《秘影曼德拉》（日語：マンドラゴラ：魔女の木のささやき，英語：Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree）是結合哥德式黑暗奇幻、美術風格與高難度動作玩法的2.5D橫向捲軸動作角色扮演遊戲。由匈牙利的Primal Game Studio開發，Knights Peak發行，並於2025年4月17日登上Nintendo Switch、PlayStation 5、Xbox Series X|S 以及 PC 平台。作品自開發初期就以其獨特的視覺美術與精神層面的故事鋪陳引起玩家關注，被形容為將Soulslike戰鬥與Metroidvania式探索完美融合的新世代黑暗奇幻動作遊戲。

劇情設定於一個名為Faelduum的中世幻想世界中，這個世界正逐漸被名為「熵」（Entropy）的神秘力量侵蝕。熵的影響讓現實與夢境、神秘與科學的界線變得模糊不清。主角是一位審判官，被命運選中踏上旅程，對抗熵並揭開世界崩潰背後的真相。在旅途中，探索由女巫之樹守護的神祕領域，並遭遇形形色色的角色與選擇，這些選擇將逐步決定主角與世界的命運。值得一提的是，劇情由知名作家 Brian Mitsoda撰寫，他曾參與撰寫《吸血鬼：化裝舞會—血族》，因此本作在敘事方面展現出成熟的黑暗文學風格與強烈角色張力。

在操作上，採用精準的打擊節奏與技能組合為核心，提供六種職業的選擇：近戰為主的Vanguard、操控魔法的Spellbinder、潛行迅捷的Nightshade、使用火焰力量的Flameweaver、與自然共鳴的Wildwarden，以及神聖信仰驅動的Vindicator。這些職業各具特色，每位角色都可以透過超過200種主動技能與將近百種被動能力進行高度自訂，進一步深化戰鬥策略與角色塑造。在戰場上與風格多變的敵人與頭目展開激戰，學習格擋、閃避、連擊與屬性搭配，體驗節奏明快而要求精準的戰鬥設計。此外，透過「女巫燈籠」系統，能夠進入特殊的「熵境」，一種介於現實與幻影之間的空間，其中蘊藏著關鍵線索與強大敵人，提供額外挑戰與劇情碎片。

視覺方面，以強烈的手繪哥德式風格建構出憂鬱而神祕的場景，從詭譎的森林到墮落的村落，從靜默的女巫之樹到猙獰的熵之領域，無不呈現出詭麗的美感與壓迫氛圍。配樂則由Christos Antoniou創作，並由布拉格電影愛樂管弦樂團演奏，音樂充滿張力與神秘感，完美呼應遊戲情境，進一步強化沉浸感。

自上市以來，收穫普遍正面的評價。許多評論認為它在動作節奏與探索要素上的平衡表現出色，戰鬥系統紮實，角色養成深度高，是近年少見的高完成度獨立作品之一。尤其是劇情的黑暗深沉與哲學隱喻受到不少劇情導向玩家的讚賞。不過亦有部分評論提及遊戲中後期的敵人設計與節奏調整仍略顯重複，Boss AI在部分區段缺乏變化，讓部分玩家感到稍有疲乏。然而，總體而言，無論是硬核玩家還是重視美術與劇情的玩家，都能在《秘影曼德拉》中獲得獨特的遊戲體驗。

這款作品無疑為2025年的動作RPG類型注入一股黑暗詩意的清流，對於喜歡挑戰性、神秘氛圍與自由養成系統的玩家而言，是值得深入探索的佳作。

Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree (Japanese: マンドラゴラ：魔女の木のささやき) is a 2.5D side-scrolling action RPG that blends gothic dark fantasy with stylized art and challenging gameplay. Developed by Hungary’s Primal Game Studio and published by Knights Peak, the game was released on April 17, 2025, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. From its early development, it garnered attention for its Soulslike combat merged with Metroidvania-style exploration and psychologically-driven storytelling.

Set in the medieval fantasy world of Faelduum, the story follows an Inquisitor chosen by fate to confront a corrupting force called Entropy. As Entropy blurs the line between reality and dream, magic and science, the protagonist must journey through the Witch Tree's domain, encountering complex characters and choices that influence the world’s fate. The narrative is written by Brian Mitsoda, known for Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines, adding literary depth and psychological nuance to the plot.

Gameplay centers around precise timing and combo-based combat, offering six distinct classes: Vanguard, Spellbinder, Nightshade, Flameweaver, Wildwarden, and Vindicator. Each class supports extensive customization with over 200 active skills and nearly 100 passive abilities. Combat emphasizes blocking, dodging, chaining attacks, and elemental synergies. The unique "Witch Lantern" mechanic allows players to access Entropy Realms—twisted versions of reality that hide vital clues, secrets, and formidable foes.

Visually, the game features hand-drawn gothic environments, ranging from eerie forests to decaying villages, all imbued with haunting atmosphere. The soundtrack, composed by Christos Antoniou and performed by the Prague Filmharmonic Orchestra, reinforces the game’s moody, immersive tone.

Upon release, the game received largely positive reviews. Critics praised its balance of combat and exploration, deep character development, and mature, symbolic storytelling. While some noted late-game pacing issues and repetitive boss AI, overall reception highlighted it as a high-quality indie title. Its blend of artistry, gameplay challenge, and narrative depth makes it a standout in 2025’s action RPG landscape, appealing to both hardcore players and fans of dark fantasy storytelling.