Wizordum Review - An Homage to Heretic

We live in a time where remasters for games are a dime a dozen, doubly so for boomer shooters. So why, then, is it the year 2025 and we still haven't seen a remaster for Heretic and Hexen, two of the most influential shooters of all time? Thankfully, Emberheart Games and Apogee Entertainment have created a worthy successor to those two with Wizordum.

I'm still going to beg the powers that be to remaster those two absolute classics, but Wizordum certainly tickles that Heretic itch. It's deeply inspired by those titles, of course, but also incorporates modern elements to liven up the gameplay into something more than just an imitation.

Wizordum: Every Level, an Adventure

If you pay attention to the retro shooter scene, Wizordum's been around for a bit. It's an Early Access title, but the final episode (and a slew of fixes and tweaks to existing episodes) make this now a complete package. With three episodes, a bunch of magical weapons, and a ton of treasure, expect Wizordum to take you on quite an adventure.

And indeed, if there is one word that comes to mind with Wizordum, it's that: "Adventure." Boomer shooters are often known for their winding paths, getting lost, or hunting for keys. But constantly retreading old paths isn't an adventure. It can feel tedious. That's not the case with Wizordum, thankfully, despite how vast the levels feel.

Wizordum's levels are chock-full of treasure and secrets, and if you're into secret hunting, this game is absolutely for you. If you like running into walls, pressing the action button, and hoping to find a secret area, Wizordum fulfills that satisfaction. Usually, you gain treasure or ammo for your curiosity, meaning exploration is rewarding.

Treasure can then be taken and exchanged for various upgrades at the end of levels. This is one part that I didn't see in Early Access; basically, complete a level, and you can buy secondary actions for weapons, or increase your capacity to fire spells attached to your chosen character. It adds a sense of progression in a genre that doesn't usually have much of that.

And yes, I mentioned characters. There are two, in fact, and they come with different spells and a unique primary weapon. The Cleric with his mace, or the Sorceress with her wand, whatever you choose, means your experience will vary. The Cleric and Sorceress also vary in health, armor, and speed, so pick what fits your play style.

The choice of two characters does merit some replayability, but the gameplay differences aren't so vast that it's a completely different experience. Nonetheless, I could see myself going back as the Cleric in a second playthrough, once more scrounging the world for the vast amounts of treasure I missed.

A Strong Finish for Wizordum's Episode 3

If exploration is so greatly emphasized in Wizordum, one would hope that levels have creative and distinct layouts, and that's definitely the case here. Across Wizordum's three separate episodes, you can expect to fight in monster-infested villages, swampy ruins, spooky mansions, caverns of lava, and so much more.

You can tell, developer Emberheart Games got more confident and creative with level design after each episode. Episode 1 plays it pretty safe, and as such is the most bland of the three. It's not bad by any means, but compared to Episode 2 and especially Episode 3, it takes some time for Wizordum to build up.

Episode 2, then, is better than Episode 1, with more creative level design and elaborate puzzles. One level, for instance, takes place on a ship full of goblins. The ship feels a bit more claustrophobic and smaller in comparison to other levels, but that layout keeps things feeling fresh.

Episode 3 is the cream of the crop, with much larger levels, a higher difficulty curve, and essentially just combines all of what makes Wizordum great into a satisfying conclusion. One level, for instance, takes place in this sprawling, maze-like mine. 

There were numerous approaches players could take in this interconnected network of tunnels. The goal was to find several gems to unlock a certain door in the center, and the path I took to gather all of these likely will look different than yours. Even still, I didn't feel lost, which is a testament to Wizordum's handy map.

In general, the final episode has a much stronger visual design, too. Episode 1 and some aspects of Episode 2 are repetitive. Episode 1, for instance, has a lot of dilapidated villages and stone buildings to the point where much of it feels like you're walking in circles.

Runnin' and Slingin' Spells in Wizordum

Like any good retro shooter, though, level design is just one piece of the pie. Gunplay, with a diverse set of weapons, is the other crucial component for a good shooter. Thankfully, I don't have much to complain about in that regard. By and large, Wizordum's gunplay feels satisfying, and players are powerful.

It's easy to make guns sound powerful and intimidating, but spells, that's another story. With the exception of a magic pistol, every other weapon has that wizard flavor to it. Rings that let you cast fireballs, an icicle-shooting staff, or even lightning gauntlets -- I'm a fan of them all.

The ice staff, in particular, makes a satisfying sound when its projectiles impact enemies. The staff freezes them in place, so you can hit them once more with a weapon to shatter them; better yet, freeze a bunch of enemies in a group and shatter them at the same time for a satisfying end to your battle.

You're also armed with a supply of items a la Heretic and Hexen. These all give gameplay benefits in one way or another, be it by healing you, turning you invisible, and the like. As mentioned, characters have specific spells, and those will also come in handy a great deal, especially on higher difficulties.

The Sorceress, for example, can reflect projectiles with one of her spells, which is a godsend when you're being overwhelmed. There's a time-based spell that greatly increases your attack speed, and that's also handy when taking down more powerful foes.

Wizordum Review | Final Thoughts

Every episode is capped off with a boss. My review build didn't have a final boss, so my opinion could very well change, but the first two were rather dull. Like most boomer shooters, bosses amount to bullet sponges, and that just doesn't do much for me anymore. The second boss had a hint of nuance, but at the end of the day, it's point and shoot.

There were also a fair number of bugs, some of which I hope are fixed upon release. I fell below a level once and had to revert back to a save, for instance. Sometimes, enemies would be stuck in walls. Heck, the first boss just sat there and let me shoot him without any resistance.

Despite a few flaws, Wizordum is a competent retro shooter with a lot of creativity and charm. The bright visuals serve as a nice contrast to the usual dark-and-gritty shooters, and it has a calming and whimsical soundtrack as opposed to a high-octane, all gas, no breaks sort of deal.

Whether you're diving into Wizordum for the first time or checking out the brand new Episode 3, you'll find this to be quite the enjoyable boomer shooter. No, it doesn't reinvent the wheel, but not every game needs to, so with that said, it's hard to go wrong with a bit of spell-slinging action.

Wizordum was reviewed over approximately 15 hours of gameplay on PC with a key provided by the publisher. All screenshots were taken during the review process.