Ashina: The Red Witch

About

Ashina: The Red Witch is a single player casual simulation game with horror, fantasy and anime themes. It was developed by Stranga Games and was released on June 4, 2022. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

Get ready for adventure not like any other! This story is about Ash. An ordinary girl who takes an unexpected journey through the mysterious spirit world filled with strange creatures.

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95%

Audience ScoreBased on 95 reviews

story39 positive mentions

grinding1 negative mentions

Beautiful pixel art and animations with charming, well-designed characters and environments.
Engaging, emotionally resonant story with strong themes of grief, loss, and self-discovery, often compared favorably to works like Spirited Away.
Atmospheric soundtrack that effectively supports the mood and enhances the narrative experience.

Narrative can be confusing or convoluted for players unfamiliar with the related series games, impacting overall story clarity and satisfaction.
Gameplay is very simplistic and puzzle design can feel repetitive or occasionally frustrating, with limited variety and some minor bugs.
Multiple minor localization issues including spelling and grammar errors, as well as occasional technical glitches such as save file bugs or imperfect controls.

story
112 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
61%
4%
Ashina: The Red Witch delivers a dark, mystical, and emotionally driven story centered on grief, loss, and self-discovery, enriched by strong character development and atmospheric pixel art. While fans of the series appreciate its deeper connections and storytelling style, some find the plot occasionally confusing, unevenly paced, and constrained by its role as part of a larger narrative, leading to a less satisfying or abrupt ending. Overall, it offers a poignant, cozy, and introspective experience ideal for players who enjoy story-focused, atmospheric adventures with minimal gameplay complexity.
- “Ashina: the red witch is an atmospheric and emotionally driven adventure that trades high-stakes action for quiet introspection and heartfelt storytelling.”
- “At its core, Ashina: the Red Witch is a story about coping with grief and learning to let go, presented through allegory and gentle fantasy.”
- “The characters are well developed, and I especially liked how Ashina and her sister Tena are very different from the very start, with both having fundamentally different views on life, and that of course plays a big role on how the story unfolds later on.”
- “The ending could perhaps be a bit more satisfying. I did only get two (the ones necessary for achievements), but with this releasing after "My Big Sister," I think the ending was kind of locked in from the start. This is definitely part of a larger experience, and I think that could turn some people away. Games should generally be self-contained experiences, and while this is kind of one, the ending not being as satisfying for the sake of fitting with another game's story does detract a bit.”
- “I think in trying to be mysterious and cryptic, the developer has forgotten to actually spend time being clear with the big narrative reveals, so for me, the story fell flat.”
- “However, as with "My Big Sister," not only is the story very perplexing, confusing, and hard to put together, but it also doesn't hold up with the overall story of the saga in many ways. It seems like the author changed his mind about many things along the way and didn't properly clarify how these changes can hold up with the main plot without disrupting it.”
music
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
39%
8%
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to capture and enhance the atmosphere, with evocative, fitting soundtracks that complement the visuals and story. While it may not be highly complex or award-winning, players find it charming, immersive, and enjoyable, often highlighting standout tracks that deepen the emotional and dreamlike experience. Some note a desire for more variety, but overall the music is considered a significant and positive aspect of the game.
- “Complementing the visuals is an evocative soundtrack that underscores the shifting moods of the journey.”
- “From soft, melancholic piano pieces to light, mysterious melodies, the music immerses players deeper into Ashina’s emotional landscape and gives weight to every quiet moment.”
- “The soundtrack is great too, with the music in the Chikanda chapter standing out and really setting the mood.”
- “After learning that it was only one person that made this game and the music, I retify my rating to 6/10.”
- “Doing music is hard enough, and doing it only by yourself is even harder!”
- “The soundtrack fits the overall atmosphere of the locations, and the areas aren't too big so you won't get lost often.”
gameplay
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
70%
13%
The gameplay is generally described as simple, slow-paced, and straightforward, often involving item finding, basic puzzles, and dialogue-based progression with minimal pressure or challenge. While some appreciate its meditative, narrative-driven approach and emotional atmosphere, others find the mechanics overly basic, repetitive, and lacking depth or innovation. Overall, the game prioritizes storytelling and ambiance over complex or engaging gameplay.
- “All three have gorgeously great pixels on par as modern arts, simple yet fun gameplay, good soundtracks with great plots.”
- “The gameplay loop mostly involves finding items, solving light logic puzzles, and trading favors to unlock new areas or narrative developments.”
- “The simplicity of its mechanics and the compactness of its world ultimately reinforce its message about impermanence and acceptance.”
- “I dropped it after 15 minutes of endless clicking through drawn-out insufferable dialogue with barely any gameplay.”
- “I am sad that I can't recommend it; it's really lacking in story despite being heavy on text, and gameplay doesn't save it as it's the typical riddle, find thing, use thing here, talk with X, and that's all.”
- “The game mechanics are like the old RPG Maker games—nothing new and a little clunky.”
graphics
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
20%
15%
