Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree News

I'm Zoltán Zsuffa, CEO and Co-Founder of Primal Game Studio. I want to address an important aspect of our current Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree - Preview 2, which is available to our Kickstarter backers and those who have pre-ordered or are pre-purchasing the game on PC ahead of release.

We understand that DRM is a sensitive topic in gaming, and we want to be fully transparent with you. Yes, our current Preview 2 does include additional DRM protection. However, I want to clarify that we and our publisher have not yet made a final decision about whether the release version on April 17th, 2025 will continue to include this protection. This decision will be guided by the data we're gathering and, most importantly, by your feedback.

The development of Mandragora has been an ambitious journey for our team of over 40 core members and hundreds of contributors. What began as a small indie project has since grown into something far greater, evolving beyond our initial vision into a large-scale production. Our entire team - including our artists, engineers, gameplay designers, animators, writers, musicians, and voice actors - has poured their talents into creating environments and characters designed to the highest standards. This transformation represents not only a significant expansion of our team but also an immense investment of both passion and resources.

We're working closely with our publisher, Knights Peak, to strike the right balance between protecting the game and ensuring you have the best possible experience with it. Both our team and Knights Peak understand that while we need to safeguard the substantial resources that have made Mandragora possible, we can never let that hinder our ultimate goal: to deliver an exceptional gaming experience that you'll treasure.

We continue to actively monitor both technical performance and your feedback on Preview 2. Your insights are invaluable in helping us fine-tune the game for release in April. Our Discord server remains available for discussions, and we encourage you to share your thoughts on all aspects of Preview 2.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support as we work through these important decisions together. Exciting times are ahead for Mandragora, and we're thrilled to have you with us on this journey.

If you pre-purchased Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree, we have good news: Game Preview 2 is now available to download and play!

Game Preview 2 is an update to the existing Mandragora Playtest application. Just update the Mandragora Playtest app which is already in your library if you have pre-purchased the game, and you’re ready to go!

I’m Gábor Szabó, Lead Game Designer at Primal Game Studio. I’m excited to tell you that the Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree Game Preview 2 update is now live. I’m here to give you some more details about it.

Since the launch of Game Preview 1, you’ve sent us a lot of feedback. You shared your enthusiasm about the game, told us what you liked most about it, and also pointed out a couple of things you’d like to see changed. We've carefully considered all feedback, treating each as equally important, and in Game Preview 2, you'll notice many changes and additions based on these insights.

Hundreds of bugs have been fixed, the UI has been made more user-friendly and streamlined, the air attack has been completely reworked, Classes and caravan NPCs have been rebalanced, many of the Skills have been adjusted, game performance has been drastically improved… and much more.

Game Preview 2 is a major step towards the full release of the game, but our work doesn’t stop here. We still have a lot to do before April 17, and we can’t wait to hear what you think about Preview 2. We're actively developing a major user interface and onboarding update set to launch with the game. And while the current version is already playable, I'm pleased to confirm that the full release will feature full Steam Deck support, including new, small-screen exclusive UI and adjusted visual settings.

Due to the extreme amount of changes to the game since Preview 1, Game Preview 2 is not compatible with previous save games. But don’t worry, Preview 2 contains so much new content you won't regret taking a fresh look at the early game.

Speaking of new content, depending on your playstyle, Game Preview 2 adds about 3–4 hours of new gameplay compared to Preview 1. That leaves you with a total playtime of 8–9 hours for Game Preview 2—which covers about a quarter of the full story, without even accounting for time spent on other gameplay features.

Here’s a quick look at what exciting new content you can expect with this update.

[h3]Explore more of the story[/h3]

We've talked a lot about how happy we are with the rich narrative we've crafted together with Brian Mitsoda. With this new update, we're thrilled to share even more of that with you.

While Preview 1 already gave you a taste, Game Preview 2 introduces an even more immersive experience, featuring a greater variety of NPCs to interact with, new quests that expand the lore, and fresh areas to explore, each filled with secrets to uncover. In fact, the map of Preview 2 is about 33% bigger than the one you journeyed through in Game Preview 1, so there will be plenty more areas for you to explore and secrets for you to uncover!



Face off against new Bosses & Enemies
In Preview 1, you had the chance to face off against plenty of tough bosses and minibosses, ranging from the furry to the furious.

