Intro and Gameplay
I have a soft spot for most games that come out of Eastern Europe and have so for as long as I remember, especially dark fantasy types that ooze with atmosphere. With Mandragora, my wishes have come true for a deep, dark, and lengthy adventure in a world filled with tragedy and beauty in equal measure. While not the most difficult game I’ve played as of late, this is no breeze to just blast through. Some areas will punish you if you don’t strategize and build up your skills a la Soulslike games. When you beat a tough enemy or boss, it’s oh so rewarding.
While the actual gameplay elements of Mandragora aren’t ground breaking by any means, they are very solid but what is absolutely fantastic are the story elements presented in a highly artistic painter like format. Also the backgrounds and environments are dripping with high quality touches and just the overall feeling sucks you in immediately. With plenty of skill trees and ways to dispatch your enemies, Mandragora is a breath of fresh air and already one of this years best surprises.
Graphics and Sound
As mentioned in our feature earlier and as you can see from the untouched shots in this article, Mandragora is a stunning piece of art in motion. I was constantly blown away how quickly sun-touched fields were replaced by dank, dark sewers and then caves draped in shadows. This is a beautiful game and everyone needs to experience it for the art alone. We had it maxed out on PC and it looks absolutely amazing.
Equally as impressive, the audio portion of the game is extremely solid with impactful sound effects, surreal music that fits the atmosphere perfectly, and voice acting that is no slouch. Overall, this is what makes video games art.
Feedback and Verdict
While not perfect, Mandragora does more right than wrong. There are some annoying bits of out of place f-bombs and some dialogue that I just had to eyeroll. Why do so many fantasy games, TV series, and movies feel like everyone in every era of time had the mouth of sailor? Regardless, that is a minor quibble in the grand scheme of things but still seems out of place. Some gameplay elements could use a bit more polish and some skill items were a bit boring.
Other than that though, this is a grand and atmospheric adventure that is worth every bit of your hard earned gaming dollar. With incredible art, storytelling, and atmosphere, this is the near-perfect escape I was looking for.
"Developer Background: Primal Game Studio
Founded in 2012, Primal Game Studio is an independent video game developer headquartered in Budapest. The studio was established by seasoned industry veterans whose experience spans various development studios across Hungary and Europe. Today, the team has grown into a global collective of over 60 passionate creators, united by a shared commitment to delivering high-quality experiences for PC and console players.
Primal Game Studio focuses on crafting immersive universes across a wide range of genres and themes. As a proudly independent developer, the team maintains creative freedom without outside pressures, allowing them to prioritize player experience above all else. Their origins trace back to a time before the rise of the modern indie scene, with their first major project being Supernova, a sci-fi RTS-MOBA hybrid that set the tone for the studio’s ambition and vision.
Since then, Primal Game Studio has continued to develop and manage all of its projects in-house, staying true to its mission of creating meaningful, original games that reflect the passion of its developers."