The game's pixel art graphics are widely praised for their charming, beautiful, and seamless execution, creating a strong atmospheric and aesthetic appeal reminiscent of casual JRPGs and works like Spirited Away. The artwork features excellent animation and sprite work, enhancing the immersive setting, while the visuals effectively complement the engaging story and characters. Overall, players appreciate the lovely pixel aesthetics combined with evocative music, making the graphics a standout aspect of the experience.
- “Visually, the game’s pixel art style radiates charm and craftsmanship.”
- “The artwork is also great, with some excellent animation and sprite work.”
- “The dev used game making software, but you wouldn't know it while playing since it's pretty seamless and the artwork is beautiful.”
- “It's a story game, nothing else will capture your attention since the visuals are serviceable.”
- “Much like Red Bow, it's very light on anything that is actually frightening, opting for an eerie aesthetic that calls to mind a slightly bloodier Spirited Away.”
- “The tone most often recalls Spirited Away (sometimes to a fault) and the bright, cheery art style looks like it'd be from a casual JRPG.”
emotional
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Ashina: The Red Witch delivers a deeply emotional and atmospheric experience, emphasizing introspection, heartfelt storytelling, and nuanced pain rather than traditional healing or triumph. Its subtle narrative, evocative visuals, and poignant music create a lingering emotional impact, resonating especially with players who appreciate quiet, story-driven adventures. While not overwhelmingly intense, the game’s sincere exploration of grief and sympathy stands out as a powerful, memorable journey.
- “Ashina: The Red Witch is an atmospheric and emotionally driven adventure that trades high-stakes action for quiet introspection and heartfelt storytelling.”
- “By the end, the narrative feels like a complete emotional arc rather than a grand epic, leaving players thoughtful rather than triumphant.”
- “Ashina: The Red Witch succeeds because it understands what it wants to be—a heartfelt, visually captivating, and emotionally resonant adventure that invites players to slow down and simply feel.”
atmosphere
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
85%
15%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its cozy, emotionally rich, and dreamlike quality, drawing clear inspiration from Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away. Its intimate, well-crafted environments, complemented by fitting music and pixel-art graphics, create a compelling and immersive experience that supports heartfelt storytelling and introspection. While the game is relatively small and straightforward, its strong mood and unique vibe make it a standout choice for players seeking a charming and atmospheric adventure.
- “Ashina: The Red Witch is an atmospheric and emotionally driven adventure that trades high-stakes action for quiet introspection and heartfelt storytelling.”
- “I loved the unsettling dreamlike atmosphere with music to match, and the bizarre cast of characters.”
- “Ashina The Red Witch was quite likely inspired by the well-known Studio Ghibli anime Spirited Away and delivers a similar atmospheric experience.”
humor
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is a charming blend of cute, funny, and spooky elements, often conveyed through witty dialogue and lovable characters like the mischievous Tanto. While it maintains a light-hearted and amusing tone, it also incorporates deeper, sometimes heavy themes rooted in Japanese mythology, creating an engaging mix of humor and horror. Overall, the humor complements the intriguing story and characters, enhancing the game's unique atmosphere.
- “With that said, this game's dialogue is pretty funny and the story is interesting, even though it becomes incomprehensible near the end.”
- “An engaging mixture of humor and horror.”
- “Awesome music, interesting characters and plot, good humor, nice puzzles, and wonderful pixel aesthetics.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development received mixed feedback, with praise for the visual design, animations, and setting, but criticism that the writing and story felt flat and lacked depth.
- “I felt that the writing fell flat, despite the good setting, pixel art, animations, expressions, visual character design, and places.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Replayability is limited, with most value coming from playing related games first; while it can stand alone, the experience may not justify the full price due to minimal incentive for multiple playthroughs.
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding tedious and time-consuming, with certain missions, like "finding six bells in a forest," contributing to a frustrating experience.
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization is somewhat inconsistent, with occasional stuttering that affects overall performance.
- “I encountered a few performance issues where the game would stutter at times.”

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75%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews

If you think an adventure through the spirit world, complete with the unusual characters you’d expect along the way, this will work
Nindiespotlight.com
75%

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11h Median play time

9h Average play time

5-13h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Ashina: The Red Witch is a casual simulation game with horror, fantasy and anime themes.

Ashina: The Red Witch is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and others.

On average players spend around 9 hours playing Ashina: The Red Witch.

Ashina: The Red Witch was released on June 4, 2022.

Ashina: The Red Witch was developed by Stranga Games.

Ashina: The Red Witch has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked Ashina: The Red Witch for its story but disliked it for its character development.

Ashina: The Red Witch is a single player game.

Similar games include My Big Sister, UNREAL LIFE, Yuppie Psycho, A Bird Story, Rakuen and others.

Ashina: The Red Witch

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If you think an adventure through the spirit world, complete with the unusual characters you’d expect along the way, this will work

Buy Ashina: The Red Witch