The Astronauts dropped a detailed developer diary on November 26, 2025, explaining how melee weapons will work in Witchfire’s upcoming The Reckoning update. Creative director Adrian Chmielarz made it clear upfront that Witchfire isn’t trying to compete with melee-focused games like Dead Island or Dying Light, and admits no one has topped Condemned in that space anyway (fight him). The melee weapons replacing your fist attacks rather than your guns means they’ll complement the game’s core gunplay instead of fundamentally changing the roguelike FPS experience that’s been winning over players during Early Access.
What The Reckoning Update Actually Includes
The Reckoning represents a major milestone for Witchfire as The Astronauts shifts from making the game to finishing it. The update focuses on finalizing most gameplay features and mechanics before the eventual 1.0 release planned for 2026. Beyond melee weapons, The Reckoning introduces Banes (extreme optional challenges for masochistic players), significant upgrades to the Alchemy system, expanded Sanity mechanics, revamped Arcana systems, improved Prophecies, and much more that will be revealed as launch approaches.
The developer roadmap shows seven updates already behind them with three more to go, the third being version 1.0 and full release. According to development blog posts, something has shifted in the air at the studio. The team is now focused not on making Witchfire but on finishing Witchfire. It’s scary but exciting, suggesting they’ve crossed the development threshold where all core systems are in place and work now concentrates on polish, balance, and content completion.
The Reckoning should launch before the end of 2025 according to the September roadmap, though as any Early Access veteran knows, these dates are always tentative. The Astronauts has been transparent about their development process throughout, regularly posting detailed updates explaining design decisions, technical challenges, and why certain features take longer than others. This communication style has built goodwill with the community even when updates take months between releases.
How Melee Weapons Actually Work
The key detail that many people miss is that melee weapons replace your fist, not your guns. Currently in Witchfire, you can melee attack enemies when they get too close, but it’s a basic punch that requires recharge time after use. The new melee weapons will occupy that same slot, giving you a dedicated close-range option that complements your two firearms and one demonic weapon without forcing you into full melee combat builds.
This design philosophy keeps Witchfire firmly in the gunplay-focused roguelike shooter category rather than becoming a hybrid action game. You’re not choosing between playing a shooter or playing a melee character. You’re a Preyer with guns who occasionally needs to smash something in the face when it gets too close. The melee weapons should feel powerful and satisfying for those moments without overshadowing the game’s core identity as a dark fantasy FPS with extraction shooter elements.
Adrian Chmielarz’s comment about not competing with Condemned reveals the design intent clearly. Condemned: Criminal Origins and its sequel are legendary for having the most visceral, brutal, terrifying first-person melee combat ever created. Those games made every swing of a pipe or crowbar feel desperate and impactful in ways no other title has matched. The Astronauts recognizes they can’t top that in a game primarily about shooting, so they’re not trying. The melee weapons will be good for what they are, a close-range option when guns aren’t optimal, not the centerpiece of combat.
Witchfire’s Core Combat Loop
Understanding why melee weapons complement rather than replace guns requires explaining Witchfire’s combat philosophy. The game is a dark fantasy roguelike extraction shooter where you play as a Preyer, a witch hunter armed with firearms and demonic weapons exploring lands twisted by witchcraft. Each expedition into regions like the Shattered Peaks or Velmorne involves fighting through hordes of corrupted enemies, gathering resources, and extracting before death sends you back to the Hermitorium hub with only what you banked.
Combat revolves around movement and positioning. You have double jump, dash, and slide abilities that let you navigate the gothic environments and dodge enemy attacks. All enemies have weak points for critical damage and soul sigils that stun them when destroyed after dashing with full stamina. The gameplay loop encourages constant repositioning, exploiting enemy weaknesses with precise shooting, and managing your resources carefully since ammo scarcity forces tactical thinking.
As you defeat enemy groups, you grow stronger during that run by absorbing Arcanum Incarnations, randomized buffs offering various effects. This creates a roguelike power curve where each expedition starts weak but builds toward god-like power if you survive long enough. Permanent progression happens through weapon upgrades, research at the Workshop, and character leveling using Witchfire collected from enemies (with a Souls-like mechanic where you lose it on death unless retrieved).
Why Melee Makes Sense Now
The current basic melee attack serves as a panic button when enemies breach your space. Teleporting melee enemies specifically counter camping strategies by forcing movement, and your fist becomes necessary when they close distance faster than you can reload. Upgrading this system with actual weapons that have unique properties, damage types, and interaction with other systems makes perfect sense for build diversity.
Imagine a melee weapon that applies fire effects, synergizing with gear that enhances fire damage. Or a weapon that rapidly charges your spell energy when hitting enemies, enabling aggressive close-range mage builds. Or a defensive option that provides temporary shields on successful hits, turning melee into active defense rather than pure offense. These kinds of interactions create build possibilities without fundamentally changing that you’re still primarily shooting things.
The Rosary Beads system added in the Webgrave update already allows customizing the Preyer’s abilities for different playstyles. Some players focus on critical damage from afar with sniper rifles. Others prefer shotgun rushdowns with fire effects that leave enemies vulnerable to melee finishers. The new melee weapons will slot into these existing build archetypes, providing another customization layer rather than creating an entirely separate melee-focused meta.
The State of Witchfire Early Access
Witchfire entered Early Access in September 2023 exclusively on Epic Games Store before expanding to Steam in September 2024. The Astronauts has been methodically updating the game through major content drops every few months. The most recent Webgrave update in July 2025 added the multi-layered Velmorne region, comprehensive tutorial, revamped Workshop and Stats systems, the new Rosary Beads customization, and Gnosis VI difficulty for hardcore players.
