The Deadly Path
The Deadly Path is a roguelike management sim that overwhelms you with systems, but not in a rewarding way. Like many management sims, there’s a lot to juggle, but here, it often feels like there’s too much to track and not enough meaningful interaction. The UI doesn’t help either; it’s clunky and makes it hard to understand what’s actually happening. Strangely enough, if you keep clicking around, you can more or less keep up, but it’s a bizarre and unintuitive experience. On the bright side, the game’s visual design is excellent, the artistry is striking, and the soundtrack is a genuine standout. Still, these strengths don’t quite make up for how frustrating the interface can be. At around $10, it’s not a bad deal and can be fun in bursts, but I wouldn’t recommend it at a higher price.
The Fool’s Apprentice
I’ve always loved tycoon and management sims because they push you to be creative in scenarios you’ve probably never faced before—well, unless you’ve actually run a Wizard school. The Fool’s Apprentice puts you in charge of exactly that: a school for aspiring spellcasters where you accept or reject students as they train and test their magic. Along the way, students will inevitably face magical mishaps—some might die, others might turn into frogs. It’s a fun concept, but something about the execution feels off.
The biggest issue for me is the camera. You're stuck with an overhead view and can’t zoom down to floor level, which breaks the immersion. In games like this, I love being able to get in close and feel like I’m really part of the world I’m managing. On top of that, the game throws so many details at you that it almost feels like you're set up to fail. The most frustrating mechanic by far is how workstations lose efficiency if placed too close together. I care about efficiency, sure—but I also care about aesthetics. Being punished for building a symmetrical, visually pleasing layout is a real letdown.
That said, I do appreciate the theming. With a certain infamous author’s Wizarding School no longer feeling so magical, it’s refreshing to see someone take the theme in a new, more inclusive direction.
Overall, The Fool’s Apprentice might be worth the $16.99 if you’re ready to micromanage and don’t mind the steeper difficulty curve. But for me, it’s just a bit too much.
Wizdom Academy (Early Access)
When I think about running a Wizarding School, this is exactly what I have in mind. Wizdom Academy lets you build your school from the ground up—imagine the Two Point games, but with wizards. While the game is technically story-driven, it mostly plays like a sandbox, which works in its favor. You'll open and manage multiple schools, and to really capture that familiar Wizarding School experience, you'll constantly send your students to defend the academy from various threats.
This is the kind of Wizarding School management game I’ve been looking for—customizable, creative, and genuinely fun. It’s not without flaws, though. I ran into a few bugs and some early crashes, and even when it’s running smoothly, it can be a bit choppy. But honestly, considering it was made by a team of just six people, I’m impressed with what they’ve pulled off. It’s not perfect, but it’s got heart—and that counts for a lot.
