Into the woods and out of your depth
By Paul Hunter
In Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree, the world is decaying, and hope feels like a luxury out of reach. Developed by Primal Game Studio and published by Knights Peak Interactive, this 2.5D side-scrolling action RPG drops you into a grim fantasy setting where humanity clings to survival. After the powerful destructive force Entrophy spirals out of control, darkness spreads across the land, twisting nature and infecting everything in its path. You're not here to reclaim the world—you’re here to save it before the Entrophy consumes all.
Drawing from soulslike structure and Metroidvania design, Mandragora challenges you to master combat governed by stamina, thoughtful exploration, and an interconnected world full of secrets. You'll carve through grotesque creatures, collect resources, and slowly shape your character using a mix of classes and gear found through continuous discovery. It’s a deliberate, methodical experience, where each boss battle demands perseverance and each victory feels earned.
While the game has a set story, your interactions with NPCs adds layers to the narrative. Each character has personal motivations, and how you respond to them can personalize your journey, offering more context and emotional gravitas to your quest.
Each action sequence in Mandragora carries a certain weight, with the game rarely holding your hand. Its slow-burn approach keeps you invested, offering a more deliberate pace that stands out in the crowded Metroidvania genre. Let's dive deeper and explore all the Mandragora has to offer!
In Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree, you begin in the outskirts of Faelduum, a battered world that clings to life as the world decays around it. The game doesn’t overwhelm you with long-winded exposition, instead, you piece together the plights of this world through pieces of lore, conversations with NPCs, and discovery. This slow reveal works well, especially in a setting so mysterious as this.
As you journey deeper into the Hollow, each area hints at the past—villages reclaimed by nature, shrines overgrown with fungus, and old letters tucked behind ruined doors. None of it feels forced. You come across stories of people trying to protect what little remained, or falling apart when they couldn’t. It’s all presented without drama and the tone stays grounded and somber.
Your character’s motivation isn’t spelled out early. That choice gives you space to connect the dots yourself. Eventually, the main threat comes into focus, but even then, things stay morally grey. There’s no single villain or easy answer. Just consequences, and the ruins they leave behind.
Combat in Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree demands patience and timing. Enemies hit hard, and healing takes time. You can’t button-mash your way through fights. You need to study patterns, react quickly, and commit to each move. The weight of each weapon matters. Heavier arms hit harder but leave you open. Lighter weapons allow faster responses, but deal less damage. A missed parry often meant a quick death during my first trek into the swamplands. After that, I took fights more seriously.
The game doesn’t mark every path. You find hidden areas by paying attention—strange rock formations, broken walls, or trees that seem just a little out of place. There’s a quiet rhythm to exploration. Each zone is wide, but never overwhelming. In classic Metroidvania form, you return to old places with new abilities and spot routes you missed before. There are no waypoints or guiding lines, so you learn to read the world itself.
Building your character feels flexible but deliberate. There are six full skill trees you can choose from, giving you a ton of flexibility to build your dream character? A warrior fire mage hybrid? Check. A poison assassin void magic user hybrid? Check. Mandragora one of the most robust skill tree system I've ever seen in a game before. You spend Essence to gain levels and acquire Talent points, then you spend these points on skill trees to upgrade core stats like Strength, Vigor, or Spirit, or points can be used to unlock powerful new abilities. Equipment choices, skill upgrades, and perks shape how you fight. One build might focus on heavy armour and punishing melee combos, while another might rely on speed and ranged attacks. You can't master everything, which makes each decision matter.
Crafting and vendors serve more than just upkeep. Throughout the world you'll meet characters that will agree to meet you back at your camp. From a cook to a jewellery vendor to a blacksmith, your camp crew will get bigger and bigger, unlocking more opportunities to craft powerful items and steel up for the battles ahead. At camp, you forge this gear using resources you scavenge across Faelduum. Each weapon or armour set has its own traits and benefits. Vendors carry specific items based on their specialties, helping you out in different ways. One merchant I rescued from a crumbled fort stocked rare weapon upgrade gems I couldn’t get anywhere else. You can also enhance items with materials, giving your gear just enough of an edge to survive tougher zones.
