Witchfire is a roguelike souls-like game set in a dark fantasy universe where you play as a Preyer to hunt a witch and her minions and cleanse the world of dark magic. It’s a very interesting mix that also has a wonderful single-player extraction twist. This game isn’t meant to be easy, but challenging if you don’t heed its warnings. It’s a game that’s been in Early Access for a while and is on its way to full release in 2026, but now is the perfect time to jump in.

Witchfire – Gameplay

Witchfire is a single-player RPG shooter. The game is created and published by The Astronauts and the minds behind Painkiller and Bulletstorm. You will be wielding magic and weapons to fight the Witch’s minions and her Familiars. This game is set in a stunning dark fantasy setting where you play as a sinner who seeks salvation. To prove that he can be saved, he must kill the Witch of the Black Sea.

When you start the game, you will choose from 6 classes: Butcher, Hunter, Slayer, Shadow, Saint, and Penitent. Each has their own starter equipment, from weapons to spells, and has their own stats. If you have played RPGs or even Dark Souls or Elden Ring, you would be familiar with this kind of gameplay as you level up with Witchfire, a currency that you will gain from killing enemies or scavenging them. It follows the same pattern as Dark Souls and Elden Ring: the more you level up, the higher the cost and the more difficult it will be.

Classes only matter on your playstyle; some will make it easier, and will make others a bit harder. I hate myself, so I went for Penitent, which is the same as the no-class classes from DS and ER, The Deprived. The Stats are more balanced, and the class begins at level 1, a blank slate, but yours to craft. It’s not beginner-friendly, but once you get used to the game, it can make for an interesting choice.

After getting the tutorial out of the way, you will go into several realms that the Witch controls, level up, and increase your arsenal as you unlock tiers. As you clear the islands, you will encounter enemy camps that will vary in difficulty, but clearing them can give you powers, which is where the roguelike system comes in. The tiers, also called Gnosis, will level up the world with each increase, pushing the difficulty higher and higher. The game warns you that if you are unprepared for the higher difficulty, you will face your own consequences, but that’s where the game is at its best: difficult and ready to send you back to the sanctuary.

With the world evolving, you will run into events, dungeons, and just special enemies like Watchers that will travel throughout the map looking out for you. Now, to get into the main part, Extraction. The whole point is to go in, grab, and run. You can either risk it all and die on an expedition or try to leave by a portal that will take you back to the sanctuary. If you die, you can go back and pick up your grave, but be aware that if you die again without picking up your stuff, you will lose it all. So you might want to look at your arsenal and decide what will be best for you.

Speaking of arsenal, we are armed to the teeth, not a lot, but there are a lot of beautiful guns. I love the option of multiple weapons, be it swords, knives, or a well-crafted gun. If the game has a lot, I’ll be interested. As of the writing of this article, the game comes with hand cannons and snipers, and several spells you can work with in Witchfire.

The rifles have been a favorite of mine; something about using a bolt-action at long range feels satisfying. But there is a certain handgun you can get that you can fire from the hip like an old western revolver —it’s not the BEST in damage, but when you trigger it, it feels satisfying.

Conclusion

The amount of fun I have had with Witchfire is both rage-filled and enjoyable. You can make plays that will satisfy your build like a normal roguelike, but it will punish you for not being ready. As the world evolves, new enemies will show up worse than the last. Despite the difficulty, the game has become an overwhelming addiction where I don’t want to put it down, and when I do, I am itching to pick it back up again, and when I die, I want to look at my arsenal and change it up.

Right now, Witchfire is sitting at Very Positive on Steam, and that’s been the case for a while, as it’s been part of the community since its 2024 release. While it’s only available on Steam and the Epic Games Store, The Astronauts have mentioned that the game will release on consoles with its final release date, and whether it will be on day one will be up to them and their development team.