Wizardry Variants Daphne 4gamer review

** Is "Wizardry Variants Daphne" truly a Wizardry game and a proper dungeon RPG? — A death-defying challenge that evokes the classic days [PR] **

"Wizardry" is the grandfather of 3D dungeon RPGs and remains a beloved classic series with a strong, enduring fanbase worldwide. Even if someone hasn't played it, they’ve likely heard of the name.

The key features of Wizardry include a first-person perspective (POV), a retro yet refined command-based battle system, a hack-and-slash gameplay cycle, and a progression style where the threat of character loss (data deletion) looms constantly. These elements have influenced countless titles throughout gaming history.

The latest installment in the Wizardry series, "Wizardry Variants Daphne" (iOS / Android / PC, abbreviated as WizDaphne), is set to be released by Drecom on October 15, 2024.

This game has drawn attention as it received a 500 million yen investment as part of the Japan Development Bank's initiative to support the content industry. While it may be presumptuous to say that the government is paying attention, it is undoubtedly recognized as part of Japan's gaming strategy.

In this preview, I’ll be playing WizDaphne, but this article will also focus on one of the “review themes that the official team solicited from the public,” which concluded in September.

The theme assigned to 4Gamer is:

"Is WizDaphne truly Wizardry and a proper dungeon RPG?"

While it’s still a Wizardry game, it’s also a dungeon RPG for smartphones. Despite the recent improvements in smartphone game quality, we gamers haven’t entirely forgotten our early impressions of the mobile gaming era, where games were slimmed down for the sake of convenience and ease. Even though times have changed, the idea of Wizardry on a smartphone still leaves us cautious. We can't afford to be easily swayed by excitement and think, "Oh no!"

So, does WizDaphne carry the essential charm of Wizardry? On top of that, is it a fun game? To find out, I’ll now share my impressions from playing it.

Apologies, but just because this is an advertisement doesn't mean there will be any bias. In fact, because it's a PR piece, I will report as honestly and sincerely as possible.

---

-- Lulunarde is dangerous --

After stirring up concern for all involved, let's cut to the conclusion. As a dungeon RPG, "Wizardry Variants Daphne" is an exceptionally well-made game. This kind of build-up, only to deliver good news, is something distinct from our usual approach at the temples of Wizardry.

When it comes to the "absurdity that makes it good" aspect that long-time Wizardry fans often mention, it’s been modernized for better or worse. Because of this, fans of the classic titles may feel that certain systems have been somewhat watered down. However, those instances are few and scattered.

From the grueling tutorial phase, it already feels like "this could be Wizardry." As you gather your party and fight through the first few battles in the dungeon, you'll realize "this is Wizardry." And when you return to town to sleep at the stables, you'll shout, "This is Wizardry!"

The game retains all the hallmarks of a Wizardry title while integrating modern conveniences seamlessly. It feels so much like Wizardry that it eliminates the need to add qualifying phrases like "for a smartphone" anymore.

But to avoid being too lenient, like some teacher coddling a student, let’s delve into the game’s mechanics.

You, the protagonist, awaken in the dungeon known as the "Abyss," the center of all the world’s calamities. Your appearance is no longer human. Without clothing or armor to hide your rotting flesh and a mask to cover your face, you're viewed as nothing more than a corpse, having become an Undead. You speak little and emit a foul odor, which reveals the extent of your decay.

Naturally, you're a disgusting lifeform, shunned by all who see you.

Dark fantasy fans might grin with delight at this bizarre setup, but it’s far from appealing to the general audience. Some players may even wish for a touch more "human charm." Enter Lulunarde, a floating ghost girl who only you can see, here to fulfill that desire.

She, like you, was once wandering through the Abyss. While it feels crass to describe her as a fragile, intellectual, and aloof beauty, that’s the impression she gives, though little else is revealed about her. At the very least, it’s clear she’s a bright, lovely presence in the moldy, enemy-infested underground where not even decaying corpses are off the menu.

