Panache's upcoming title, 1666: Amsterdam, revealed earlier this year, aims to transport players to a meticulously recreated historical city filled with witchcraft and dark magic. However, a recent preview of the game highlights significant issues that make its planned early access launch not just justifiable, but absolutely essential for its development.
A Tale of Timelines and Magic
The preview covered roughly an hour and twenty minutes of gameplay, allowing hands-on experience with two of the game's three timelines: 1999 and 1666. Players assume the roles of Noa, a witch tasked with eliminating powerful figures using dark magic known as Nox, and Aaron, her partner trapped in the form of a Union-Cat. A third character, Clio, acts as a narrator by translating a tome detailing Noa and Aaron's adventures. Noa's abilities are fueled by Nox and Lux magic sources, with Aaron's cat form able to convert between them. The core gameplay loop involves Noa collecting seals and identifying targets' true names before casting the Nominem spell during a full moon. After defeating the target's demonic Amalgam form, players acquire randomized Nox Bracelets that upgrade Noa's Heeparan gauntlet, granting new abilities. Panache founder Patrice Désilets indicated that these randomized upgrades are intended to introduce roguelite elements.
Each in-game moon cycle, or Esbat, presents Noa with a new contract. These typically begin at her home, where she receives a coffer of Nox Bracelets and other boons from fellow witches. Désilets demonstrated later-game abilities, such as portal creation and enemy levitation, suggesting a variety of powers will be available, though an exact number remains undisclosed ahead of early access.
Combat and Puzzles Fall Short
Despite the promise of varied abilities, the combat encounters in 1666: Amsterdam are currently a significant point of concern. Encounters open with a stylized, Persona 5-like presentation of enemy taunts and thematic text pop-ups, which feels tonally discordant with the game's darker atmosphere. Without specific Nox bracelets, combat devolves into repetitive dodging and basic broomstick swings, often resulting in enemies getting stuck in hit-stun loops. While Amalgam boss fights offer slightly more challenge, the overall combat lacks flow and sophistication. Asymmetrical puzzle-solving also proves underwhelming, frequently relying on the cat character unlocking doors for the human protagonist. A later ability allowing possession of NPCs, when paired with Nox bracelet powers, has the potential to add depth to combat, exploration, and puzzles, potentially fostering Dishonored-like player freedom, but this feels distant given the current state of NPC AI. The current NPC intelligence is described as heinously unintelligent, with dated writing and animations that detract from stealth and concealment mechanics.
Narrative and Onboarding Woes
Certain sequences highlight the game's writing and pacing issues. One peculiar 10-minute segment in the 1999 timeline features Aaron, clad only in boxers, strolling through a hotel courtyard to a full-blast rendition of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird," while Noa, as a cat, unlocks doors for him. This occurs amidst a backdrop of completely static NPCs blocking pathways, which is intended to guide the player but appears vacant and unnerving. Aaron's dialogue during this segment, particularly his late realization of his state of undress and his claims of people freaking out, feels unconvincing given the immobile NPCs. While Noa's dialogue is noted as adequate, Aaron's constant bewilderment and use of expletives are described as grating, further compounded by some dialogue being delivered via text-to-speech. These narrative and presentation choices are a significant departure from the game's intended tone.
Tutorials and onboarding also present challenges. The game's guidance system often omits crucial button inputs, leading to player confusion, as experienced during a section requiring the use of Lux to traverse water. Developers had to intervene to explain basic mechanics like movement and jumping over obstacles, the latter of which felt awkward and resulted in poor camera angles. Cat-form movement, intended to prevent missed jumps, relies on a restrictive target indicator system that turns simple traversal into a tedious chore.
A Glimmer of Hope in Artistry
Despite these considerable gameplay and narrative shortcomings, 1666: Amsterdam excels in its visual presentation and artistic direction. The meticulous recreation of historical Amsterdam, complete with canals and architecture, is a standout achievement. The development team's dedication to historical accuracy in reconstructing buildings and capturing the city's atmosphere is evident. This commitment to visual fidelity and historical storytelling through architecture aligns with creative director Patrice Désilets' previous work, offering a promising foundation for the game.
Ultimately, 1666: Amsterdam's success hinges on its early access period. The passion invested in its world-building and artistic design is clear, but the experience is currently burdened by clunky mechanics, jarring tonal shifts, and unrefined gameplay. Extensive player feedback and fine-tuning will be crucial to transform the game into an experience as engaging to play as it is to behold.