Game: FloraMancer: Seeds and Spells
Genre: Action, Adventure, Indie, RPG
System: Steam (Windows)
Developer | Publisher: Joe Sullivan
Controller Support: Yes
Price: $ TBC | £TBC | € TBC
Release Date: March 5th, 2024
Review code used with many thanks to Joe Sullivan.
In a world threatened by deforestation, it’s up to you to fight against the machines and restore the power of nature in FloraMancer: Seeds and Spells. Armed with elemental spells harvested from plants, can you conquer the procedurally generated wilderness?
Graphics and Sounds
Let’s start with what first stood out to me: this is a gorgeous game. The rich plant life vibes perfectly with the magic and the robots impressively. There are colourful details and lively animations all around. Add to that some groovy music and sound effects, and we’ve got a world I’d love to visit. I think that a lot of love went into this, down to the lights and shadows. The character designs made me smile.
Plot and Worldbuilding
Besides a short opening animation reminiscent of NES-era games, not much is revealed about the circumstances of this protagonist and the setting. Progression doesn’t reward you with useful information, and no character you encounter has much of a personality. This gives a feeling of desolation and disconnection that I’m not sure is intended. The result for me was feeling unmotivated to explore.
There’s a variety of items to pick up, which is extra fun when you gather them by travelling far and destroying environmental elements using your spells. But FloraMancer: Seeds and Spells doesn’t tell you what the objects are or what they’re for. This could be a choice to make the game streamlined or mysterious, but it feels unfinished.
Gameplay and Mechanics of FloraMancer: Seeds and Spells
The idea of gardening spells is so promising, as is the roguelike element of some of the areas. I love that you can harvest your plants at any time after planting, and the spell is simply stronger if you wait longer. However, with nothing much to do besides plant and wait, there’s little feeling of investment. The zones that shift when you die and the choices of consequences at resurrection don’t feel significant. The growth and respawn rates have to be short since there’s not much to do while you wait.
Making your way through the game is pleasant enough as you combat enemies and work your way through the environment. Being able to see the whole map from the start lets you know the scope of the game, which can be a plus, but it takes away the feeling of discovery. With no direction and no fanfare when you accomplish a task, putting in the work quickly lacks a sense of accomplishment.
Conclusion
There’s nothing wrong with FloraMancer: Seeds and Spells, and it certainly presents some interesting ideas. Beyond the magnificent art, though, I felt nothing I had to do was compelling. If you’re looking for a beautiful but small adventure and don’t mind relying on yourself for a feeling of progress, I recommend picking up FloraMancer: Seeds and Spells. If the farm element draws you, I doubt this is the game for you. I do look forward to seeing what this developer brings us in the future!
Final Verdict: I’m Not Sure. 