The camp is your anchor. It’s where you rest, craft, and speak to companions. These moments let you catch your breath between long treks and brutal fights.
The world of Mandragora stands out with its sombre palette and thick, hand-painted textures. It fantasy-inspired visuals builds an atmosphere that feels heavy and worn. Buildings lean with age. Trees twist unnaturally. Light filters through fog and cracked windows in uneven patches. Everything looks slightly off, but intentionally so. Faelduum isn’t a place of safety, and the visuals never let you forget that.
Each region offers distinct scenery, from decaying farmlands to fungal caves glowing with faint green spores. Enemies fit the surroundings. One swamp area I visited had creatures with bloated limbs and leaking sacks on their backs, matching the diseased trees around them. Animations are smooth, with enemies lurching, crawling, or diving in ways that make them unsettling even before they strike.
The music stays low and subtle for most of the game. You’ll hear distant whispers, dull strings, and the occasional sharp note when danger rises. Sound effects take the lead—your footsteps shift depending on terrain, and weapons clink, crunch, or thud with weight behind them. Voices are sparse, but when characters speak, their tone carries meaning, even if their words remain vague.
Technically, the game runs well. Load times are short, and I didn’t notice any frame drops, even during large fights. Text and menus are clear and easy to navigate. One minor issue I had was a quest marker not disappearing after completion, but it didn’t break anything, and eventually it dropped off.
Final Score: 8/10 - Great
Developer: Primal Game Studio
Publisher: Knights Peak Interactive
Genre: Metroidvania, Soulslike
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.
By Paul Hunter
In Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree, the world is decaying, and hope feels like a luxury out of reach. Developed by Primal Game Studio and published by Knights Peak Interactive, this 2.5D side-scrolling action RPG drops you into a grim fantasy setting where humanity clings to survival. After the powerful destructive force Entrophy spirals out of control, darkness spreads across the land, twisting nature and infecting everything in its path. You're not here to reclaim the world—you’re here to save it before the Entrophy consumes all.
Drawing from soulslike structure and Metroidvania design, Mandragora challenges you to master combat governed by stamina, thoughtful exploration, and an interconnected world full of secrets. You'll carve through grotesque creatures, collect resources, and slowly shape your character using a mix of classes and gear found through continuous discovery. It’s a deliberate, methodical experience, where each boss battle demands perseverance and each victory feels earned.
While the game has a set story, your interactions with NPCs adds layers to the narrative. Each character has personal motivations, and how you respond to them can personalize your journey, offering more context and emotional gravitas to your quest.
Each action sequence in Mandragora carries a certain weight, with the game rarely holding your hand. Its slow-burn approach keeps you invested, offering a more deliberate pace that stands out in the crowded Metroidvania genre. Let's dive deeper and explore all the Mandragora has to offer!
In Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree, you begin in the outskirts of Faelduum, a battered world that clings to life as the world decays around it. The game doesn’t overwhelm you with long-winded exposition, instead, you piece together the plights of this world through pieces of lore, conversations with NPCs, and discovery. This slow reveal works well, especially in a setting so mysterious as this.
As you journey deeper into the Hollow, each area hints at the past—villages reclaimed by nature, shrines overgrown with fungus, and old letters tucked behind ruined doors. None of it feels forced. You come across stories of people trying to protect what little remained, or falling apart when they couldn’t. It’s all presented without drama and the tone stays grounded and somber.
Your character’s motivation isn’t spelled out early. That choice gives you space to connect the dots yourself. Eventually, the main threat comes into focus, but even then, things stay morally grey. There’s no single villain or easy answer. Just consequences, and the ruins they leave behind.