Critical reception has been strong despite the game’s brutal difficulty. Reviews consistently praise the gorgeous visuals that maintain The Astronauts’ reputation from Vanishing of Ethan Carter, the tight gunplay compared favorably to Destiny, and the satisfying roguelike loop that rewards persistence. The main criticisms focus on ammo scarcity creating frustrating moments and the steep learning curve that can alienate players before the systems click.
The development pace has slowed compared to the rapid-fire updates early in Early Access, but that appears intentional as the team focuses on polish rather than new features. The seven-update roadmap shows they’re entering the final stretch with The Reckoning, a major update focused on finishing core systems, followed by presumably a content and balance update before 1.0 launch in 2026. This timeline suggests roughly six months until full release if everything goes smoothly.
What Banes Are and Why They Matter
While melee weapons get headline attention, the other major feature of The Reckoning is Banes, described as extreme optional challenges. The Astronauts hasn’t detailed exactly what these entail, but the name and framing suggest modifiers that make the already punishing game even more difficult for players who’ve mastered the base experience and want fresh challenges.
Think Hades’ Heat system or Slay the Spire’s Ascension levels – optional difficulty modifiers that fundamentally change how you approach runs without being mandatory for completion. Maybe Banes limit your weapon choices, remove health regeneration, increase enemy aggression, or introduce time limits. Whatever form they take, Banes signal that Witchfire will have substantial endgame depth for the hardcore players who stick around after beating the base content.
This focus on optional challenges for experienced players makes sense given Witchfire’s positioning. It’s not a mainstream shooter trying to appeal to the broadest audience. It’s a niche roguelike FPS for players who enjoy difficult games with deep systems. Adding Banes acknowledges that core audience will want continued challenges after mastering standard difficulty, creating replayability beyond the roguelike randomization already built into the structure.
FAQs
What is Witchfire The Reckoning update?
The Reckoning is a major upcoming update for Witchfire focusing on finalizing most gameplay features and mechanics before version 1.0. It introduces melee weapons that replace the fist attack, Banes (extreme optional challenges), significant upgrades to Alchemy, expanded Sanity mechanics, revamped Arcana, improved Prophecies, and more. It should launch before the end of 2025.
Do melee weapons replace guns in Witchfire?
No, melee weapons replace your fist, not your guns. You’ll still equip two firearms and one demonic weapon as primary combat tools. The melee weapons occupy the close-range punch slot, giving you a dedicated option when enemies get too close without changing Witchfire’s core identity as a gunplay-focused roguelike shooter.
When does Witchfire fully release?
Witchfire is targeting a 2026 release date for version 1.0 and full launch. The game entered Early Access in September 2023 on Epic Games Store and expanded to Steam in September 2024. The roadmap shows three updates remaining including The Reckoning, a second major update, and then version 1.0.
What is Witchfire?
Witchfire is a dark fantasy roguelike extraction shooter where you play as a Preyer, a witch hunter exploring lands twisted by witchcraft. Combat combines tight FPS gunplay with roguelike progression, extraction shooter elements, and souls-like death mechanics. It’s developed by The Astronauts, the studio behind Vanishing of Ethan Carter.
What are Banes in Witchfire?
Banes are extreme optional challenges being added in The Reckoning update. The Astronauts hasn’t detailed specifics yet, but they’re described as endgame difficulty modifiers for hardcore players who’ve mastered the base game and want fresh challenges beyond standard difficulty levels.
What platforms is Witchfire available on?
Witchfire is currently available in Early Access on PC through Epic Games Store and Steam. No console versions have been announced yet, though nothing prevents eventual PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X/S releases after the full PC launch in 2026.
How difficult is Witchfire?
Witchfire is very difficult. Ammo scarcity, plentiful hard-hitting enemies, and souls-like death mechanics where you lose collected resources create a punishing experience. Reviews consistently note the steep learning curve and brutal difficulty, though they also praise how satisfying it feels to gradually master the systems through persistence.
What is the Rosary Beads system?
Rosary Beads is a customization system added in the Webgrave update allowing players to modify the Preyer’s abilities for different build options. It works alongside the Workshop research system and weapon upgrades to create diverse playstyles from sniper critical builds to aggressive shotgun rushdowns.
What happened to The Astronauts after Vanishing of Ethan Carter?
After the critically acclaimed narrative walking simulator Vanishing of Ethan Carter, The Astronauts shifted to creating Witchfire, a dark fantasy roguelike shooter. The studio maintained their visual excellence while moving to a completely different genre focused on challenging combat and roguelike systems.
The Philosophy Behind It
The melee weapons dev diary reveals something important about The Astronauts’ design philosophy. They’re not chasing trends or trying to be everything to everyone. They know Witchfire is a niche game for players who want difficult, systems-driven roguelike shooters with gorgeous gothic aesthetics. Adding melee weapons doesn’t mean pivoting to compete with established melee combat games like Condemned or Dead Island. It means giving their existing systems more depth and player expression within the core identity they’ve carefully constructed. This restraint is rare in game development where feature creep constantly pushes projects beyond their original vision. The Reckoning update could have tried making Witchfire into a full action RPG with melee and ranged builds competing equally. Instead, they’re enhancing what already works by giving players better tools for close-range moments without abandoning the gunplay that defines the experience. That kind of focused design discipline is why Witchfire has built such a dedicated following despite its punishing difficulty and niche appeal. Sometimes the best thing a developer can do is recognize what their game is really about and double down on that rather than diluting it by trying to please everyone.