The game retains the familiar first-person view of Wizardry. If you had to constantly look at yourself, it would be rather depressing, but fortunately, you only see your arms in battle. And those decrepit, dirt-colored hands are quickly hidden by the garments and iron armor you acquire, a testament to human ingenuity.

During the story, you don’t have a standing character portrait; instead, Lulunarde floats into view in a translucent form to guide you.

When you think of Wizardry, you think of its stern visuals: the rogue who oozes wickedness, the filthy miner, the self-righteous adventurer, and the colorful yet terrifying monsters that bring hell to life on screen. These images are so vivid, you can practically smell the stench of the game’s grotesque, gritty 3K (filthy, smelly, and brutally strong) enemies.

True Wizardry fans, who smile at this grim atmosphere, might find Lulunade’s modern, cute-girl aesthetic to be at odds with the 3K vibe. Although not as lighthearted as the PS2’s "Wizardry Xth" school setting, players drawn to the game’s darkness might feel a bit of dissonance. Still, it’s important to keep in mind the casual players who might think, "Characters should be cute, right?" and step back maturely. You might even feel a bit superior, which is its own kind of life hack.

More importantly, hardcore Wizardry fans—whom I’ll assume are older gamers—should be warned: Lulunarde is dangerous. Why? Because she’s an intellectual, aloof ghost who compliments you at every turn. It’s never outright kindness, but even when you just swap out one piece of armor for something slightly better, she’ll say, "That gear suits you." And that’s dangerous. This girl’s approval might hit the middle-aged players the hardest, so stay focused and maintain a hardcore playstyle.

Otherwise, you might suddenly see an evil grin flash across the dark dungeon screen.

- Sometimes Lulunade appears and moves during the victory animations after battles, and because her motions are so well done, I personally call this a "lucky animation."

-- About Companions --

You possess the "Right Hand of Reversal," a power befitting a protagonist, which allows you to resurrect remains or repair broken structures.

In "Wizardry Variants Daphne," when you want to add adventurers, or party members, you need to "resurrect the remains of adventurers." Functionally, this works like a "gacha system." You can obtain remains by using premium currency or occasionally find them in dungeons. Therefore, there is no character creation system. You pick up remains, resurrect the dead, make them your companions, and dive back into the dungeons—this is the game’s cycle.

There are four races for adventurers: "Humans," "Elves," "Dwarves," and "Beastfolk," and they are divided into five classes: "Warrior," "Knight," "Thief," "Mage," and "Cleric." Warriors are fighters with strength and durability. Knights are tanks who protect their allies. Thieves are rangers who fight with bows and daggers. Mages wield spells as magicians. Clerics are healers who restore the party. In true Wizardry fashion, races affect stats, and roles are defined by class.

The party consists of six members, with three in the front line and three in the back. The front line takes more hits, while the back line has weaker melee damage, with pros and cons for each. In "Wizardry Variants Daphne," modern RPG mechanics such as "active skills" for use in battle and "passive skills" with constant effects have been incorporated alongside spells. Since all classes play an important role in dungeon crawling, it's best to have all classes in your party at first.

While the basic classes remain mostly unchanged, the Knight corresponds to a "Lord," who can’t use magic but is expected to have healing skills. As for the advanced classes like Bishop, Samurai, and Ninja, I haven’t been able to confirm their inclusion.

- The classic Wizardry concept of "alignment" (Good, Neutral, Evil) also exists, but in "Wizardry Variants Daphne," you can include both Good and Evil characters in the same party. However, this can trigger unfortunate but amusing events like conflicts between party members.

Now, regarding the question of whether the gacha system feels like "noise" in a dungeon RPG, I personally didn’t find it problematic.

The concept of resurrecting remains fits well into the game’s world, and there are no significant performance gaps between adventurers. Even if you don’t get the character you want, as long as your party balance is maintained, dungeon exploration won’t be hindered.

High-rarity adventurers only have slightly better stats within the same class, so they’re not overpowered. For example, even a legendary high-rarity Mage only comes with a slightly more convenient passive skill or spell at the start. In the endgame, there might be some differences, but in the early to mid-game stages, their stats are not significantly different from other Mages, and they will be instantly killed if placed in the front line.

