These days, a roguelite really needs to go the extra mile to stand out from the competition – and I’d say the same is probably true with VR games as a whole. They need something special to show off, which will hopefully end up both attracting consumers and make the game feel fresh.

In the case of Wizard’s Legacy, they’ve opted for magical spells: specifically ones you are forced to cast in interesting ways to take out your foes. The intention was not only to add to the overall challenge, but to help with that sense of immersion that most virtual reality games crave.

Many thanks to the publisher for the review code.

YOU’RE A WIZARD, PAPPY!
The story revolves around an unnamed father trying to save his sick child by making a dark pact will transform him into a powerful wizard, but at the cost of having to eternally roam around the cursed labyrinths until he finds the power needed to cure his son. It’s a pretty minimal narrative setup that never really develops all that much over the course of the game, but at least they add some little touches such as including a little tent in the hub area where your son lies waiting for you.

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As mentioned in the introduction, the unique selling point of Wizard’s Legacy lies in the spellcasting system which has to be done by physically drawing shapes in the air. Basic attacks tend to be just swipes and loops, but others may require more complex movements or drawn shapes. It’s very rewarding to do, and helps to give some extra weight to your spells. When the game first launched, I certainly had issues with the game’s tracking which caused many spells not to work; however, a post-launch patch seems to have solved that problem almost entirely. Sure, there are still occasions where the game might not work, but it doesn’t happen anywhere near often enough to matter all that much.

Before starting a run, you’ll be able to choose from one of three basic elemental spells: Fire, Frost, or Lightning. These runes can be affixed to your right gauntlet, and examining them will show you the movement needed to cast it and increase its power. During your run, you’ll also acquire additional utility and ultimate spells to cast, potions to absorb, and passive upgrades as rewards for beating each room. There’s a nice selection available to choose from, and they really make you feel like you’re getting stronger. My personal favourite was an upgrade that caused substantial poison damage to enemies in a close radius, as this allowed me to make short work of large enemy hordes that tend to get up close and personal.

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Unfortunately though, it’s these enemies that let the game down a bit. Whilst the environments and spells look decent enough, the character models range from passable to downright ugly. This is made worse by the enemy’s atrocious AI that causes them to home in on your current position with no strategy whatsoever. Even ranged enemies will simply run towards you and very occasionally fire off a projectile. This lack of AI means that you’ll end up constantly  running backwards in circles around the map casting spells until everyone is dead. It turns what should have been a fun magical roguelite romp into something that inevitably ends up being tedious by the time you’ve finished your run.

Bosses are a substantial improvement, however, as these foes not only look significantly better but have set attack patterns for you to avoid. These are where the game’s mechanics truly shine, and show off what the game could have been had they focused on well-designed enemies instead of just a horde. I think fewer enemies but with more complex AI would have resulted in tough encounters that feel fun to fight, rather than simply running around in circles ad infinitum.

But, the game is still in early access and there’s definitely a solid foundation here in Wizard’s Legacy. I like the general gameplay loop and the spellcasting, and there’s even a decent level of micro-progression after failed runs via the hub area’s shop. However, the game is certainly rough around the edges and the poor enemy AI makes the game not as enjoyable as it could have been. All being well the game will end up getting improved upon in the coming months, and make this the great game it deserves to be!

VERDICT
The spellcasting in Wizard’s Legacy is a lot of fun to use, although it’s undermined by rather poor enemy AI. Rather than feeling like a wizard smiting undead warriors, it ends up feeling like a fantasy version of Benny Hill as you fend off the mob that’s chasing you around in circles. There’s a lot of potential here for an early access game though, and I really hope that Wide Game Studio manages to live up to that potential.