A thrilling new 2.5D Action RPG set in the dark and forgotten Kingdom of Entropy.
Mandragora is the new dark fantasy action RPG video game developed by Primal Game Studio.
It’s a grim and dark adventure set in the perilous lands of Entropy, a now-forgotten and declining realm where mankind has been defeated and overwhelmed by hordes of cruel monsters.
With the incredible success of the Kickstarter Campaign, the project has been discovered and welcomed with great enthusiasm and interest by thousands of players, thanks to a stunning art design and the development of a gameplay and combat system that appears varied, deep, and compelling!
Mandragora will be available in 2023 on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch. The development team will consider including older generation consoles in this list in the future.
Let’s learn more about the new Primal Game Studio project and the key mechanics and features that make it such an appealing and palatable video game!
The awakening of darkness
Mandragora‘s narrative sector comes to life from a bygone era. A fallen world oppressed by a corruption that has become uncontrollable.
Humanity is hopeless. While the people of Faelduum hide in fear behind the rulers’ towering brick walls and barricades of ignorance, darkness reigns supreme, increasing its enormous power day by day.
It’s time for a brave hero to face his fate and collect the legendary Witch Lantern in order to cross the impenetrable border and enter the dark kingdom of Entropy.
We will also need to upgrade the Witch Lantern in order to survive. We’ll need to track down the mandrake root, a rare and coveted material with mysterious ties to Entropy.
Once obtained, we will have access to the Lantern’s Talent Tree, where we will be able to learn talents that will aid us in the kingdom of Entropy, such as the ability to recover precious seconds by killing enemies, gain bonus damage, or move faster when our vital aura begins to dwindle.
And it is with these assumptions that our journey through this damned and corrupt kingdom will begin. An intriguing and mysterious story in which players will have to explore ominous environments, collide with hideous creatures, and interact with various NPCs.
In Mandragora we will have a wide range of choices and be able to shape our own destiny. Every great story deserves an happy ending, or does it? And which one will you select?
A light in the darkness
Mandragora is essentially a 2.5D horizontal scrolling Action RPG with some Metroidvania and Soulslike mechanics and elements.
Players will be able to explore vast environments, take different paths, and discover intriguing secrets. An exploratory component that promises to be interesting and fun, thanks to the development of a game world that is constantly interconnected.
Primal Game Studio also wanted to focus a significant portion of its efforts on character development, which is regarded as one of the most important and rewarding aspects of classic RPGs.
Character development in Mandragora consists of several different interconnected layers that form a rich and complex system.
With each new game, you will be prompted to select one of six starting classes, which differ not only in appearance but also in unique characteristics, strengths, and abilities.
Each class and skill set will determine our characteristics and our approach in battle. We can arm ourselves to the teeth and devastate the enemy with powerful attacks, or we can move away and attack them with dark spells.
During our adventures, we will also have the honor of meeting seven skilled artisans, who will be able to join our caravan and accompany us on our journey. They can also level up when you craft items, consumables or spells with them.
Repel the corruption
Mandragora is open to players looking for a challenging, difficult, and inspiring challenge.
The game features a complex combat system with elements typical of the Soulslike genre that constantly puts our skills to the test.
During our journey, we will have to face over 60 enemies, 10 deadly bosses and 5 mini bosses. They range from simple zombies and mindless ghouls to enemies with more complex and challenging skill sets and moves, such as the Grim Caretaker or the Vampire of Braer Island.
Once they have slaughtered and killed us over and over again, It won’t be difficult to get the better of them and defeat them once and for all.
Once defeated, the enemies will drop the Essence, which can be used to level up our character, learn new active and passive abilities, or upgrade the Witch Lantern.
We’ll also need to learn about and master status effects. These are some malus that can be caused by attacks, abilities, or spells. Their application chance can be increased by talents and items.
We might be able to make the enemy bleed, burn, or even poison him. It will be our responsibility to determine and comprehend what effects to unleash and how to weaken our opponents. As previously stated, the options for achieving our goal are virtually limitless.
Our protagonist suffers from status effects as well. To avoid suffering additional damage, we must constantly monitor our percentage of resistance to the various effects.
As we progress through the game, we will gain access to the Talent Tree, where we can spend talent points on basic attributes, such as knowledge, strength or endurance, as well as on unique talents, which can increase our power, give us new ways to fight, or even change our playstyle completely.
The origins of Mandragora
A story born in nature, in a boundless and suggestive land that strongly inspired the project’s two creatives during a trip to Ireland in 2016.
A team of over 25 developers from all over the world that is still working hard to perfect the basic idea and create something that is currently being defined and formed under the name Mandragora.
A project that draws inspiration from an in-depth and meticulous study of video games, taking cues from great classics such as Castlevania for the exploratory component, Dark Souls for the combat system, and Ori and the Will of the Wisps for its strong artistic impact.
Taking inspiration from all of this, Primal Game Studio set out to create a project that was as consistent as it was coherent, with the development of a combat system similar to the Soulslike genre, but with a sleek Metroidvania-style exploration.
A decision I appreciate and hope will make Mandragora a rewarding and unforgettable experience.
The Lantern of Hope
If a good beginning bodes well, the new Primal Game Studio project promises fire and flames!
Mandragora is a complex and multifaceted video game that aims to be daring from a playful standpoint, while also providing an extremely interesting and inviting art and character design.
While we wait to discover and experience this multifaceted adventure, we have to continue to support the development team and and keep our excitement to a minimum.
Will we be able to confront the dark presences that inhabit Entropy‘s lands? Only time will provide us with the answers we seek!
