When I got the opportunity to try out Episode 2 a few days ago, I was quite excited. I’m doing my best to remain impartial here, but I want to drive home the notion that Emberheart Games and Apogee are making a creative boomer shooter that’s grabbed my attention so well despite being in Early Access with a hint of lore but oozing with retro charm. Episode 2 adds some good backbone to Wizordum; I cannot wait to see where this game goes.
Chumps Preview is a special kind of post where we unofficially preview games in Early Access, Beta, or are otherwise “unfinished.” This kind of preview is meant to be a first impression rather than a definitive review where we provide a rating to determine a game’s value. As such, we fully expect a game covered in a Chumps Preview to have room for improvement, some bugginess/incompleteness, and other features associated with similar games in the category.
When I preview PC games in active development/Early Access, I keep them installed on my SSD so I can get Steam notifications whenever updates, however minor, make their way to the games. It also helps me keep track of games I preview to see how the game is evolving and the extent to which the game is changing based on other players’ feedback. This is why I love the Early Access system, folks – I get to see a minor glimpse behind the curtain and see how developers shape their creations.
On that note, I’m excited to share that Wizordum has a brand new content drop that releases…(checks notes)…NOW! Episode 2 is now available for those who’re along for the Early Access ride! I was fortunate to spend a few days with its new additions, and I’m quite pleased to see how the game is progressing. Let’s get to it.
If you haven’t yet read my initial perspective on Wizordum, I highly recommend that you do so before continuing on given that I am doing my best to avoid rehashing my previous comments. My initial impression of Wizordum was quite positive. I fawned over its evolving levels and spritework, praising it for playing well as a retro-inspired boomer shooter without being too difficult for younger/less-experienced players.
Episode 2 adds several new levels to the mix, all of which are gigantic and full of puzzles that make Wizordum one part boomer shooter and one part puzzle-solving. These new levels took me into a swamp, more dungeons, as well as a cool as hell battle on a warship full of undead zombies and goblins. On one level, I was able to ride a rat! AN ACTUAL RAT!
I remain impressed with Wizordum’s the level design. They’re incredibly creative and I appreciate how they surprise the player with their evolutions. My favorite level so far is Warship Rampage. The way in which Emberheart implemented a Warship feels alive given that ships crash into each other, creating new platforms and new hallways to discover. This level of creativity is something that very few Boomer shooters have, and it’s something where Wizordum shines.
One new weapon has been added to this update – the Storm Gauntlets. This weapon uses a new electric ammunition that can be picked up like the rest of the weapons’ ammunition. It works just as you think it would by shooting lightning out of your hands. It’s a nice touch that adds a new element to Wizordum to make it a full elemental circle of fire, ice, and now electricity. During my preview, it worked quite well in taking down large swathes of enemies without needing to reload or recharge.
If you’re already familiar with Wizordum’s initial weapons, you’ll be pleased to know that there are a set of alternative attacks for each weapon that can be unlocked in the Sorcerer’s Shop (more on that in a moment). For instance, the Pyroblast can alternatively send out a floating orb that acts as a turret, attaching to any enemies that come near and dealing continuous fire damage to them.
The new alternative attacks and Storm Gauntlets are a welcome addition to Wizordum because they give the player a wealth of new tools to use in-game. The alternative attacks add depth to the weapons and encouraged me to be creative with how I utilized my ammunition rather than spend it willy nilly. My only concern about these new attacks is that I now wish that there was a space for the player to test out these weapons with unlimited ammo so I can identify potential use cases without concern for running out of ammo to keep myself alive as I proceed through each level. Even if there was a “home base” of sorts where the main character can visit in between levels, it would be great to utilize a firing range/training dummy.
The other major addition to Episode 2 is the Sorcerer’s Shop. Currently, finishing a level takes me to a new screen where I can spend the currency I’ve acquired thus far from slaying weapons and uncovering secrets on the weapons’ alternative attacks!
It looks like Emberheart Games has put additional thought into Wizordum’s UI and baseline progression systems, both of which are incredibly good signs for a game in Early Access. 30XX did something similar, as did BlazBlue Entropy Effect, and both of those games turned out to feel good even when losing (because…you know, they were roguelites). Wizordum’s implementation of incremental updates via the Sorcerer’s Shop might feel light for now, but the fact that I can choose to level my favorite weapons and do something with the massive amount of currency obtained from discovering secrets is excellent. It gives me a purpose to seek out secrets and spend some time mucking around in Wizordum’s gigantic yet delightfully crafted levels.
As Wizordum has evolved, there’s one aspect that has given me pause. It’s less of an issue for experienced players and more of something for newer players, specifically those with little background in the grueling, often information-less early days of boomer shooters. Wizordum’s levels are gigantic – I’ve mentioned this several times in my previews. In my first preview, I noted that some of the secrets are hidden quite well, almost to its detriment. When I was navigating the newer levels, there were moments where I was unsure where to go and/or what my objectives were in order to proceed. I don’t feel like Wizordum should be “dumbed down” to the point where the game holds my hand from start to finish, but it may be beneficial for some things to stick out in a more obvious fashion to give the player a better idea as to what to activate, where to go, and so forth. Some levels are pretty straightforward, but others are…well, you’ll see. There’s huge!
When I got the opportunity to try out Episode 2 a few days ago, I was quite excited. I’m doing my best to remain impartial here, but I want to drive home the notion that Emberheart Games and Apogee are making a creative boomer shooter that’s grabbed my attention so well despite being in Early Access with a hint of lore but oozing with retro charm. Episode 2 adds some good backbone to Wizordum; I cannot wait to see where this game goes.
