While there have been a lot of classic FPS titles coming out in the past decade, the usual expectation of them is that the title will take Doom or Quake or Duke Nukem 3D as a reference point and then evolve the ideas from there. Wizordum does things differently. For one, its main gameplay and level design reference point seems to be something more along the lines of Wolfenstein 3D and Rise of the Triads, so gameplay area is far more “flat” than what Doom introduced with stairs and elevators. For another – instead of looking and sounding like a typical classic FPS, it instead goes for epic fantasy atmosphere. So, think less Hexen and more Might and Magic VI. Which is probably the main reason I decided to stick with the game til the end, because as an FPS title, it isn’t particularly exciting.
Gunplay and fun action is what people usually think of, when thinking of classic FPS titles. There are more components that make a game of this type good, of course. Replaying the original Doom recently reminded me of just how good a lot of the levels are to explore, how varied the encounters are and how smart the pacing of most of the game is. But if the guns feel bad in a game where most of your interactions are shooting the gun, it does sour the overall experience. So to get it out of the way – similarly to how Wolfenstein 3D nowadays feels rather bland with its weapons and enemies, Wizordum isn’t very exciting or surprising. There’s precisely one interesting weapon here – a wand that freezes enemies that can be shattered afterwards, while the rest are either boring or just not very effective. The enemy variety is here, but functionally most of the enemies aren’t very fun and with later levels they tend to become more frustrating then challenging or interesting.
I have to say that the idea to make this classic FPS feel almost like an action RPG is interesting in concept. You get two playable classes, each of whom has access to four spells you unlock as you play and one super spell. And the rest of the normal spells and also other magic potions and abilities are found in levels as usable items you can carry around and use when needed. And one of the big goals in levels involves gathering treasures, which ties with a shop where you can buy upgrades. But in practice, this feels rather superficial. Apart from spots where you’re basically required to use an item to avoid taking damage (usually for secret hunting), you barely ever need to use them. Or spells. Which aren’t that useful anyway, if I’m honest. So in the end, all of these systems simply overcomplicate the flow.
So if that’s the case, are levels fun to explore? Most of them are, actually! Because the game focuses on telling an epic story, your journey takes you through extremely varied locales, some of which are very open unlike the typical cramped corridors of a Wolfenstein 3D-era game. And most of them also tell an interesting story of their own, with ravaged towns, dangerous forests, haunted manors and evil castles that are far more narratively interesting than the narrative of the game itself. Same goes for the soundtrack that goes incredibly hard with its epic fantasy orchestral music, which could easily feel at home in an Infinity Engine game or The Elder Scrolls title. Granted, sometimes it goes too hard and its relentless orchestration starts to become frustrating as you’re running around the level for over an hour searching for more secrets. But the music is fantastic, nonetheless.
Would you enjoy this experience or not, probably, would depend mainly on the desire to explore these classic FPS levels, rather than to rip and tear. There are poorly placed secrets and poorly designed levels, but they are a minority so exploration is mostly fun. But is it fun enough to last up to 20 hours of very same-feeling combat? I’m not sure. The game has a demo, so it’s definitely worth checking out and the soundtrack, whenever it becomes available, is worth listening. The game itself, though? Check the demo, see if it doesn’t feel boring and imagine precisely that happening over many more (varied and cool looking) levels, and consider if that’s something you want to play.