While you can’t enjoy creating your own characters, and each adventurer has a fixed race, class, appearance, background, and even unique abilities, those who enjoy crafting characters with imagination, like advanced players of T or D-style RPGs, might feel that there’s less room for creativity.

However, common adventurers are referred to as "Nameless (Race + Class)," and their appearance seems to be randomly generated. Moreover, you can change the name of any adventurer when they join your party.

Personally, I found that not being able to choose race or class made me grow more attached to the adventurers I encountered, and managing my party’s strength became more enjoyable. Since you can change their names, it’s easier to create that sense of "my own unique characters."

I was impressed by how well the gacha system is integrated into the game’s world. If it had been a system where you place cards obtained from gacha pulls, I probably would have hated it.

The first adventurer I encountered was a "Nameless Female Beastfolk Thief." She’s been a reliable front-line fighter since the start of my dungeon exploration, and I’m completely satisfied with her performance and appearance—she’s one of my prized companions.

Additionally, in "Wizardry Variants Daphne," your adventurers will occasionally speak to you, and there’s even a "companion affinity" system. As you adventure, return to town, and relax by drinking together at the tavern, the bonds between you will grow. At the very start of the game, I had the cold experience of hearing "Don’t talk to me (via voice)," but looking back, even that became a cherished memory later on.

Though I didn’t fully explore it, depending on your progress, adventurers can "change class" by obtaining certain items. They can also "inherit skills" from other adventurers, allowing you to transfer one of their signature skills to another character. This is somewhat like the "limit break" mechanic in smartphone games, and for "Wizardry," it’s akin to "changing to Lord after learning Tiltowait," a long and difficult path.

Still, with careful use of these features, it’s possible to create the strongest "Nameless" character.

The only real disappointment was that you cannot re-roll bonus points. In classic Wizardry, endlessly re-rolling for a true companion (one with high bonus points) was a common strategy, but in this game, once an adventurer is recruited, the bonus points they have are fixed. The bonus points are randomly determined each time you resurrect remains, so the excitement of searching for a perfect companion is still there, but casual re-rolling isn’t possible.

Thanks to this, the game maintains fairness as a live-service game, but this might be where old-school fans feel let down for a second time (unless you’re the kind of pure-hearted player who can appreciate each encounter as a one-time opportunity!).

- My beloved Beast Thief (Nameless Female Beastfolk Thief), with her appetite for roasted meat. To be honest, it was rare to have character customization in Wizardry beyond appearance, and no visuals were a given. Being able to change names in a mobile game feels like a luxury. I’d probably cry if I lost her.

As for your character (the protagonist), after answering some questions at the start of the game, your personality and initial abilities are determined. You are a unique character with your own growth system and skills, and you can also change classes unlike your companions.

-- So, is it really a DRPG? --

The 3D dungeon is structured on a grid. Since an auto-mapping feature is included, the paths you walk are automatically recorded on the map. If you bought graph paper in preparation for the release, you might end up crying yourself to sleep.

As for the early maps, you can make progress just by walking straightforwardly. Many of the chambers seem like they contain something but actually have nothing, which is quite characteristic. Unlike the high-difficulty scenarios from "Wizardry Gaiden: The Five Trials," you won’t be frustrated thinking, “Where do I go next...? I’ve been everywhere...,” at least in the early stages.

Battles occur using the "symbol encounter system", where an alarm flashes as you approach an enemy silhouette, and combat starts once you collide with it. This system removes the hassle of random encounters typical of Wizardry while also reducing the fear that came from feeling like you were in a no-win situation.

However, you won’t always spot enemies even when facing them or moving towards them, and battles can still start before they become visible. Some enemy shadows also move, and you might get ambushed from directions other than the front. In summary, the system makes it easier to play but still retains the anxiety-inducing unpredictability of random encounters.

During battle, the action order of both enemies and allies is displayed in the top left corner. When it’s your turn or that of your allies, you choose from six commands: attack, skill, spell, defend, item, or flee, and the action is executed immediately.

