,Wizard with a Gunwas incredibly well-polished in its animation, level progression, and enemy balancing. This isometric RPG is so exciting that there’s a good chance it could make its way onto ourbest RPGlist.
Elie is a Features Writer for TechRadar Gaming, here to write about anything new or slightly weird. Before writing for TRG, Elie studied for a Masters at Cardiff University JOMEC in International Journalism and Documentaries – spending their free time filming short docs or editing the gaming section for their student publications.
Elie’s first step into gaming was through Pokémon but they’ve taken the natural next step in the horror genre. Any and every game that would keep you up at night is on their list to play - despite the fact that one of Elie’s biggest fears is being chased.
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