A review of Reigns: The Witcher, rich in story-building and Gwent nostalgia

Reigns: The Witcher delivers a card-based interactive narrative filled with nostalgia, strategy and humour. With simple swipe mechanics and strong lore integration, it offers an engaging and affordable experience for fans looking to revisit Geralt’s world in a fresh format.

2026 seems to be the year of experimentation for major gaming franchises. As we come to terms with a metroidvania-style God of War, the end of February also brings a card-based interactive narrative set in the world of The Witcher.

Devolver Digital’s Reigns: The Witcher is a card-based experience in which you help Dandelion retell Geralt’s adventures in countless ways, with Geralt meeting an unexpected demise in each version. A Tinder-style card-based interactive fiction, this is a game built for fans of The Witcher, where each encounter unfolds to the familiar music of Gwent.

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Nostalgia and lore are at the heart of Reigns: The Witcher, as the game rewards you for experimenting with unique storylines, unexpected decision-making, uncovering new characters and meeting your end in novel ways. Each time Geralt dies for the night, his bard friend Dandelion earns reputation and stars, which unlock new inspirations for future tales.

Everything here is card-based, from the new stories that are unlocked to the characters, abilities and locations that shape Dandelion’s performance. The entire format feels carefully designed, and the overall experience is genuinely top notch.

In terms of gameplay, this is a very simple experience that can be played just as easily on a PC or laptop as on an iPad or phone. You swipe cards right or left, deciding on the best possible approach to keep Geralt alive for as long as possible. Death here is delightfully arbitrary. Geralt might perish from overdrinking while judging a mead competition, at a party gone wrong or even because Yennefer turns him into a frog.

This is a game that demands equal measures of strategy and whimsy. You play not just to survive for as long as possible, but to uncover new possibilities and embrace the unexpected. A worthwhile experience for an affordable price, this is an absolute must for fans of The Witcher. Perfect for slow weekend afternoons, this is the kind of experience that rewards curiosity over caution.

Play it, because why not?

Sneak Peek:

Title: Reigns: The Witcher

Developer: Devolver Digital

Game Type: Single Player, card-based interactive fiction

Platforms: Android, iOS, PC and MacOS

Price: Rs.300 on Steam, Rs.599 on App Store and Rs.649 on Google Play Store

Verdict (all scores out of 10):

Innovative Gameplay: 8.5

Game Handling & Quality: 9

Value for Time: 9

Value for Money: 8.5

Overall: 8.75

What Stands Out

The fast, card-based narrative style blends wonderfully with the world of The Witcher. From its characters and races to its uncertainties and moments of valour, everything translates remarkably well into a card-based format.

The decision-making and its possible outcomes are very well designed. You can die for the most absurd reasons or survive even when you feel you have done everything wrong.

*Fails to impress

The four criteria that determine life and death could have been explained more clearly in relation to each card-based encounter.

Nothing else at all. This is a very fun and engaging game.