Now, in Preview 2, you’ll be able to flex your combat skills against two more challenging bosses and four more minibosses. While we don’t want to spoil too much by revealing their identities, let’s just say you should definitely stock up on health flasks and make sure your sword is sharp enough for the challenge.

[h3]Play as a new Class: Nightshade[/h3]

Having played Game Preview 1, you’ve likely already familiarized yourself with the Vanguard and Spellbinder Classes. Preview 2 introduces a third option: Nightshade.

“This special branch of the Inquisitors undergoes rigorous training to become swift and lethal operatives, executing missions to silently eliminate powerful adversaries who oppose the King Priest.”

That’s really just a fancy way of saying that this Class is perfect for anyone who wants to swiftly eliminate enemies with poison and dual-wield daggers. If you like playing as an assassin in other games, this is the Class for you.

We hope you have fun exploring the Nightshade Class and all its cool abilities—as well as its unique, branching Talent Tree!



[h3]Accessibility and Difficulty[/h3]

There's one more topic we believe deserves special attention. Our goal has always been to make Mandragora accessible to as many players as possible. While the game is primarily an action RPG, it is also a challenging experience with many Soulslike elements that seasoned players expect and enjoy from the genre.

However, we recognize that this level of difficulty may not suit everyone for various reasons. To ensure more players can enjoy the game, we’re introducing the first set of our new Accessibility and Difficulty settings, with more accessibility options to come in the future.

This includes three adjustable modifiers: Enemy Health, Enemy Damage, and Skill Stamina Cost, each of which can be customized to 100%, 90%, 80%, or 70%.

These settings can be adjusted not only during character creation but also at any point in the game. So if a particular section feels too difficult, you can tweak the settings just for a tough boss fight and revert them afterward.

We believe these changes will make Mandragora more enjoyable for a wider audience, and we look forward to hearing your feedback.



Thank you for being alongside us for this exciting journey - we look forward to seeing you all in Faelduum very soon!

Pre-purchase today to get immediate access to Game Preview 2, alongside many other perks and rewards: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1721060/view/526461085948051463

Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree is launching on April 17, 2025.

We hope you had an amazing start to the year, and you’re nearly ready to tackle the challenges of Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree when it launches on April 17th!

I’m Krisztian Varaljai, Development Director at Primal Game Studio. Today, I’m bringing you an update on Pre-purchase and Digital Deluxe rewards.





Who wouldn’t want to jump right into Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree? If you pre-purchase any of the editions, you will get instant access to Game Preview 1, which offers about four hours of gameplay from the start of the game, and two classes available to try.

And it gets better: later this month, we’ll be launching Game Preview 2 for all players who pre-purchase the game! This will contain a significantly bigger portion of the game, with more story, more bosses, and more levels to explore!

In addition to the two classes already available in Game Preview 1—Vanguard and Spellbinder—you’ll soon be able to try out the Nightshade class, a fearless assassin that is not only proficient at backstabbing enemies but also has swift and deadly dual-wield abilities. The Nightshade is a great starting class if you prefer faster-paced combat and stylish moves.



Let’s start with the most pressing question about the timed exclusive in-game Quest: its availability. I’m happy to confirm that the quest will be available for free for everyone three months after launch.

For those interested in the Digital Deluxe Edition, we’re also happy to share that all pre-purchase rewards, including the in-game Quest, will be part of that edition of the game immediately at release, even if you don’t pre-purchase!

But what exactly is the quest? ‘Dark Ale’ is a short, but still rather challenging side journey, where you’ll have to do your best to solve the mystery of what exactly is in a strange keg of ale found in the basement of Rosalie’s inn. This will not only challenge your abilities with increasingly difficult combat situations, but also your taste in ale. Get your cup ready, because it’s going to be a long night!



If you pre-purchase either version of Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree, you will get access to the Gildcrest Transmog set. This exquisite-looking armor will turn the heads of even the richest citizens and foes of Faelduum. Put on your golden armor and slay your enemies in style.

If you purchase the Digital Deluxe Edition, and you prefer a more menacing look, the Shadowpyre Transmog set is exactly what you need. Imagine the faces of all the rats when you descend into the sewers of Wickham in this set. They will most certainly be terrified.



It is always great to have a partner in adventure, even if all they do is follow you. Pre-purchase any edition to have the Nimble Doeling graciously watch you from a distance as you fight for your life.

