The game industry releases and announces new titles every day. So having that USP for your upcoming title is like gold dust in a heavily crowded market. One title which grabbed my attention, and many other people’s, was 1666: Amsterdam. A supernatural adventure set in 17th-century Amsterdam, involving witches, investigations, strange creatures and a trusty companion in the form of a black cat. And they’re just the sweetest devil-worshipping kitty there is. A lot is going on here, and after spending around a dozen hours roaming its streets and getting up to Witchy business, I can firmly say ….
The ideas are probably the most interesting thing about 1666: Amsterdam (for now).
Unfortunately, the execution isn't quite there yet, although there is plenty of promise with some much-needed polish.
Welcome to Amsterdam, Old and New
1666: Amsterdam has a fascinating premise where players take on the role of Noa, a young witch investigating a series of supernatural events, with the game eventually bringing other time periods into the mix. Our goal is to track down the sinister forces as by day we investigate, and at night we hunt.
There is something brilliantly strange about the whole thing, particularly when the game starts mixing witchcraft, investigation and the ability to experience the world in rather unusual ways.
And then there is the cat stuff, of course! Throwing a cat into the middle of a game, let alone a supernatural historical adventure, will always pique my interest.
And the cat isn't simply there to follow Noa around either. Aaron is a man from 1999 whose consciousness is transported back in time and placed inside the body of a black cat, eventually becoming Noa's familiar. As the cat, you can switch away from Noa and explore areas that would otherwise be inaccessible, squeezing into smaller spaces, climbing around buildings and helping Noa reach places she couldn't get to herself. There are also situations where Aaron can interact with people and the environment in ways Noa can't.
I particularly love the sections where you play as the cat to venture into areas that would normally be off-limits to our human counterpart. 2022’s Stray showed just how much fun it is being a feline, and playing as a cat works brilliantly well for the sleuthing, and somehow fits perfectly into the bizarre world 1666: Amsterdam creates.
Occult activities, sexy spells, and bloody rituals combine into one of the most compelling Witch games thematically, with plenty of attention and detail on the witchy activities themselves.
These elements breathe life into 1666: Amsterdam and help it develop a strong identity. The witchcraft isn't simply there for aesthetic purposes either; magical abilities become part of exploration, investigation, and combat in important ways.
This combination of ideas is what makes the game so intriguing. I haven't really seen much like this put together before.
< b="" /> Amsterdam was a wild place back in the day!
Time itself also plays a surprisingly important role in 1666: Amsterdam. The game jumps between 1666, 1999 and the present day, with the different periods connected through the same overarching mystery. What initially feels like a strange narrative gimmick gradually becomes key to understanding what is happening.
Most of the adventure takes place in 1666, where Noa investigates Amsterdam and tries to identify the Originals, paranormal beings hiding among ordinary citizens. During the day, you investigate, speak to people, and search for clues. Once night falls, those investigations become much more important as the Originals reveal their true nature, and Noa must confront them with brute force and craftiness.
I really like this idea because it gives the investigation side of the game actual structure and gravitas. You're not simply wandering around Amsterdam looking for random clues because the game told you to. What you discover during the day can directly influence what you're dealing with when the night comes around.
The different time periods also tie into Aaron and the cat, with the game occasionally using the relationship between past and future to let the characters influence things they otherwise couldn't reach. It's a really interesting concept, and one that gives 1666: Amsterdam another layer beyond simply being a historical adventure with witches.
Amsterdam itself is made with staggering detail. The architecture, canals, and general atmosphere do a great job of creating a believable historical setting, and the environments are packed with detail. Wandering around and discovering what is tucked away in the various streets and buildings is easily one of my favourite parts of the game.
Unfortunately, the world doesn't feel quite as open as it looks, and provides plenty of awkward blockades and invisible walls just to cut me off abruptly.
The city itself can feel like a massive tease when you see a poorly lit alley or warehouse full of mystery you want to explore, only to discover the game doesn't actually want you going there. It creates a peculiar disconnect between a masterfully created city, filled with life and depth, and a relatively restricted space you're actually allowed to inhabit.
It's a shame, because 1666: Amsterdam has the ingredients for a fantastic historical playground, much like the director's other little-known title you may know of. The setting practically begs to be explored, and I found myself wanting to poke my nose into every little corner, only to occasionally run into an invisible wall or another restriction telling me to bugger off.
Witchcraft Baby
The witchcraft side of things is where 1666: Amsterdam has the most potential. Using supernatural abilities to investigate the world and deal with its inhabitants is considerably more interesting than simply swinging a sword or shooting someone in the face. Like the cat antics and being a Witch.
But …
Unfortunately, combat itself is currently one of 1666's weaker components.
It's incredibly basic... very, very basic. With limited depth and not much variety in how encounters play out, with the most interesting bit in combat being explosive barrels. Which are kind of cool. The concept of being a witch gives you so many possibilities for interesting combat mechanics, yet the actual fighting feels rather shallow in comparison. Resulting in a tedious, low-end version of a hack-and-slash game.
There are some more interesting abilities available as you progress, including spells that can capture or petrify enemies, but the combat still feels like an area that needs considerably more attention. And honestly, it could do with the full game, if there were more spells and weapons, or even better death animations. What we’re seeing right now isn't all that promising and feels like filler.
The same goes for the AI. Enemies and NPCs can behave in some rather strange ways, and there are plenty of moments where the game doesn't quite respond as naturally as you'd expect.
It's not unusual to encounter some odd behaviour in Early Access. Still, it's particularly noticeable here because the rest of the game asks you to take its world and supernatural story seriously.
There is something worthy here
And that's the strange thing about 1666: Amsterdam. I'm constantly aware of its problems, but I'm also constantly thinking about how good it could be.
The investigation mechanics, witchcraft, different time periods and wonderfully bizarre cat antics all give the game a personality that many historical adventures would kill for. Something special feels entombed beneath the rough edges.
The problem is that there are quite a few rough edges.
The lack of polish can be difficult to ignore in places, whether it's awkward AI, animations, combat or general interactions with the world. Some of these things are exactly what you'd expect from a game still in Early Access and can hopefully be improved with time, but others feel like they need more than a little polish.
The combat needs more depth. The world could feel less restricted. The AI needs some serious attention. And the game needs to become more comfortable with all these wonderful ideas it has thrown onto the table.
Overall?
After around a dozen hours with 1666: Amsterdam, I'm left with a rather unusual feeling. The game is not particularly polished right now, and some areas make that lack of polish impossible to ignore. Combat is shallow, the AI can be all over the place, and the beautiful Amsterdam setting doesn't feel as open as it initially appears.
But I really like the ideas.
The combination of witchcraft, investigation, supernatural creatures, historical Amsterdam, multiple time periods, and, of course, cats gives 1666: Amsterdam a personality that is hard to ignore. Panache Digital Games is trying to create something genuinely fascinating here.
I particularly like the day-and-night structure, with daytime investigation feeding into the encounters that happen at night. Throw in the relationship between Noa and Aaron, the ability to switch between a witch and a cat, and the way the different time periods connect to the wider mystery, and there is a surprisingly ambitious game underneath all those rough edges.
It just isn't there yet.
1666: Amsterdam comes across as less like a finished game and more like a really interesting collection of ideas waiting to become a great game. The foundations are here, and there are moments where you can glimpse what this could eventually become, but there is still a lot of work to be done.
For now, I'm intrigued.
Honestly, that's probably the best thing I can.