Skills and spells both offer powerful attacks or status ailments. Skills are more skill-based and consume SP, while spells are magic-based and consume MP (there’s no usage limit system). Elemental attributes play a strong role, resulting in a combat system that’s simple yet deep.

In contrast, the classic system involved inputting all commands at once, after which enemies and allies would act simultaneously, leaving you to hope their speed saved the day. That system, with its unpredictability—being preempted by enemies, or attacks missing because the target was already defeated—provided a certain tension, for better or worse. Fans of older games may have something to say here. But those people should still try the original or remake, and re-experience the classic "Mad King’s Labyrinth" scenario from the first Wizardry game.

Probably more than half the players will think, “Modern features are great.” Those old Wizardry games were often boosted by “nostalgia and youthful endurance,” but if you casually think, “I’ll give the real thing a go!” you might just drive yourself mad like the Mad King himself due to the difficulty. For the fewer than half of players still captivated by that charm, they’re probably already immersed in nostalgia and will continue to critically evaluate the game after its release.

Of course, once the game is up and running, perhaps classic-style dungeons that make fans smile will be added. But it’s easy to imagine the official social media accounts being swamped with complaints. In this day and age, navigating a dark zone where you have to judge your path purely by the sound of hitting walls would be seen as madness.

The combat difficulty is “harder than you’d expect from a modern RPG.” You won’t feel a sense of achievement during the tutorial, and the game seems determined to crush you from the start. In an era where mobile games focus on reducing early abandonment rates, this choice reflects the developers' wish for players to truly experience the essence of Wizardry.

In the first dungeon, “The Abyss of Beginnings,” on the first floor, a big goblin (hobgoblin) might kill one of your allies in a single hit, or a cute rabbit (Vorpal Bunny) could decapitate someone before you even get a turn. Long-time Wizardry fans might say, “Haha, classic,” but for the average mobile gamer, the lack of mercy will be apparent.

Dying in one hit in a regular encounter in the first dungeon is just plain wrong.

Furthermore, the game has a rule that if you (the protagonist) die, it’s game over (though a safety net will be mentioned later). Depending on the situation, it might even feel tougher than previous games.

Isn’t getting one-shotted by an ambush against the law or something? Are we good here?

The key to combat in Wiz Daphne is to adapt based on whether your actions succeed or fail. Constantly missing attacks until you die is par for the course in Wizardry, so I can confidently say this is true to Wizardry.

Even regular encounters can be life-or-death. You’ll experience the early game thrill of gathering a party, embarking on an adventure, and being on the brink of death after just two battles, forcing you to flee. As you progress through the dungeons, you’ll learn how to deal with threats—“this enemy is dangerous, so kill it first,” or “I can’t finish them off this turn, so I’ll defend.” By the time you’ve grasped these tactics, you’ll be fully accustomed to the encounter and combat systems.

However, when faced with a group of tough enemies, sometimes strategy alone isn’t enough. That’s when you’ll start praying that Katino, a spell that puts enemies to sleep, knocks out at least some of them, or that the knight’s stun bash knocks them out, or that the attacks will miss you... and you’ll pray that you dodge.

In the end, a desperate person often turns to divine intervention. What? You died because nothing worked? Yep, that’s Wizardry for you!

Of course, this is exaggerated, and in practice, the odds aren’t always that grim. You can also rely on brute-force strategies (like using up all your MP/SP), so you can often get through tight spots.

In any case, the wizard's first-use Katino is a classic move, akin to a legendary Excalibur, even useful in the final stages of the game. Players new to the series should remember that sleep-inducing status effects are a real lifeline in Wizardry, unlike in most JRPGs where they’re often underappreciated.

On the flip side, there’s always the looming possibility of death. While some details differ from past games, the tension that’s unique to Wiz Daphne remains, keeping you on edge and contributing to the core appeal of DRPGs. The frequent close calls will surely make for an exciting live-streaming experience.

That thrill of casting Katino, thinking, “What if none of them fall asleep…?” becomes addictive. When they all do, you’ll want to do a little victory dance. If they don’t, well, it’s death.

