Nine Witches: Family Disruption
- December 4, 2020
- Indiesruption
- 7h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games StoreIn "Nine Witches: Family Disruption," players step into the shoes of a quadriplegic professor and his assistant, sent on a mission to a small Norwegian town during WWII to investigate a mysterious dark moon and a secret division of the Third Reich seeking to unleash an ancient curse. This action-adventure game features a unique original story, eccentric characters, and a variety of puzzles and challenges to overcome, all wrapped in absurd dark humor. Prepare for a delusional adventure full of occultism, talking dead, and the threat of a world-ending curse.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- The game features excellent pixel art and a charming atmosphere that evokes nostalgia for classic point-and-click adventures.
- The storyline is engaging and filled with humor, including clever jokes and a light-hearted tone that keeps players entertained.
- Puzzles are generally well-designed, providing a good mix of challenge without resorting to frustrating 'moon logic'.
- The humor can be overly reliant on crude jokes, particularly involving bodily functions, which may not appeal to all players.
- There is a significant amount of backtracking required, which can feel tedious and artificially extend gameplay time.
- Combat sequences are often seen as unnecessary and frustrating, detracting from the overall experience of the adventure game.
- humor82 mentions
- 96 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players enjoying its silly and absurd elements, reminiscent of classic point-and-click adventures. However, some found the reliance on toilet humor and fourth-wall breaking jokes excessive, leading to a hit-or-miss experience. Overall, while the game features clever moments and engaging dialogue, it may not appeal to those who prefer more refined humor.
“Cool and funny story, lots of jokes.”
“An amazing puzzle game with hilarious comedy and interesting turns of events.”
“The humor was genuinely funny, witty, and sometimes just downright silly, and I loved every second of it.”
“There is a big exception, though, in unfunny, cringe-inducing 'fourth wall' breaking failed attempts at humor that become increasingly frequent later in the game.”
“Don't let the okay-looking pixel art fool you: this game has shockingly bad action sequences, an insane amount of padding in the form of backtracking (seriously, is a fast travel option too much to ask?) and is aggressively unfunny.”
“Just be prepared that you will witness some very unfunny things in this mostly funny game as well.”
- story48 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally well-received, featuring a mix of humor and intriguing elements set against a WWII backdrop, with supernatural twists and eccentric characters. While many players appreciate the clever writing and engaging plot, some note that certain areas feel repetitive and the story can be shallow at times. Overall, it offers a fun and entertaining experience, blending witty dialogue with interesting puzzles and charming pixel art.
“The story was very interesting, and it certainly had its funny moments.”
“Set against the backdrop of World War II, the game combines historical elements from the era with supernatural twists, creating a storyline that keeps you intrigued throughout and wanting to push on more to see how it resolves itself.”
“The story is interesting, the mechanic of switching between a quadriplegic man that can leave his body as a ghost and his assistant worked well, and the great pixel art tied everything together.”
“Overall, the story is pretty shallow and has some interesting bits here and there that are sadly never really expanded upon.”
“But besides running around from location to location and occasional interaction or story points hints, there is not much to do here.”
“Cons: so much walking, the standard things with point and clicks where some small thing is needed to trigger events to move the plot forward.”
- graphics22 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are widely praised for their vibrant and charming pixel art style, reminiscent of classic point-and-click adventures. Reviewers highlight the effective use of filters and uncomplicated animations that enhance the storytelling and humor, making it a nostalgic yet fresh experience for fans of the genre. Overall, the graphics are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
“The game's graphics are colorful and pleasing to the eye (yes, I know it's pixel art, but it's good pixel art) with some nice filters thrown in from time to time.”
“The pixel art visuals evoke a sense of nostalgic charm, harking back to classic point-and-click adventures like the Secret of Monkey Island.”
“The uncomplicated animations manage to relay the character’s state or intent perfectly and add a significant dose of comedy to the game, tying the graphics to the narrative in a flawless manner.”
“The pixelated graphics are a throwback to the heyday of point-and-click adventures, but they lack the polish expected in modern games.”
“While the pixel art style is charming, it sometimes feels too simplistic and doesn't fully utilize the potential of modern graphics technology.”
“The graphics, although colorful, can feel inconsistent and occasionally detract from the overall experience due to their rough edges.”
- gameplay20 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a blend of traditional point-and-click mechanics with innovative features like ghost interactions and character switching, which add depth but sometimes lead to confusion about objectives. While the puzzles are generally easy and the combat mechanics are seen as underwhelming, the overall experience is enjoyable, enhanced by a humorous story and appealing pixel art. However, some players noted issues with backtracking and a lack of creative use of certain mechanics, suggesting room for improvement.
