Reigns: The Witcher was provided by Devolver Digital for review. Thank you!
The Reigns series has been around for quite some time, but I still remember when I first tried it. The gameplay is very simple, swiping cards left and right, but it still finds a way to stay engaging with how we manage our resources. Since its 2016 release, there have been multiple versions of the game, including a collaboration with Game of Thrones, and it still finds a way to keep things interesting despite the similar gameplay style. Now, Reigns is back with a new collaboration with The Witcher, and it quickly become my favorite entry in the Reigns series.
Reigns: The Witcher continues the simple gameplay from the series, though there are some nice additions to spice it up a little. Playing as Geralt, we will make decisions by swiping cards left or right to impact four different resources. We have to balance those resources, not letting them get too high or too low, or it will lead to death.
It's a simple concept, but the reason it works so well is thanks to the dark humor, and in this case, the dedication to the Witcher lore. Developer Nerial has tailored this version of the game wonderfully to match the game's signature style. There are so many hilarious moments to get through, including the ways we could die, and I appreciate how the stories feel like they would fit right into the Witcher universe. It's by far one of the best parts of the game, and as a Witcher fan, it was wonderful to see returning characters.
While I don't mind the main card gameplay, we do have a couple of new mechanics to spice things up. If our sword resource gets too high, we will go into battle with an enemy. Tiles will come down on a grid, and we have to dodge enemy attacks while hitting the tiles that will either attack them back or heal our hearts. I like how different it is compared to the usual gameplay, but it feels more like a chore than a relief. It's slow, relatively easy, and I found myself easily getting confused about where I would end up, which led me to getting hit or missing attack tiles.
However, I like the "quest" system. Each time we go into a new tale, we will get a set of three random quests that kind of dictate how our tale will go. Whether this means appeasing the Sorcerers you encounter, helping squirrels, making trolls smile, or not being able to say no to humans, these quests change how we interact and some of the cards that may come up. It's like adding a slight challenge to the run, and the better we do, the more stars we get, which gives us more points at the end of each run to level up and unlock even more quests.
Leveling up is only one of the ways to get new quests, though. Periodically, we can travel to specific locations and take on requests from the leaders there. We will have to choose three quests that correspond to their requests, and if we do a good job, it can unlock new ones.
Still, even with all the strengths and the wonderful collaboration, I couldn't help but start to find the game a little stale the more I played. This is a perfect game to play for a run or two here and there, but any longer than that, and it starts to feel like we are doing the same thing over and over. It probably doesn't help that I also found myself in a lot of repeated situations, which stopped feeling fresh after a few times. However, for the $5.99 price tag, it's hard not to argue that it's a good deal. It's still great in short bursts in between larger games, but I can't see myself enjoying it for long stretches of time.
Reigns: The Witcher is going to be a perfect experience on the Steam Deck, and I had no worries about it whatsoever. It runs at 90 FPS with 6.5W battery drain, so you will get over 8 hours on the OLED Steam Deck and 6.5 hours on the LCD. It works perfectly with the gamepad, and it’s just a great portable title.
Reigns: The Witcher is another solid entry in the series that fans of the signature gameplay of Reigns and The Witcher lore will enjoy. The dark humor and dedication to the lore are a step above the rest, while the addition of “quests” to guide how you interact with the story is wonderful. However, it still feels a little stale. The new combat feels like a chore to play, and the gameplay itself is an acquired taste. It can also feel a little old after some time, with repeat situations happening frequently, but it can still be fun in short bursts.
It's also great to play on the Steam Deck, easily hitting 90 FPS with extremely low battery drain. I didn't really have any doubts about how it would run, but it's still nice to see how well it performs.
Our review is based on the PC version of this game.
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Reigns: The Witcher is a great addition to the Reigns franchise, though it doesn't change the signature style enough to make it feel fresh. However, it's amazing on the Steam Deck.
