Wizordum Review – A New Pixel Experience in Excellence

Vizordum Review

The dark, corrupting forces of chaos have entered the realm of Terrabruma. Mages from all over the country fought to protect people from imminent destruction. Now it's your turn to join the fight. This Wisdom.

Wizordum is a retro-themed fantasy first-person shooter game developed by Emberheart Games. Although it can easily be compared to games like DOOM or Hexen or more recent games. Project Warlock – Vizordum has its own special feeling.

Wizordum – a fresh take on dynamic pixel first-person shooters

Your goal as a mage in the world of Terrabruma is simple: to hunt down and destroy the source of Chaos. Like other fast-paced first-person shooters, Wizordum provides a narrative to guide you through each level. While there is some sort of story in the game, that's not what brings players to a game like this. Wizordum's appeal comes from its presentation and gameplay execution. These are the areas where the game really excels.

Within the first few minutes of playing, you'll immediately notice the Wizordum aesthetic. Even as darker chaos rages across the kingdom, Vizordum doesn't stray from bright colors. Trapped in a walled city that is set on fire by goblin raids, bright colors are still used. This simple change from the norm already sets Wizordum apart from its contemporaries. The game takes the familiar 90s pixel art style but finds a way to keep it fresh and interesting.

I was truly surprised by the scope of level design in Wizordum. As you progress through the chapter, each stage becomes significantly larger. There is so much to explore at each stage that it is truly worth exploring. The level design is intuitive and well thought out. The map is easy to move around and allows you to explore the area while looking at it. Wizordum also uses engaging yet subtle visual storytelling. Finding collectible lore scrolls not only reveals nearby secrets, but also provides a well-written but brief backstory to current events.

Each weapon is unique and useful in Wizordum

Vizordum's weapon selection may be limited by today's standards, but its variety is impressive. Each weapon performs a specific function and allows you to use a variety of tactics in any situation. At first I didn't think I would like Frostweave. This quickly became the basis of my strategy. Each weapon can be upgraded once, revealing a new dimension to its abilities and further enhancing your gameplay. Ammunition for each weapon appears steadily. If you prefer one weapon over another, you may want to switch to another for a few minutes before finding enough ammo for your favorite. I felt like I had to be a little conservative with my shots, but I was never worried about finding more ammo anytime soon.

Like any classic first-person shooter, Wizordum has many secrets hidden within it. I was expecting the usual “press search here” or the classic “break the cracked wall here”, but the puzzles presented more and more fun challenges. By lighting candles that I didn't know about, you can interact. Hidden buttons in roof windows. Each stage has a hidden map that will lead you to the level's secrets, but some of them proved too difficult for my “I'm here to shoot” brain. Some stages, while beautifully designed and fun to explore, contain additional puzzles to unlock a bonus level and gain more treasure. They don't show up on the map, so you'll have to explore every nook and cranny. These triggers can be hidden at very specific angles. I spent way more time than I care to admit trying to solve some of them and came up empty handed.

Puzzles range from breaking walls to finding hidden switches.

I'm happy to spend this time exploring and trying to solve the puzzle to get that generous reward, but for some reason Wizordum includes a time trial at the end of each stage. These time trials involve attempting to complete a stage in just a few minutes. This is great for speed runners, but I can't imagine that a stage that took me over half an hour to complete could be completed in less than four minutes. This is not detrimental to gameplay; It's just not a feature for me. Despite the fast-paced action, Wizordum offers plenty of reasons to explore and take your time. The inclusion of a time trial seems counterintuitive compared to what it offers the player.

It's also worth noting how fitting the soundtrack is for Wizordum. Emberheart Games didn't just find music that went well with the game, they created something that complemented the gameplay. The soundtrack not only confirms the fast-paced nature of the game and gets the blood pumping, but it still feels rooted in the setting. It adds a frenetic character in a not-so-subtle way and is arguably just as important and effective as a pop of color in telling a story.

Wizordum is a refreshing pixelated first-person shooter game. It pays homage to legendary games while offering unique, subtle features that make it feel new. The gameplay is familiar, fast and fun. Its presentation is stunning, and the visual storytelling coupled with plenty of puzzles keeps you engaged throughout the game. Wizordum is a nostalgic throwback that still feels new and fun to play. It's a great step into high fantasy while staying true to its inspiration.

Wizordum is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and Steam. For more information, check out the game official website.

***PS5 code provided by publisher***