Folly Of The Wizards

Fun 2D comedic roguelite on Nintendo Switch

Colorful, and even quite attractive visually, but its roguelike action simply lacks the refinement of its competition

Folly of the Wizards looks like a beautiful and competent roguelike at first glance. The first couple of playthroughs promise a fun title that will offer hours of entertainment and surprises to come. However, after a few hours, none of those promises feel fulfilled; rather, it gives the feeling that players have spent hours with a demo or early access for an okay roguelike instead of a full game. Bugs, poor descriptions of items, and menus that feel unfinished are all that are to be found under the pretty cover, and it feels like folly to have ever expected anything else. Even for fans of the genre, this is an easy pass.

Folly of the Wizards is not a game for everyone. Casual players will likely bounce off the steep difficulty curve, and there aren’t really any accessibility features to ease new players in. But for hardened roguelike fans who thrive on trial and error, this game has a lot to offer. Its quirky humour, challenging gameplay, and moral-choice system give it a unique flavour in a crowded genre. It won’t win everyone over straight away, but for the patient and persistent, it can become oddly addictive. Its spell certainly worked for me.