Mika and the Witch's Mountain
- August 21, 2024
- Nukefist
- 6h median play time
Get on Steam"Mika and The Witch's Mountain" is a fantasy adventure game following an aspiring witch who delivers packages to an island's townspeople using magic brooms. Players explore the island, build relationships with inhabitants, and upgrade brooms for better flight capabilities. The goal is to reach the mountain's top while experiencing a fulfilling flight sensation and engaging in a heartwarming story of effort, friendship, and community.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Steam Deck
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- Charming and adorable art style reminiscent of Studio Ghibli, particularly Kiki's Delivery Service.
- Relaxing gameplay with smooth flying mechanics, allowing for enjoyable exploration of the island.
- Engaging characters and a cozy atmosphere that make the game a delightful experience.
- The main story is quite short, taking around 3-5 hours to complete, which may leave players wanting more content.
- Some players experienced crashes and bugs, affecting the overall gameplay experience.
- Limited character interactions and a lack of depth in the story can make the game feel simplistic and repetitive.
- story154 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story in "Mika and the Witch's Mountain" is generally described as cute and heartwarming, with charming characters and a simple narrative that evokes a cozy atmosphere reminiscent of Ghibli films. However, many players feel the main story is too short, typically taking around 4-6 hours to complete, and express a desire for more depth and content, particularly in character development and plot resolution. While the game offers enjoyable quests and exploration, some reviewers note that the narrative can feel disjointed or lacking in complexity, leaving room for potential expansion in future updates.
“The story is deeper than I thought, and all characters are interesting.”
“The story is cute, and I did not expect the ending!”
“Absolutely loved following Mika's story, and I may replay eventually to try and 100% it with all collectibles and achievements.”
“The main problem is that it is quite short; I really wish the main storyline had more fleshed out with a few more people to meet and make deliveries to.”
“I found the story simple and charming overall but a little lacking because it doesn't really tie up all its threads (a 'villain' just kind of disappears, for example).”
“The story is disjointed and feels inconsequential, and too preachy at times.”
- gameplay81 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Mika and the Witch's Mountain" is characterized by its relaxing exploration and enjoyable broom-flying mechanics, which many players find intuitive and satisfying. However, some reviewers note that the gameplay can feel repetitive due to a lack of variety in delivery missions and limited mechanics, leading to a somewhat shallow experience. Overall, while the game offers charming visuals and a cozy atmosphere, it could benefit from additional depth and quality-of-life features.
“Mika and the Witch's Mountain is an incredibly fun, no-stress exploration game with super fun flying mechanics!”
“The flying mechanics with the hoverbike-like broom are fun, and the characters you meet are interesting, each of them with their own wholesome and kindhearted stories.”
“The gameplay is cozy enough to be relaxing at the end of a long day.”
“It lacks a lot of quality of life features, such as a mini map and other navigation mechanics like a compass (especially considering it is a game about delivering packages).”
“But the mechanics of 'flying' (which is more like gliding) are difficult, and the game is supremely repetitive without good ways to get where you need to go.”
“Most mechanics don't really go beyond what they show in the beginning and even though the game could have had some more interesting things to do, it feels shallow.”
- music61 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as cute, whimsical, and fitting for the charming visuals, creating a relaxing atmosphere. However, many players report issues with the soundtrack, including frequent silences when transitioning between areas and a limited number of repetitive tracks, which detracts from the overall experience. While the soundtrack is appreciated for its soothing qualities, the inconsistent audio levels and interruptions have been a common point of criticism.
“Very cute and gentle game, easy to play and super chilled, with a relaxing and hypnotic soundtrack.”
“The art is adorable, the music is whimsical, and flying around is very fun.”
“The music and graphics are very vibrant, although I did experience some weird issues where the music would just stop and take a bit of time to kick back in when flying around the map.”
“My lone serious complaint about the game is poor audio leveling, with musical tracks and vocal callouts alike having very uneven volume that leads to the occasional jumpscare from getting your eardrums slammed.”
“The ending truly made me cry ;_; <3 the only thing I would like to mention is that the music cuts out between areas quite often, so I was stuck with silence for quite some time.”
“Music is limited and repetitive.”
- graphics51 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming, cartoonish art style, reminiscent of both "The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker" and Studio Ghibli's "Kiki's Delivery Service." Players appreciate the vibrant colors, delightful character designs, and overall cozy atmosphere, which enhance the game's relaxing experience. However, some reviewers note that while the visuals are appealing, they feel the gameplay could benefit from more depth beyond its aesthetic appeal.
“The art style is adorable, creating a cozy atmosphere in every corner of the world.”
“The graphics are charming, sweet, and reminiscent of a Studio Ghibli film, which adds to the overall appeal of the game.”
“The zelda Wind Waker style graphics, combined with the Studio Ghibli (Kiki's Delivery Service) feel, makes it a fun game to play.”
“Visuals and story need a bit more time in the oven though.”
“There's no reason for that testing to not have already been done and the game is not graphically intensive.”
“Played excellent on my Steam Deck with only a handful of graphical glitches.”