Combat in Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree demands patience and timing. Enemies hit hard, and healing takes time. You can’t button-mash your way through fights. You need to study patterns, react quickly, and commit to each move. The weight of each weapon matters. Heavier arms hit harder but leave you open. Lighter weapons allow faster responses, but deal less damage. A missed parry often meant a quick death during my first trek into the swamplands. After that, I took fights more seriously.
The game doesn’t mark every path. You find hidden areas by paying attention—strange rock formations, broken walls, or trees that seem just a little out of place. There’s a quiet rhythm to exploration. Each zone is wide, but never overwhelming. In classic Metroidvania form, you return to old places with new abilities and spot routes you missed before. There are no waypoints or guiding lines, so you learn to read the world itself.
Building your character feels flexible but deliberate. There are six full skill trees you can choose from, giving you a ton of flexibility to build your dream character? A warrior fire mage hybrid? Check. A poison assassin void magic user hybrid? Check. Mandragora one of the most robust skill tree system I've ever seen in a game before. You spend Essence to gain levels and acquire Talent points, then you spend these points on skill trees to upgrade core stats like Strength, Vigor, or Spirit, or points can be used to unlock powerful new abilities. Equipment choices, skill upgrades, and perks shape how you fight. One build might focus on heavy armour and punishing melee combos, while another might rely on speed and ranged attacks. You can't master everything, which makes each decision matter.
Crafting and vendors serve more than just upkeep. Throughout the world you'll meet characters that will agree to meet you back at your camp. From a cook to a jewellery vendor to a blacksmith, your camp crew will get bigger and bigger, unlocking more opportunities to craft powerful items and steel up for the battles ahead. At camp, you forge this gear using resources you scavenge across Faelduum. Each weapon or armour set has its own traits and benefits. Vendors carry specific items based on their specialties, helping you out in different ways. One merchant I rescued from a crumbled fort stocked rare weapon upgrade gems I couldn’t get anywhere else. You can also enhance items with materials, giving your gear just enough of an edge to survive tougher zones.
The camp is your anchor. It’s where you rest, craft, and speak to companions. These moments let you catch your breath between long treks and brutal fights.
The world of Mandragora stands out with its sombre palette and thick, hand-painted textures. It fantasy-inspired visuals builds an atmosphere that feels heavy and worn. Buildings lean with age. Trees twist unnaturally. Light filters through fog and cracked windows in uneven patches. Everything looks slightly off, but intentionally so. Faelduum isn’t a place of safety, and the visuals never let you forget that.
Each region offers distinct scenery, from decaying farmlands to fungal caves glowing with faint green spores. Enemies fit the surroundings. One swamp area I visited had creatures with bloated limbs and leaking sacks on their backs, matching the diseased trees around them. Animations are smooth, with enemies lurching, crawling, or diving in ways that make them unsettling even before they strike.
The music stays low and subtle for most of the game. You’ll hear distant whispers, dull strings, and the occasional sharp note when danger rises. Sound effects take the lead—your footsteps shift depending on terrain, and weapons clink, crunch, or thud with weight behind them. Voices are sparse, but when characters speak, their tone carries meaning, even if their words remain vague.
Technically, the game runs well. Load times are short, and I didn’t notice any frame drops, even during large fights. Text and menus are clear and easy to navigate. One minor issue I had was a quest marker not disappearing after completion, but it didn’t break anything, and eventually it dropped off.
The Verdict
Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree offers a dark fantasy world that demands patience and persistence. Its story unfolds slowly through cryptic dialogue and scattered lore, encouraging curiosity over hand-holding. Combat is tough but fair, with responsive controls and meaningful character progression. Crafting, vendors, and camps give structure to exploration without breaking tension. The visual design embraces atmosphere over polish, and the sound work reinforces the game's mood. It sticks confidently to its vision, rewarding those who enjoy piecing things together in a world that rarely offers comfort.Final Score: 8/10 - Great
Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree details
Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PCDeveloper: Primal Game Studio
Publisher: Knights Peak Interactive
Genre: Metroidvania, Soulslike
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.