Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse

Gameplay
Combat
Village and character development
Coop
Graphics

In the vast majority of metroidvania-type action platformers, the level layout is fixed, streamlining returns to already visited locations in order to discover missed content. Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse from Pocketpair-owned independent studio Frontside 180, however, enriches this scheme with elements taken from the roguelike genre, led by procedural generation of locations.

Gameplay

In Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse, the action is viewed from the side. The adventure leads through dungeons, among which we find botanical gardens and ruins. While traversing them, we jump on platforms and face other arcade challenges (such as avoiding traps and avoiding terrain obstacles), as well as fight enemies. Since the locations are randomly generated, they are rebuilt each time we enter the underworld.

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Combat

Skirmishes with numerous enemies are dynamic, and we fight adversaries in melee or using magic. The latter includes not only classic spells, as the game gives us the opportunity to use an enchanted hat, which allows us to possess enemies and use their abilities. In addition to regular enemies, we face powerful bosses, defeating which requires speed and perceptiveness (to discover their weaknesses and work out their attack patterns).

Village and character development

Between trips to the dungeons, you will find yourself in a village that serves as a base camp. Using the resources collected in the dungeons, we clear it and develop it by building new facilities.

In addition, we can cultivate the land here, and we use the ingredients obtained in this way to cook meals that provide various reinforcements. The sources of the latter are also artifacts collected along the way, unlocking additional skills such as underwater jumping.

Coop

Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse can be played alone or in cooperative mode over the Internet for up to 4 persons.

Graphics

The graphic design of Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse was done by hand. The whole thing was kept in the spirit of traditional Japanese animation.

Platforms:

PC Windows March 4, 2026

PlayStation 4 March 5, 2026

Nintendo Switch March 5, 2026

PlayStation 5 March 5, 2026

Xbox Series X/S March 5, 2026

Developer: Frontside 180

Publisher: Pocketpair

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System Requirements

System Requirements for Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse Video Game:

PC / Windows

Minimum System Requirements:
Intel Core i3-6100, 4 GB RAM, graphic card 1 GB GeForce GTX 560, 4 GB HDD, Windows 7 64-bit.

Recommended System Requirements:
Intel Core i5-3470, 4 GB RAM, graphic card 2 GB GeForce GTX 1050, 4 GB HDD, Windows 10 64-bit.

Ratings

Game Ratings for Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse Video Game.

70%

STEAM Score

All Reviews: Mixed (520)

STEAM

User Reviews Summary generated by AI

The main pros of the game

Charming Art Style: The game's visuals are frequently praised for their cute and appealing design, reminiscent of titles like Hollow Knight.
Fun Gameplay Mechanics: The combat and movement mechanics are generally described as fluid and enjoyable, with a variety of spells and abilities to experiment with.
Unique Possession Mechanic: Players enjoy the ability to possess enemies, adding a layer of strategy and variety to gameplay.
Engaging Village Building: The village-building aspect provides a relaxing break from dungeon runs, allowing players to craft items and improve their character.
Active Developer Support: Many reviews commend the developers for being responsive to community feedback and implementing changes based on player suggestions.
Multiplayer Support: The game supports up to 4-player multiplayer, enhancing the fun and cooperative gameplay experience.

The main cons of the game

Repetitive Level Design: Many users noted that the procedural generation of levels leads to repetitive layouts and enemy placements, diminishing the sense of exploration.
Grindiness: The game is criticized for requiring significant grinding to progress, especially in terms of upgrading the village and character stats.
Difficulty Balancing: Some players feel that the game is not well-balanced for solo play, particularly in terms of boss fights, which can be frustrating.
Limited Weapon Variety: The game primarily features one melee weapon, which can lead to a lack of variety in combat.
Stiff Controls: Some users reported that the controls feel less responsive compared to other platformers, affecting the overall gameplay experience.

The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users

More Diverse Procedural Generation: Players expressed a desire for more unique rooms and layouts to enhance the replayability and exploration aspects.
Better Health Recovery Options: Users mentioned the need for more health recovery items or mechanics, as the current system can be limiting.
Improved Multiplayer Features: Some players want better matchmaking options for multiplayer, as the current system relies on password-protected rooms.
Enhanced Crafting and Building Mechanics: There are calls for more depth and variety in the crafting and village-building systems to make them feel less tedious.
Localization Options: Several users pointed out the absence of certain language options, specifically French, which they believe would improve accessibility.

Summary

Overall, Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse is seen as a charming and enjoyable game with solid mechanics, but it has room for improvement, particularly in level design and balancing. Players recommend it for those who appreciate its unique blend of genres, provided they are aware of its grindy nature and some repetitive elements.

Summary generated on: March 30, 2026