WAND project review: promising but lacking

WAND Project Review

“We took Vampire Survivors, added spell creation, and let players break the game on purpose.” WAND Project in paper is so important to me that I've been gifted with a ton of ads specific to the game, as well as having found it on my own. While in theory the game fits my current tastes, how does the final product compare to expectations?

WAND Project puts players in the role of several sorceresses in a fight against aliens in a futuristic Tokyo. Other than that brief summary of the premise, the game doesn't really have much of a story or narrative. Sure, there are some exchanges between some characters, but for the most part, that's it. That said, these types of games aren't about extensive narrative, but it would have been nice if there was a little more, since the setup sounds interesting but isn't really fleshed out. On the other hand, maybe less would be more in this scenario.

I usually don't personally like to compare games to each other in a review, but WAND Project has no qualms about doing it themselves. On the game's Steam page, it proudly states that the title is “for fans of Vampire Survivors, Brotato, and Death Must Die.” It's not hard to imagine the kind of game WAND Project aims to be, and keywords like survival, bullet hell, and roguelike come to mind. While the developers draw comparisons to some great games, WAND Project is a bit lacking compared to the cream of the crop.

The title is distinguished by an interesting spell creation system, which allows players to combine magical elements to develop spells that they will use against aliens. For example, a fireball that fires every two seconds can be set to fire when idle, hitting nearby enemies with lightning and having a chance to heal yourself. Now imagine this, but maybe 15 or 20 minutes into a race, with multiple different spells, augments, and whatnot. The game advertises breaking away from this system and, for the most part, it does so well.

For me, where the game fails is in its moment-to-moment playability. While the game is fun in itself, it rarely holds my attention long enough to truly enjoy it. The spell creation system is interesting, but the game doesn't do enough to keep me playing. Perhaps where the disconnect falls is that spell creation almost feels like a separate entity from the game. A puzzle section within an action game, and although the two parts are connected, I don't feel like the action parts are rewarding enough in comparison.

Lastly, the game's lack of content regarding playable characters and wands does it a disservice. Taking a look at one of the game's self-comparisons in Vampire Survivors already says a lot about where this game could go. WAND Project desperately needs more options in the future if it wants to insert itself into the industry and eventually be named as an inspiration or comparison for future titles.

Overall, WAND Project on paper sounds like a survival gamer's dream, but unfortunately, it's just missing some of that special sauce to keep it in the long-term rotation. There are definitely some aspects that the game could build on, but at this point it still feels a bit like an early access title. That said, the spell creation system is a welcome addition to the genre and I'd like to continue experimenting with potential spells.

***A review code was provided by the publisher***