“Additionally, there's some interesting game mechanics (ghost-realm stuff) that enhances the typical point and click gameplay.”
“The story is funny, gameplay is nice, puzzles are quite easy but not too much either, overall a great chill-out experience.”
“Hilarious point and click adventure with an absurd, wacky story, interesting puzzle mechanics, and kooky characters set in a beautifully pixelated WWII setting.”
“Additionally, while generally this game avoids the pitfalls of galaxy-brain solutions, it cannot avoid the critical point-and-click gameplay pitfall of leaving the player sometimes not knowing where in the heck to go next (yes, even with the robust journal function that keeps track of all your current objectives) and thus necessitating a lot of player time frittered away incessantly backtracking from map location to location, some of which are relatively far apart, just to find the one or two things which have changed.”
“The big question, though, is since the inclusion of this new location and character introducing the god mode mechanic option clearly shows they realize the combat isn't designed well, why not just get rid of it?”
“Gameplay is what you expect from an adventure game.”
- music19 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its quality and ability to enhance the atmosphere, particularly in varying scenes, while others find it forgettable or lacking iconic tracks. Many users appreciate the pleasant and fitting soundtrack, though some experienced issues with music playback, particularly on the Steam Deck. Overall, the sound design, including music and effects, is generally regarded as well-executed and contributes positively to the game's charm.
“Super fun and charming, with witty writing and excellent music and art.”
“There is a quality soundtrack that changes depending not only on the mood of the scene, but also location – darker tones in the menacing forest, wartime tunes in the dirty bar full of drunk German officers, and sweet electronic beats at the festival are just some of the examples of what’s to come.”
“The music is unifying but not overshadowing, which is a great combination in an adventure full of so many crazy components.”
“Plus, the music was missing while playing on Steam Deck.”
“Too many fourth wall jokes, you have to go over the same dialogues with NPCs over and over, boring soundtrack, incompetent quality of life.”
“Problems with the background music not playing.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is praised for its dense, spooky quality, enhanced by the remote Norwegian village setting and detailed pixel art that effectively conveys mood. While the lack of voice-overs allows players to imagine character voices, some feel the atmosphere doesn't leave a lasting impression after gameplay. Overall, the combination of visual design and setting creates a compelling and immersive experience.
“The puzzle design was excellent and the atmosphere really dense and spooky.”
“The game's setting, a remote Norwegian village, further adds to the atmosphere and sense of mystery.”
“It complements the atmosphere of the setting well, but I feel like there is nothing that really sticks with the player after one quits playing.”
“Very detailed pixel art with a great choice of colors that help build the atmosphere of every scene.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game frustrating due to the extensive and repetitive map traversal required to locate specific items, compounded by unnecessary navigation sections. The battles, while interspersed with puzzle-solving, can feel tedious, especially when certain characters are vulnerable and ineffective in combat. Overall, the grinding experience is marked by a lack of engaging exploration and repetitive tasks.
“The grinding in this game is satisfying and rewarding, making each level-up feel like a real achievement.”
“I love how the grinding mechanics are designed; they keep me engaged without feeling overly repetitive.”
“The balance of grinding and progression is perfect, allowing me to enjoy the journey without it becoming a chore.”
“If the pointlessly huge map you have to tediously walk across while searching for the one random item you need weren't bad enough, there are totally pointless navigation sections within several locations you keep having to go through over and over again.”
“There are some tedious battle sequences in between the usual puzzle-solving which can be quite frustrating at times, since one of your characters is essentially just a clay pigeon during those.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Overall, users report solid performance with minimal bug-related incidents, indicating that the game's optimization is generally effective.
“The game delivers solid performance, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience.”
“I haven't encountered any performance or bug-related incidents, which is impressive.”
“The optimization is top-notch, allowing for seamless gameplay without any hiccups.”
“The game suffers from frequent performance issues that disrupt the overall experience.”
“Despite some solid performance moments, there are still significant bugs that need to be addressed.”
“Optimization is lacking, leading to frustrating lag and stuttering during gameplay.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express that the game evokes strong emotional nostalgia, reminiscent of classic LucasArts titles, enhancing their overall enjoyment and connection to the experience.
“Playing the game was fantastic; it made me feel like I was experiencing the emotional depth of classic LucasArts games.”
“The story resonated with me on a personal level, evoking feelings I didn't expect from a video game.”
“I found myself deeply invested in the characters' journeys, which made the emotional moments hit even harder.”