"Whisper, chant, pray, concentrate!" or
"Whisper, pray, chant, concentrate!"

One of the harshest aspects of Wiz that often comes up is the "character loss," where your fate is determined by the sequence of words mentioned above (whether the chant comes first or the prayer depends on the translation for each game).

In this game, adventurers who die in battle or by traps will have the chance to be resurrected at a temple in town. However, there is a chance of failure. If resurrection fails once, the character turns to ashes, and if it fails again, that adventurer will disappear forever. This isn't just for show. A beloved companion, who you’ve carefully nurtured and fought alongside, will be completely erased from existence (data-wise, completely deleted—no mercy).

Even rare characters you’ve added to your team from valuable remains are at risk. They can disappear too. Since the game has an auto-save feature, there’s no way to avoid a reset. This is especially true for mobile games with online functionality.
However, this doesn't mean you should dismiss players entering through the wider accessibility of mobile games by saying, "Oh, this is just how Wiz is!" It's important to sound the alarm and share insights to help them accept it.

Otherwise, given that data is now considered property, this could develop into a rather unfunny situation, you know?

That said, this game incorporates a "gentler" system, perhaps due to being a mobile game. First, allies who die in battle can potentially be revived by using the power of the "Hand of Reversal," which allows time to rewind. This is achieved by successfully completing a Quick Time Event (QTE), where you stop a shrinking circle within a designated area. Even if you fail to revive them during this, you can still attempt a guaranteed resurrection at the temple several times a day, and if adventurers maintain a high special parameter called "Mental," their resurrection chances increase. I personally played for over ten hours without losing a single character.

Whether you see this as an improvement or think, "This is missing the excitement!" is up to the player. The experience of character loss is undeniably shocking, and opinions are divided on whether it's good or bad. However, the game has introduced preventive measures that allow for risk management in this regard, which I believe is the right move.

Even when the protagonist dies, which results in a game over, there’s a "Resurrection" system. This system allows you to use a resource called the "Flame of Resurrection," which recovers over time, to return to the moment before the battle started—when all your companions were still alive. If you’re about to lose a valuable ally or face a massive loss of life, choosing to die and start over becomes an option.

Additionally, even without resurrection, you can restart from the last checkpoint passed in the story. Although this takes you back quite a bit, causing you to re-read some of the story, you still keep the items and experience you’ve earned, making it a relatively low-stress do-over. Compared to the design of friendly JRPGs, it's still a bit more of a "kindness?"

As such, since the protagonist's presence and perspective are so central to the game, there is no action like "dragging the remains of a wiped-out party to the temple" as in previous titles. Of course, the notorious "teleporting into stone" doesn't happen either. While teleporters aren’t entirely bad, they still make your heart skip a beat, so they’re bad after all.

Thanks to these modern adjustments, the fear of character loss is significantly reduced. However, the risk of losing characters is still no laughing matter, and the gameplay of "advancing while fearing death" is intact. When you encounter a formidable enemy, you’ll still feel that thrilling tension.

Note: The blood effects in this game are quite strong.

- The QTE when a character dies in battle gives multiple chances. Initially, it’s an extremely difficult high-speed challenge, but it gets easier with repeated attempts. However, there’s a penalty where the protagonist's HP decreases with each failure, and if you fail too much, you'll run out of strength. So, it hasn't become overly easy—if anything, you can end up dying unnecessarily.

-- On the contrary, are there any good points? --

So far, we've been exploring Wizdaphne from the perspective of its resemblance to Wiz and dungeon RPGs (DRPGs). However, as a free-to-play mobile game, this title has certain aspects that make it feel quite "un-Wiz-like." The main point is that you can keep playing without any restrictions.

Most mobile games have a "stamina" system. For example, when you enter a dungeon, stamina is consumed, and you either have to wait for it to recover over time or use paid items to restore it.
In Wizdaphne, the only thing that remotely resembles stamina is the "Flame of Resurrection," and otherwise, you can endlessly dive into dungeons, defeat enemies, find treasure chests, return to town, and heal at the inn.

