Developer – Freemana

Publisher – JanduSoft

Platforms – PC (reviewed)

Review copy given by publisher

When you think of Souls-like games, you often think of close-combat fighters swinging around large weapons. There may be some magic involved but it’s primarily a niche build or something people experiment with. Most of the damage comes from slashing enemies or poking them with a giant spear. But when magic is all you have, the possibilities open up and you realize how useful magic is.

Codex Lost is a magic-focused Souls-like game where your only weapons are spells and staves. The ability to mix and match spells while adjusting them to your situation gives unmatched flexibility. However, Codex Lost doesn’t do much to stand out from the Souls-like market. Any attempts at deviation largely drag the game down. It’s certainly worth a look if you enjoy a Souls-like game, but you aren’t looking at the next big player.

The story of Codex Lost involves five magical grimoires that have been taken by five evil lords. These grimoires aren’t supposed to be in the hands of anyone and your job is to retrieve them. You are the first library Curator in years and obtaining the grimoires helps you restrict their power. You must journey through the world and fight against several enemies to restore balance. Otherwise, the grimoires are abused and make the world a horrible place.

Like other Souls-like games, this isn’t an amazing story. It explains why you are magic-focused and why the goal requires you to retrieve five grimoires. The order doesn’t strictly matter but you must train before you can even hope to take back the grimoires. Combat is intense and difficult to master but you have plenty of opportunities to try. There are also several optional areas if taking back a single grimoire is too much for you.

The Curator has a special library disconnected from the world. This is where they craft spells, practice, and teleport to new realms. You start with three spells of your choice but must expand if you want to succeed. Crafting spells is important to your success because you must target elemental weaknesses or use non-elemental magic to defeat enemies. The elemental rock-paper-scissors is fun to experiment with and you gain access to several elements later.

You can equip three different spells at the start, eventually going up to a maximum of ten. This gives you several offensive options that you can’t find in other games. Normally you would be bogged down by equipment weight and armor, watching what you bring with you. Having a variety of spells gets rid of the equipment problem and introduces more flexibility for combat situations. It also makes it easier to respond to situations rather than feeling despondent.

Four spells can be assigned to quick-select buttons that make it easier to use your favorites. Manual scrolling also works to use other spells in less dire situations. That flexibility helps you to adapt to a variety of situations without being helpless. There are always constraints as you can’t bring every spell. But having up to ten options to choose from encourages experimentation and creativity you wouldn’t find elsewhere.

Unfortunately, getting to that creativity is painfully difficult. You must find items to put spells together and that involves through tough areas. Some ingredients drop by defeating monsters but others must be found by combing through dungeons. By the time you get the spells, it almost feels like you don’t need them anymore. You likely have a few favorites that you will be using throughout the end of the game. It makes your efforts feel like a waste.

Navigation is also difficult because you don’t have a clear direction. While Souls-like games were never heavy on directions, you often didn’t have trouble finding a path. Codex Lost ramps up the exploration factor by giving you vague clues and hoping you explore an area. While it’s fun to explore at your own pace, not having any idea where you should go is frustrating. This is especially true when your main guidance is a compass that doesn’t point anywhere.

There is no “order” you must follow when it comes to claiming a grimoire. But using your compass spell doesn’t provide any benefits until you upgrade it with accessory spells. Even when you find those spells, it’s often too little too late. You likely know how to navigate or have an alternative method. Even if you explore the world, only having “grimoire here” signs as clues doesn’t make navigation less frustrating.

At its core, Codex Lost is another interesting take on the Souls-like genre using magic. It’s got some great ideas but it feels like the execution didn’t stick the landing. It will be great fun if you are willing to put in the time investment for exploration. But if you want a Souls-like that plays easily, your best bet is to look somewhere else.