Willow Guard

The first day of my adventures in Willow Guard created a false sense of security. After I died quite a lot during the tutorial level, I survived all of the battles at the start of my journey with ease. But more than that, combat felt a little… basic. Yes, this is an RPG that introduces some deckbuilding by using cards that you can use while fighting in real time, but I’ve played other games that mesh different genres together that add a little more complexity to things… However, I was foolish to doubt the devs at MiTale, as from day two onwards, I was dying over and over again! Because yes, this game is difficult. Not on a soulslike level—which is fortunate, because I am unable to play those games—but if you’re not looking for a challenge, this game might not be for you. That being said, there is a demo still available, so if you’re of two minds on this one, give that a try, as the game that hides beneath all the difficult battles is one very much worth your time.

You play as Ghweros, who is part of the titular Willow Guard. These guardians act in a similar way to the Roadwardens from Moral Anxiety Studio’s game or the Witchers from Andrzej Sapkowski’s universe. There’s more than a hint of Geralt about Ghweros, but in more of a loving tribute rather than just copying CD Projekt Red’s homework. I could even relate to Ghweros—who is an anthropomorphic badger by the way—myself, as his lack of social skills is an attribute I very much share.

Sadly for our hero, his solitude is very much disturbed when he has to investigate a remote village close to the northern Hinterlands, as it has been the subject of a series of monster attacks. This investigation unfolds through three very different gameplay elements: you have your dungeons to explore, where you’ll mostly be fighting monsters or collecting items you need for your quest; you will use point-and-click mechanics to investigate your surroundings, using your focus to unlock new parts of the story; and you will talk to a lot of other animals, all of whom have their own backstories and motivations.

Willow Guard doesn’t just test your combat prowess; its story and how it continues depend a lot on the choices you make as well. Whether it’s deciding what to spend your focus on (you get focus points after each rest and sometimes as a reward after combat as well) while investigating a place or the dialogue options you choose, everything will influence how your tale will end, and there are many mysteries and story threads to unravel. The developers truly went above and beyond to create a world that feels truly inhabited. There is a history to the world of Woikos, with gods who have disappeared, forefathers who have died, and a world that follows its own set of rules. If you played The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt mostly because you loved exploring its world, then Woikos definitely is another place you’ll want to visit.

While dialogue happens in a visual novel kind of fashion and investigation uses point-and-click mechanics, combat depends on a good old hack-n-slash basis, which, as mentioned before, can feel a bit basic at the start of the game. Luckily, this improves as your character grows and evolves. And obviously, the cards you use in combat will greatly influence your tactics as well. During combat, every once in a while you’ll get a prompt to draw from your deck. Each time, you’ll have to choose one of two cards, which you’ll attach to one of the buttons on your controller. These cards can range from more attacking power to healing items to temporary invincibility and beyond. You start the game with a basic deck, but as you play, you can choose to add cards to the deck or transform cards you already own.

Now, I understand that it might seem like there are quite a few systems to have to learn, but rest assured, the game balances them out really well. You never feel overwhelmed by the amount of new things you’re facing, with each and every mechanic being explained at the right time and without rush. It’s a bit of an investment, but if you’re willing to give the game some effort, you really get a standout story in return.

The big highlight of the story for me, or how you influence it anyway, is the inclinations system. During the game, you’ll often have options whether to act strictly according to your creed, to show empathy, to act on instinct, or to showcase your neuroticism. These four options will really showcase what kind of Willowguard you grow out to be, which in turn influences how you handle the events of the game. It’s a really fun feature, and it feels far less black and white than many of the morality systems you find in other games.

Now, maybe you’re not all that interested in a great fantasy story. Maybe you just want to battle monsters. Then you are in luck, as the game also has Dungeon Run mode that simply focuses on combat. I’m a little unsure if that really is the best way to experience this game, as despite the combat being interesting, it was my least favourite thing about Willow Guard. But that might just be a question of personal taste, as I am just always up for a great story and intriguing conversations.