1666 Amsterdam Finally Reemerges with Witchcraft, Time Travel, and Assassin's Creed-Like Ambitions

1666 Amsterdam has officially stepped back into the spotlight after years of uncertainty, giving you your first proper look at a project that has been quietly evolving behind the scenes for more than a decade. The game was recently revealed during Summer Game Fest alongside a prologue demo that introduces its world and characters. 

While the announcement may feel new, the project itself has a much longer history. In fact, its development reportedly stretches all the way back to 2012. This means that the game has had a lot of development, internal changes, and years of planning before being shown to the public.

One reason the game has attracted attention is its connection to one of the creators behind the original Assassin’s Creed. The project has seen many setbacks over the years, ranging from cancellations, rights disputes, and long periods of inactivity. Eventually, the rights were reacquired, allowing development to resume under a new studio. 

If you jump into the newly released prologue expecting a detailed look at gameplay systems, you may come away with the wrong impression. 

The demo is essentially a narrative intro to set up the story and setting before the game’s Early Access release later in the year. The runtime focuses more on the characters, the world, and the larger mystery than on the mechanics. It’s more like the opening chapter of a story than a traditional gameplay demo.

That method has received mixed reviews for its presentation. The basic concepts of the story seem intriguing but some of the dialogue and voice acting seem a little rough as is. Some scenes, particularly narrated letter scenes, feel clunky because the writing doesn’t always suit the situations being depicted. 

The voice acting has also been criticized, but there’s time for polish before the full release of the game. During the development process, developers have the opportunity to address some of the issues players have raised and improve the overall presentation. That process might also benefit from feedback from the early reveal.

The story itself unfolds across several different time periods. Although most of the adventure occurs in Amsterdam during the year 1666, you also spend time in the modern day and in 1999. A supernatural mystery of witchcraft, secret societies, and powerful beings called the Originals links these different periods. 

Much of the action focuses on a young witch—Noah the Collector. The Zandri had brought her up and trained her to be the Collector, someone who would take magical power from the Originals. According to the story, these individuals possess abilities that no longer are theirs. 

Your role throughout the game is to track them down and recover those powers through various methods. Each encounter brings you one step closer to restoring what you lost. And along the journey you slowly unlock new abilities and opportunities.

The game's Steam page suggests that you will be able to approach these targets in multiple ways, although the prologue does not show much of that system in action. Instead, it offers brief glimpses of combat and exploration through a short gameplay montage. Noah seems to be able to suck power from the dead and channel it into magical powers. 

So far, the footage also teases movement mechanics that might be familiar to fans of Assassin’s Creed. You’ll see Noah running on rooftops, crossing the city, and using magic to get her goals done. While the footage remains limited, it suggests a blend of historical exploration and supernatural abilities. 

One of the more unusual features introduced in the prologue involves Noah's cat companion. 

Early on, you are asked to select a cat that will serve as her familiar. Each option has its own personality traits and descriptions, which suggests that gameplay may differ depending on which one is picked. The demo doesn’t really explain how these choices affect the experience, but they seem to be more than just cosmetic choices.

The cat is a lot more important than it looks at first. The story opens with Noah, then jumps to the present, where a woman named Cleo is trying to decipher a mysterious letter written in a guarded Zandri script. The letter is eventually translated through a small sequence of investigation. The following begins to connect the different time lines.

The letter reveals details of Cleo’s family and is based on events from 1999. The story goes that Cleo's father disappeared or died in strange circumstances. The letter also sheds light on the identity of her mother, someone Cleo apparently never knew. As the story unfolds, a strange encounter involving witchcraft ultimately sends a man named Aaron back through time.

That supernatural event transforms Aaron into the cat companion who accompanies Noah in 1666. As unusual as that sounds, the game appears fully committed to the concept. The Steam page indicates that Noah and Aaron will both be playable characters throughout the story. 

While Noah handles the more direct action, Aaron's cat form may focus on investigation, surveillance, and gathering information. This approach creates a contrast between the two characters and provides each of their roles during gameplay.

Those mechanics could be tied to the various cat options that were shown earlier in the demo. Details are scarce, but it would be fair for each Familiar to offer different bonuses in stealth or investigation parts. For now, that remains speculation, but the framework appears to be in place. 

Together, Noah and Aaron are hunting the Originals, individuals who have secretly lived among society for centuries. 

As far as we know now, they took on long lives and supernatural power with magic that was never really their own. Zandri believes that power must be taken back, and this belief lies at the heart of the game’s conflict. It sounds like you're on a mission to find these hidden people throughout the story.

The Steam page also mentions Esbats, which are occult gatherings associated with magical rituals and ceremonies. These events provide important sites where major confrontations take place. It’s not clear whether they’re story missions, investigative hubs, or something else altogether. 

Outside of its supernatural elements, 1666 Amsterdam is also placing significant emphasis on its historical setting. The developers have confirmed that you will explore Amsterdam during both the day and night. Different activities and events appear to become available depending on the time of day. 

There are still many unanswered questions, especially regarding combat, exploration, and mission structure. That said, a combination of witchcraft, multiple timelines, historical intrigue, and stealth-centric gameplay has helped the project stand out. After spending years in development limbo, 1666 Amsterdam is finally moving toward an Early Access release. 

Whether it can fully deliver on its ambitious ideas remains to be seen, but its return has already put it back on the radar for players looking for something a little different. The unique premise alone has helped the game stand out from many of the other games currently in development.