If you go with the Digital Deluxe Edition, those rats in the sewers will not only be terrified of your Shadowpyre Transmog set but will question their own existence when they see your Curious Ottling. For the rats’ sake, we hope the Ottlings are not curious about them.





No matter whether you pre-purchase, or just grab your copy after launch, the Digital Deluxe Edition will also give you access to the Original Soundtrack of Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree composed by Christos Antoniou.

And if you fancy looking at the art of the game while listening to its music, you’re in luck: the Digital Deluxe Edition will also contain the lengthy Artbook which will give you a behind-the-scenes look at the art that brought our game to life.

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Thank you for being here with us - we can’t wait to show you more of what we’ve worked so hard on for so many years. We have plenty more to share with you before Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree launches on April 17th, 2025, so stay tuned.

See you all in Faelduum!

We’re thrilled to announce that Mandragora is now officially titled Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree!



This new title reflects the heart of the journey ahead — capturing the deep lore, challenges, and adventures that define your experience in Faelduum. As we refined and expanded the world of Mandragora, we felt this addition would better represent the rich story and the immersive world Inquisitors will explore.

This update has been a while in the making, so we’re especially excited to finally be able to share it with you. Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree has grown so much since its humble beginnings, and we’re really excited to have a name that more accurately reflects our game, as well as our hopes and plans for the future.

Rest assured, everything you love about Mandragora remains the same. This is still the game you’ve been waiting for, just with a new title that truly embodies its arcane essence.

We can’t wait for you to experience everything Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree has to offer when the game launches on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S on April 17. Preorder on Steam today to receive special bonus content.

Thank you for being part of this journey with us, and please stay tuned for more exciting updates coming soon!

[p]Hi everyone,[/p]
[p]We have some really big news to share with you today about our game:[/p]

[remindme]
[/remindme][p][/p]
While we previously aimed for a 2024 release, we found we need more time to ensure Mandragora exceeds expectations. We really wanted to bring Mandragora to you by the end of the year, but quality is important to us, and the last thing we ever want to do is deliver you a subpar experience.

Many of you played the public Steam Demo, and you sent us plenty of invaluable feedback about many areas we still want to improve upon before the full release. This extra time will allow us to integrate those insights into a better, smoother gaming experience.

We’re incredibly grateful for your support and patience, and we’re confident this updated timeline will help make the final release well worth the wait!

[h2]Mandragora is now available for preorder right here on Steam![/h2]
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1721060/Mandragora/

If you or your friends are looking to get your hands on some Mandragora action, then this is the perfect opportunity to get your hands on the game as well as some cool extras.

Everyone who preorders the game will receive exclusive digital rewards as well as access to two preview builds of the game ahead of release.

With your preorder, you will gain immediate access to the Preview 1 build, and will keep that access until Preview 2 becomes available in its place. This first Preview offers about 4 times more content compared to the demo - including more enemies, levels, loot, and another class to try out!

And while Preview 1 is already a solid experience, we’re already hard at work addressing earlier feedback and implementing improvements, many of which will be featured in Preview 2. Preview 2 is planned for release in early 2025, and will provide a much deeper look into the game, offering a more substantial slice of what’s to come - so with your preorder, you'll have that to look forward to as well!

Preorder rewards:

• Preorder Pet Follower
  
• Preorder Armor Transmog Set
  
• Preorder Exclusive In-Game Quest*
  
• Access to Preview Builds
  

There is also a Digital Deluxe edition available, which you can preorder to receive all the above rewards available as well as even more cool digital rewards!

Digital Deluxe Preorder rewards:

• All Preorder rewards
  
• Deluxe Pet Follower
  
• Deluxe Armor Transmog Set
  
• Original Soundtrack
  
• Digital Artbook
  

*Limited time exclusivity. Available for everyone at a later date.

At the moment, we can only confirm this preorder for Steam and Epic Games Store. For those of you excited for Mandragora to arrive on consoles, we know you might feel a little disappointed by the lack of preorder availability. Please rest assured we’ll share more news for you too as soon as we’re able!

If you have any further questions, please let us know here in the comments or over on our Discord! We can’t guarantee we’ll be able to provide you with a detailed answer at this time, but we’ll do our best to be as helpful as we can in answering any questions you may have.