- emotional34 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its heartwarming and wholesome narrative, reminiscent of "Kiki's Delivery Service," which resonates deeply with players, often evoking tears and smiles. While the gameplay is simple and sometimes repetitive, the charming characters and their touching stories create a relaxing and immersive experience that appeals to both children and adults seeking comfort and joy. Overall, it is celebrated for its enchanting atmosphere and emotional depth, making it a delightful escape into a cozy, magical world.
“I do wish it was a bit longer, but it's a short and sweet story that doesn't drag on or overstay its welcome, and it's long enough to build up for an emotional send-off at the end.”
“The ending truly made me cry; the only thing I would like to mention is that the music cuts out between areas quite often, so I was stuck with silence for quite some time.”
“A super cute game filled with a range of interesting characters with surprisingly emotional stories!”
- atmosphere10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Mika and the Witch's Mountain" is generally described as relaxing and cozy, enhanced by its charming art style and enjoyable broom mechanics. While some players noted a lack of variety in sound effects and music, the overall experience remains heartwarming and delightful, making it a pleasant environment to explore. Despite minor shortcomings, the game's enchanting world and cute aesthetic contribute significantly to its appeal.
“Mika and the Witch's Mountain is a simple, but enjoyable game that has such a relaxing atmosphere that it is easy to just spend time flying around the air currents of the island searching for collectibles to change your outfit, or get a new charm to put on your broom.”
“The art style is adorable, creating a cozy atmosphere in every corner of the world.”
“Mika and the Witch's Mountain is a delightful and heartwarming experience that shines through its enchanting world, charming characters, and soothing atmosphere.”
“It took away some of the atmosphere while playing.”
“I feel like the game lacks a bit of atmosphere in the sound effects.”
“It's a bit lacking in atmosphere sometimes, and a few characters could have been fleshed out more, but it doesn't hinder the experience that much.”
- stability6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 83 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag; while some players report smooth performance on platforms like the Steam Deck with minor graphical glitches, others experience frequent crashes and significant bugs that hinder gameplay, often necessitating multiple restarts.
“The game runs smoothly on all platforms, including the Steam Deck.”
“I haven't experienced any crashes or bugs, which makes for a stable gaming experience.”
“The performance is consistent, allowing for uninterrupted gameplay.”
“The game is buggy and constantly crashes to desktop.”
“There were serious glitches that required at least two restarts to collect all achievements.”
“Buggy!”
- optimization5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is praised for its beautiful graphics and smooth performance on both PC and Steam Deck, providing a relaxing experience. However, some users with higher-end hardware, like a 1080ti, reported performance issues at elevated settings, indicating that optimization may vary based on system specifications.
“Extremely cute game, with beautiful and optimized graphics.”
“The game runs smoothly without any performance issues that could disrupt the experience.”
“Performance - I have a 1080 Ti and this game struggled on higher settings.”
“Optimization as a whole is solid on both PC and Steam Deck, and its user interface keeps things easy to read, concise, and calming throughout.”
- humor5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its quirky and lovable characters, complemented by a charming Ghibli-inspired art style. It effectively addresses contemporary issues like hustle culture and the gig economy with a lighthearted approach, while also incorporating amusing moments and secrets that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the casual humor, which often leads to funny personal anecdotes, adding to the game's charm.
“The characters are funny, quirky, and lovable, and the Ghibli-inspired art style is so cute.”
“Bringing the issues to today, they chose to address hustle culture and the whole gig economy of delivery in a humorous but quite lively way.”
“I like the little secrets and missing packages to find and give to the villagers. It took me far too long to pronounce Oligari (as I liked to call her Ola, Gary) that I ended up saying it like another name in the game, and that's when I was like, 'Ohhhhhh, okay, I get it now!' But that was like end game, so that was a funny blonde moment for me that I giggled my way through an end game scene.”
- character development4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is minimal, with users noting a lack of depth in character progression. However, the character designs are praised for their cuteness and variety, complemented by an appealing art style and soundtrack. Collecting items adds an enjoyable challenge to the experience.
“The character designs and the art style are very cute!”
“The art style, soundtrack, and character designs are all really nice, and finding the collectibles has been a fun challenge so far.”
“Especially in character design, which is well balanced and has variety.”
“There was barely any character development.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
While some users find the game highly replayable due to its engaging mechanics, others feel that the current lack of content does not justify the price, limiting its overall replayability.
“It's incredibly replayable, with cool mechanics yet to be discovered.”
“The game offers a high level of replayability, keeping players engaged with new experiences each time.”
“Each playthrough feels fresh and exciting, making it a game you can return to again and again.”
“There is nowhere near enough content to justify the price for a game that, at present, has little replayability that I can see.”
“After completing the game once, I found no incentive to play it again; the lack of varied outcomes really diminishes its replay value.”
“The game feels like a one-and-done experience, with no new challenges or storylines to explore on subsequent playthroughs.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to the lack of a collectible finder, which makes locating the 100 statues a frustrating experience.
“My only real complaint is that there isn't any kind of collectible finder, so finding the 100 statues can be very annoying and tedious.”