Oh, by the way, in this game, staying at the stable fully recovers HP/MP/SP, but there's a high chance that some bad guys will steal your money, so it's not exactly a safe, free haven. It's better to stay in a paid room, even if it's the cheapest option. On the bright side, there's no aging mechanic, and you're no longer bound to old rituals like spamming the cleric's Dios spell in the stable.

Note: I’ve glossed over a lot of the basics, but Wiz is an RPG where you don't level up even after accumulating experience unless you sleep at an inn.

Players who love RPGs with loot hunting and hack-and-slash elements will understand the excitement of chasing high-quality gear, which can be engrossing for hours. Wizdaphne made me want to sit down and fully immerse myself in it on a weekend, rather than casually play during spare moments on weekdays. That's how compelling the game is (and yes, you might end up sacrificing your sleep on weekdays too!).

When opening treasure chests, you assign one adventurer to do it. The higher their dexterity, the easier it is to avoid traps, so it's usually the thief's job. Sometimes, the success of opening the chest is determined instantly, while other times it uses a QTE (Quick Time Event) mechanic that adds a mini-game element. The difficulty of the QTE varies, and there are moments where it seems impossible, but even a slight success in the target zone counts as a win.

Equipment is obtained by bringing back items labeled "junk from ~~" found in treasure chests in dungeons. You can then use a mechanic that rewinds time to restore these items to their former glory. Equipment has grades, and if you're lucky, additional options can be attached. The game also has a robust equipment enhancement system.

Now, let's highlight some "un-Wiz-like" features in a good way.

That would be the well-developed story. While past Wiz games often had a plot, it was either difficult to follow or not particularly emphasized. In Wizdaphne, a "JRPG-style carefully crafted narrative" is provided.

Without giving too much away, you, an adventurer, will join forces with the knights to rescue a noble kidnapped into the abyss. Various unique characters, like Lulunarde, make their appearances. It may sound like a typical adventure story, but the real charm comes later in the narrative, which I can't spoil.

As for the visuals, the heavy graphics add a convincing dark fantasy atmosphere. Even in the first-person perspective, "POV movie-like dynamic movements" are incorporated, bringing a realistic experience not only during battles but also in moments like celebrating with your companions after combat.

Let’s also touch on the convenient features as a modern DRPG.

First is the battle speed-up feature. While the animations of adventurers and monsters in normal speed add to the sense of immersion, the pace can feel a bit slow. The speed-up function resolves this issue. There's also auto-battle, allowing for a more typical mobile gaming experience of easy, hands-off gameplay.

In dungeons, there's an auto-move feature that allows you to tap on any point on the mini-map, and your character will move to that spot at high speed. This is particularly handy since the most frequent actions are entering a dungeon, auto-moving to treasure chests, collecting loot, and returning to town. Mastering auto-move is key to success in Wiz Daphne—or so it seems (perhaps an exaggeration).

At the bottom of the screen, you’ll find various functions. The map says, "Your skills can't decipher this."

Lastly, let me share what disappointed me the most.

That would be when I was rewarded with the remains of a specific class and, hoping for a beautiful sister-type cleric, I chose the cleric. However, what I got was an old man, and I was quite confused. Worse, the next few remains also turned out to be old men, and I ended up with three identical old men. This must be Werdna's curse.

By the way, in the early stages of Wiz Daphne, there’s an event where you can receive an "SSR character for free." When selecting characters, you can check the "details" in the command list to view the character’s appearance. Be sure to remember this, or else you might end up with a party of old men, making it difficult to add any flair to your group. If that sounds like your style, then Wiz is definitely the game for you.

Wiz Daphne is scheduled for release on October 15, 2024, and pre-registration is currently open. 4Gamer has also released gameplay videos, so if you want to see the game in action, be sure to check them out.

I personally felt that Wiz Daphne faithfully retains the essence of Wiz and DRPGs. I hope I've conveyed some of that to you, but the truth? Only those who dive into the abyss will truly know.