Simon the Sorcerer: Origins [REVIEW] – A Spellbinding Comeback

It’s been over thirty years since his debut, but finally, the mischievous boy wizard is back. Simon the Sorcerer: Origins acts as both a prequel and a revival of the classic point-and-click adventure series of the 90s, and here’s a fun fact: it was the first game in the genre that I actually played, so it’s got a special little place in my heart. Thankfully, this new entry captures the magic and humour that made the original game so memorable, albeit with one or two little stumbles along the way.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Set just before the 1993 original, Simon the Sorcerer: Origins follows a younger Simon, an eleven-year-old troublemaker whose life changes when he’s pulled through a glowing portal into a magical world. There, he meets the kindly wizard Calypso and learns of a prophecy that sets him on a quest to recover the tomes of the First Wizard. It’s a familiar setup with a younger protagonist who has the fate of the world in his hands, but it’s handled with enough humour and charm to feel fresh and engaging. The writing leans heavily into dry British wit and self-aware jokes, often breaking the fourth wall to poke fun at adventure-game logic, but what else would you expect from the genre? It feels nostalgic but modern in equal measures and ensures that there’s a wonderful narrative and some sharp writing to support the adventure.

When it comes to the gameplay, Simon the Sorcerer: Origins follows a classic point-and-click adventure setup, but it’s nice to see that the formula has been updated for modern gamers – most notably with the traditional list of verbs from the original game replaced with contextual interactions, that makes a lot more sense these days. Movement also feels much more natural, and accessible features such as highlighting interactive hotspots make exploring the world and uncovering the items required to progress so much smoother.

“Simon the Sorcerer: Origins is a heartfelt and comical return for one of point-and-click adventuring’s most endearing icons.”

A particularly nice addition is Simon’s magical diary, which keeps track of objectives and includes a map for fast travel. It might seem like a small addition, but given how cryptic point-and-click adventures can be and how difficult it can be to keep on top of the things you need to do, this went a long way in streamlining the experience. Genre purists might not care for it, but those who are new to point-and-click adventures will certainly find it a very welcome quality-of-life feature that helps keep your adventure pushing forward.

Of course, the heart of any point-and-click adventure lies in its puzzles, and here Simon the Sorcerer: Origins both delights and frustrates. Most of the game’s puzzles are smartly designed, logical, and satisfying to solve, whilst Simon can also learn spells and acquire different versions of his magical hat, which affect items in his inventory and open new solutions. It’s a creative system that freshens up the traditional ‘combine object A with object B’ format, all whilst lining up perfectly with the magical themes of the game.

Check out some screenshots down below:

However, a few puzzles are simply too obscure for their own good, and whilst Simon the Sorcerer: Origins has made a real effort to feel accessible, it doesn’t have a built-in hint system to help players who get a little stumped. What doesn’t help is that some solutions rely on leaps of logic that feel a bit TOO out there, leaving their solving a little bit underwhelming. Don’t get me wrong, I like the occasional cryptic puzzle to keep me on my toes in a point-and-click adventure, but there were just a couple of conundrums here that felt a bit dated in their obtuse solutions. But hey, there’s certainly a lot more good than bad when it comes to the puzzling, so it doesn’t bog the experience down too much.

Visually, Simon the Sorcerer: Origins is a real treat, with the hand-drawn art style giving the game a distinct and charming look that really helps it stand out. Some scenes are genuinely stunning, packed with small details that really flesh out the world, whilst the excellent sound design complements it, from the gentle background ambience to the whimsical score that perfectly matches the tone of Simon’s misadventures. The return of Red Dwarf actor Chris Barrie as Simon’s voice is a nostalgic highlight too, with his sarcastic delivery perfectly capturing Simon’s reluctant-hero attitude (even if his mature tone doesn’t always sound like that of an eleven-year-old boy). I’d be lying if I said that part of me didn’t miss the pixel art style of the original game, but it’s hard to complain too much when the game is so wonderfully presented.

Developer: Smallthing Studios
Publisher: ININ Games
Platform(s): PC (Reviewed), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Website: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1939890/Simon_the_Sorcerer_Origins/