Never Grave: The Witch and the Curse

Never Grave: The Witch and the Curse is a good mix of things that are familiar and things that are new. It gets the basics of Metroidvania and roguelike design right, adds some really original ideas, and wraps it all up in a visually and mechanically appealing package.

Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse is a roguelike that does well with strange notions. The sentient hat mechanism alone makes Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse stand apart from other games in the same genre. The ability to possess enemies also adds a new level of creativity to both battle and exploration.

There really was a lot that I liked about Never Grave: The Witch and the Curse, but the repetitive nature and over-emphasis on grinding really hold it back. The core combat is silky smooth, the possession mechanics are good fun, and the art direction is absolutely top-tier, but the artificial roadblocks, repetitive grinding, and lack of narrative really hold it back. It can be a rewarding experience if you have the patience for it, but if I’m being honest, there are better roguelikes out there that respect your time more. Here’s hoping a patch or two can improve the game in the future, because Never Grave: The Witch and the Curse really has a lot going for it… it’s just not quite there yet.

Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse is a gorgeous-looking roguelike that presents some fun gameplay elements over different stunning backdrops and challenging platforming locations. Some of its elements, like the possession system, are fun, but the devs needed to put more time into making other gameplay elements work and flow throughout. It leaves Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse as a mixed bag, but it’s a fun experience if you don’t care too much about clunky basebuilding or rich environmental lore.

After Palworld, Pocketpair once again demonstrates its willingness to experiment with varied mechanics. Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse blends multiple gameplay ideas into an experience that remains surprisingly solid overall. While the breadth of its systems does lead to some compromises in depth, it is still a game worth spending time with.

Releasing just today, Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse is new to the scene and comes with lots of witchy charm. Developed by Frontside 180 and Published by Pocketpair Inc., Never Grave is a Metroidvania x roguelite platformer set in a fantastical world where a curse has wiped out a nearby village. You, a cursed hat (yes, a hat) must utilise possession and magic to destroy your enemies and re-build the village. So, that cute anime girl in the header? Yeah, you're the hat. Despite my complete lack of skill holding me back, I was thoroughly enchanted with Never Grave and cannot wait to fully complete this game. Is Never Grave for you? Read along to find out.

Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse is one of my new favourite 2D action games thanks to its clever combination of gameplay structures, consistently rewarding sense of progression, variety of enemies and skills, and gorgeous presentation that ties it all together. 🎩

A roguelike Metroidvania about a witch and a magical hat, Never Grave is beautiful to look at and a joy to play thanks to silky-smooth combat and traversal. It's just a shame that making progress can feel too much like an uphill battle.

Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse expertly combines Metroidvania gameplay with a roguelike loop, and presents it all with gorgeous art and beautiful music. While the game can bottleneck your runs by forcing you to return to the hub earlier than you might want to, it still features a fun progression system, solid combat, and good platforming mechanics.

NeverGrave: The Witch and the Curse has highs and lows of its own, but Dead Cells is unmistakably in its DNA. From the parasitic true protagonist inhabiting bodies to the dramatic door slams after each clear, fans of one will recognize the appeal of the other. Still, NeverGrave falls short in audio and storytelling, even as its original ideas help keep things feeling fresh, but a mere copy, it is not.