Noita is an action roguelike game where players play as a witch who explores a pixelated world. In Finnish, the word noita means "witch," and the enemies in the game are inspired by Finnish folklore. One of the game’s main draws is that every pixel is simulated. This means that water flows downstream, fire quickly burns through wood structures, and if fire and water meet, it creates steam which can then rain back down.
Noita is a difficult game, and there are many approaches to winning. There are all sorts of systems that don’t make themselves apparent even after multiple playthroughs. For those new to the game, here are some basic tips without spoiling all of the mystery. While these strategies will not ensure survival, players will at least die a little less frequently.
For those not familiar with roguelikes, Noita is a game where the player has one life. If they die, they have to start from the beginning of the game all over again. This is not as bad as it sounds, and each time the layout will be different because the world is procedurally generated. Biomes will always be in the same place, so the mines are always directly below where the player spawns, but there will be new wands, enemies, and hidden surprises. Death in Noita is a learning experience, and there is so, so much to learn.
Noita exists in a world with all sorts of terrifying monsters, but luckily it does not include bloodborne pathogens. Bathing in blood in Noita is actually a good thing! Being covered in blood gives the player fire resistance and increases their chance to do critical damage.
In normal runs, the player begins with a water flask, which can be a very useful tool. In an emergency, it can be used to put out fires, especially if the player is themselves on fire. Water can also dilute toxic sludge. While in water, players can fill the flask back up. Or the flask can be emptied and filled with other liquids. Also, certain enemies do not like having water or other liquids poured on them. Try experimenting.
Yes, there are two sickly green liquids in the game, and they do different things. Acid is the most deadly. Acid eats through terrain, destroying entire sections of the level, and will kill players who come into contact with it very quickly. Toxic sludge, on the other hand, is a liquid much like water, but green. It sits on the ground, and if players get it on their clothing, their health will gradually decrease until it is washed off. However, it will not kill the player on its own. Once they get to low enough health, the toxic sludge will stop doing damage.
Typically when players see enemies, their first instinct is to attack it. In most cases, this is a good thing, as enemies drop gold which the player needs to buy better wands and spells. Occasionally though, players will encounter powerful enemies. Sometimes enemies that normally appear deeper down will appear in beginner areas, and defeating them is extremely difficult and will likely end in death rather than victory. Remember that sometimes, it is better to run.
Part of the fun of Noita is when players discover cool things on their own. It’s worth it to begin runs with the intent of exploring. Not just in terms of new areas, but also messing with spells and liquids. Sometimes it does not go to plan, but dying is part of the game. Players accidentally blowing themselves up can be both funny and a learning experience. They might even discover a powerful spell combo.
There are many secret areas in the game, and some areas contain some interesting items, as well as lore for the game. What happens if instead of heading down into the mines, the player decided to head left instead? Or what if they found a way to climb over the mountain? It’s not accessible in the very beginning of the game, but what if the player had a way to carve a foothold into the mountain?
Just about everything will try to kill the player in Noita. It is a small mercy that there is no fall damage in the game. Of course, players should still beware of falling great distances if they do not know what awaits them at the bottom. It could be lava, which can end a run very fast.
Players learn early on that enemies drop gold when they die, but they may not realize that enemies drop double gold if they are killed by something like a minecart falling on them, or by drowning, or by burning to death. Being clever with the environment can lead to major rewards.
At the end of each biome, there is a portal to the temple. It allows players a place to recover and purchase wands or spells and pick up perks. Its walls are resistant to explosions, but some spells can destroy its walls. If that happens, players will anger the gods, which spawns a powerful enemy.
Upon looking at the control scheme for Noita, there is a button for eating. Hunger is not a thing in the game, and in fact eating too much will slow the player down, and eventually start damaging them. This was implemented so that players cannot drink entire lakes or abuse other systems. It does have some other effects as well. For example, it is possible to vomit. There may be some interesting effects that occur when the player eats certain things.
Wonder what that strange liquid is, or that odd patch of ground? Moving the cursor over it tells the player what it is so they can plan accordingly.
Noita is available now on PC.
