As someone who turned 11 years old and was thoroughly disappointed that they didn’t receive their letter to Hogwarts, the appeal of any game that transports players to a magical school environment is understandable. While several games have been released over the years to scratch that itch, one of the latest offerings in the genre is Wizdom Academy from Kipwak Studio, which recently entered Steam Early Access. It is a little rough around the edges, and still in need of some extra TLC and development time to work out the kinks. But how does this first version of the game fare? Read on to find out!
Stepping into Wizdom Academy can feel like being handed the keys to your B-grade fantasy novel, with the barebones lore there just enough to keep you progressing and justifying your day-to-day administration of a growing magic academy. Still, it never grows into a fully fledged story arc. The narrative, as it stands, feels like small vignettes of something bigger, giving you a taste of what’s to come and justifying your continued play while leaving much more to come in the Version 1.0 launch. At least, I hope so, as the thematic potential is too rich to leave half‑tapped.
Visually, Wizdom Academy wears its whimsical influences on its sleeves, coupling bright, low-poly exteriors with cosy classroom dioramas. The grid‑based builder is intuitive – I was slotting staircases and dorms together within minutes – but the construction AI occasionally has a mind of its own, leaving half‑finished blueprints. Arguably, one of the more controversial elements of the game, at least in its early access build, is the AI imagery, which stands out like a sore thumb against the hand-placed décor. Here’s hoping that this is replaced with hand-crafted artwork soon. Performance-wise, the game runs smoothly on my rig, but further optimisation would be welcome. All told, the design foundation is solid and even playful, yet it’s begging for that extra layer of polish and personality to truly dazzle.
On the audio front, the score for Wizdom Academy is not particularly memorable in its current form; however, it does its job well, utilising gentle string motifs and jaunty flourishes when necessary. Spell whooshes and bubbling alchemy vats sound crisp, if slightly generic, and the absence of voice acting is noticeable only during pop‑up events where a few vocal cues could have elevated the drama.
Gameplay is the area where Wizdom Academy’s potential shines brightest, but it is also where most of its Early Access bruises are visible. To the point, you would be better off waiting for the game in a much more developed state. Day-to-day progression is your standard simulation strategy affair – you lay down classes, dormitories and other amenities, recruit a cohort of apprentices, and balance your income and resources with the needs of the school while not overspending. Every room added feels meaningful because it either boosts income, unlocks fresh subjects, or keeps the place from collapsing under overcrowding. The tech tree doles out new toys at a healthy pace, so there is a good sense of progression.
That said, the balancing act can swing from engaging to exasperating in a heartbeat. Mana shortages hit early and hard, often forcing you to sacrifice parts of the academy until you can get it under control. It is a tense idea in theory, yet the frequency feels tuned for a late‑game economy the player doesn’t yet possess. Gold income shares the same issue: until your first batch of graduates pays its alumni dues, you may find yourself edging closer and closer to bankruptcy. Compounding the problems is a range of bugs that can bring your experience to a grinding halt. However, Kipwak Studio has been actively rolling out fixes since entering Early Access in April, with three fixes in May alone.
Outside the classroom, the design hints at deeper layers that aren’t yet fully realised. You can dispatch teachers on expeditions to quell looming threats, but right now, these missions auto‑resolve off‑screen, robbing you of any tactical progression. Trouble‑maker students and goblin raids add flavour, yet the consequences feel undercooked; a prankster might vandalise a corridor, but a single click and a few golds later, the mess is history. Even so, the skeleton is sturdy, and again, this is an early-access game, with players purchasing the game at a slight discount with that knowledge. Hopefully, with time and community feedback, the issues can be fixed, and more refined features can be added. With tighter pacing and the promised combat layer in place, Wizdom Academy could graduate from decent to spellbinding.
Ultimately, if, like me, you’re still waiting on that lost Hogwarts letter from more than a couple of decades ago, Wizdom Academy offers a credible substitute – just one that’s still unpacking its trunk. The Early Access build charms with intuitive construction tools and potential. However, a fickle economy, the use of AI-generated imagery, and a handful of stubborn bugs leave the experience feeling unfinished. Kipwak Studio’s brisk patch cadence inspires confidence, and if the narrative depth, combat expeditions, and original artwork materialise, this could potentially evolve into being the definitive wizard‑school management sim. For now, consider enrolling only if you enjoy helping shape a curriculum; everyone else may wish to wait until the academy’s grand opening ceremony.
Early Access Review Score for Wizdom Academy
This review was conducted on a digital PC copy of Wizdom Academy, a review code provided by Kipwak Studio.
Wizdom Academy is currently in Steam Early Access exclusively for the PC, and can be purchased via Steam.
