Belgian indie studio Bolt Blaster Games has confirmed that The Spell Brigade will leave Early Access and launch its full 1.0 release on April 29 on Steam and PlayStation 5. The co-op bullet “heaven” roguelite has already sold over one million copies during Early Access and holds a Very Positive rating across more than 13,000 Steam reviews, so there’s clearly an audience for this one.
We’ve been playing The Spell Brigade on and off since it entered Early Access, and it’s been a decent enough co-op survivorslike game. While we didn’t do a first impressions post, we will definitely be reviewing the 1.0 release. For those unfamiliar, it’s a one to four player co-op game where you team up as wizards to fight hordes of dark creatures, complete team-based objectives, and create overpowered spell synergies. The twist is that friendly fire is always on, which leads to some genuinely chaotic and entertaining moments.
The 1.0 update is bringing a significant amount of new content, including new enemies, elite mini-boss variants, a new boss encounter, and a 15th playable wizard. There’s also a new Ascension system that lets players reset their wizard rank in exchange for upgraded badges, with optional difficulty modifiers for those looking for a tougher experience. Unlocking secret outfits through Ascension will change each wizard’s starting spell, opening up new builds and playstyles. On top of all that, Grammy-winning composer Austin Wintory, known for his work on Journey, ABZU, and Hades II, composed an original soundtrack for the game with tracks for every realm and boss battle.
The Spell Brigade launches its 1.0 release on April 29 for PlayStation 5 and PC. Look for our review around that time.
