I love the great outdoors. Working in games media means it’s easy to be cooped up all day, so I make a point of getting out and going for a walk somewhere, anywhere, once a day. Sometimes I explore a park, sometimes I walk through a city, sometimes I just walk as far as a shop next door and grab a cup of coffee, but I always make sure to enjoy the beautiful scenery Ireland has to offer.
So, you’d think that among the countless survival games that get you closer to nature than you probably ever want, one might click with me. Yet, none ever have. That is, until now. Witchspire might finally be the survival game that gets its hooks into me—not just surviving, but thriving.
### Thriving Over Surviving
By de-emphasizing the survival aspect typical of open-world survival games, Witchspire almost feels like open-world living. This approach is quite refreshing when you’re inhabiting a magical world where you collect the spirits of monsters to help you fight as familiars.
There are definitely survival elements—you’ll be cutting down trees to build your homestead—but Witchspire streamlines these mechanics significantly with its magical backdrop. Instead of punching a tree 10 times until it falls, you wield magic that lets you toss ethereal axes at multiple trees, speeding up the process dramatically.
What’s more, if you accidentally partake in a bit of deforestation in pursuit of wood, you can cast a spell to regrow those trees instantly. This enchanting system even makes building your home easier.
### Building with a Bewitching Twist
One common frustration I’ve encountered in survival games is the difficulty of creating elaborate bases and forts in first or third person. While I admire the creations of high-level players, making anything near that complexity myself can be finicky.
Witchspire solves this by allowing you to take a more aerial view and astral project your soul while you build. This bird’s-eye perspective gives you a better, more holistic view of your construction, making building a much more enjoyable experience.
### A Streamlined Survival Experience
Envar Games, the developer behind Witchspire, explained that the world feels less hostile at the start because they’re aiming to create a “streamlined survival game.” This is evident right from loading into the open world—you won’t find energy, hunger, or thirst meters to micromanage.
While this approach makes the early game more forgiving, it ultimately aims to ease players into the deeper layers of gameplay quickly. Whether that means transitioning from building a ramshackle hut to sculpting grand homesteads or moving into more complex combat faster without the need to craft basic weapons endlessly, Witchspire speeds up getting to “the good stuff.”
“The world will start to push back,” Envar notes as you venture further out. This was clear during a demo when we teleported to a higher-level area and the player’s familiar barely made a dent against the tougher fauna.
### Fun with Familiar Friends
One standout feature that caught my attention as a somewhat cynical survival genre fan is the presence of familiars—magical companions you tame to fight alongside you.
Whenever you defeat wildlife in the game, the creatures don’t simply perish. Instead, their spirits leave their bodies to reincarnate elsewhere. Sometimes, these spirits linger long enough for you to capture—or tame, recruit, whatever you prefer—them as familiars.
These companions come with varying skills and rarities, reminding me of Pokémon. In fact, much of the system resembles recent Pokémon Legends games, combining collecting and leveling elements. Battles happen in real-time, with your familiar fighting for you while you issue occasional commands.
Unlike Pokémon, though, you can also cast offensive spells yourself during combat, adding another layer to the experience.
### The Core Loop
This blend of streamlined survival with monster catching keeps the gameplay loop fresh. Alongside taming familiars, you level up your own character, unlocking a skill tree. Whether it’s gaining new abilities—like magical axes that fell multiple trees—or improving resource gathering, the RPG elements add depth.
The goal? To reach the central island on the map and climb the Witchspire itself—a feat only possible with a witch’s classic mode of transport, a flying broom.
### Looking Ahead to Early Access
Witchspire is still some time away from its 1.0 release, with early access planned for 2026. While the developers seem confident in the game’s current direction, this period will be crucial for fine-tuning the balance between traditional survival gameplay and monster taming.
I doubt we’ll see hunger or thirst meters added anytime soon, but the team is open to adjusting how—and when—the world “pushes back” based on player feedback and telemetry.
### Final Thoughts
As it stands, Witchspire looks like one of the rare survival games I’ll be watching closely. Its willingness to explore other genres and push back against survival game conventions makes it stand out.
That said, it remains to be seen whether players jumping into early access will share my enthusiasm for this hybrid experience, especially when the Steam page labels it simply as an “open world survival crafting game.”
This preview is based on a PC demo viewed over Discord, and the final game is subject to change.
https://www.shacknews.com/article/146492/witchspires-relaxed-vibe-and-survival-game-influences-seem-like-a-unique-spin-on-the-genre