Rocwood Academy
- December 13, 2019
- DigiLab Interaction
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"Rocwood Academy" is a text-based choice-matters adventure game set in a hidden wizard world in the early 1900s US society. As a first-year student, make decisions on friends, spells, teachers and gather wizardry items to create your own spell decks. Encounter and combat mysterious creatures like Owl Griffin, Snarly Yow, and Wendig to complete your wizardry adventure.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features charming art and character designs that enhance the overall experience.
- It offers a unique card-based decision-making system that adds an interesting twist to the gameplay.
- The story, while simple, is engaging and has potential for future expansions, making it enjoyable for fans of magic school themes.
- The narrative is often shallow, with many choices feeling inconsequential and not significantly impacting the story.
- There are numerous spelling and grammar errors that detract from immersion and overall quality.
- The combat system is underwhelming and feels tacked on, as it does not affect the main plot and can be tedious.
- story77 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story, while heavily inspired by the Harry Potter universe, offers a mix of familiar tropes and unique twists that keep it engaging and enjoyable. Players appreciate the charming characters and the intriguing plot, despite some criticism regarding the lack of depth and resolution, as well as the optional nature of card battles that do not impact the narrative. Overall, the story is seen as a fun, light-hearted experience with potential for future expansions, though it may feel simplistic and derivative to some.
“The story is engaging and keeps you away from this cruel reality.”
“The story turns out surprisingly unique and makes me really look forward to year 2 story.”
“It's nice to experience the story unravel around you and these characters that you learn to love.”
“There's no lore to be explored, no interesting storylines and engaging characters, nothing.”
“The story is simple, does not force you to think too much and consists of a bunch of clichés neatly wired together.”
“Far too many typos and grammatical errors prevent this charming (if familiar) wizard student story from hooking players.”
- graphics13 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful and unique art style, featuring a cartoony/anime aesthetic that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the polished animations and tasteful character designs, which contribute to a professional feel. The visuals, combined with a fitting soundtrack, create an engaging atmosphere that many find appealing.
“Beautiful graphics and soundtrack, simple commands, and a neat twist ending that left me curious for what comes next.”
“The visuals are great and very pleasing, with very nice animations that make the game feel very professional and polished.”
“The artwork is cute and tasteful and the music selection is fitting to the scenes.”
- music10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many praising its fitting and whimsical quality that complements the visuals and gameplay. However, some users find it to be generic and occasionally repetitive, while a few voice acting elements are seen as irritating. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the experience, though it may lack variety at times.
“I had no problems with this game at all, and the music and sound effects sound like a whimsical magical tune to listen to in the background.”
“The artwork is cute and tasteful, and the music selection is fitting to the scenes.”
“And the music and sound design fit the storytelling and gameplay perfectly.”
“Just the music sounds repetitive at times.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a unique blend of narrative-driven elements and simple battle mechanics, featuring a card combat system within a fantasy setting. While the mechanics are enjoyable and the developers are responsive to feedback, players noted a lack of accessible tutorials, which can hinder understanding until later in the game. Overall, the combination of gameplay and sound design enhances the storytelling experience.
“Surprisingly enjoyable narrative game with some simple battle gameplay elements.”
“It's really unique, and this is the first text-based game that I played with this kind of mechanics.”
“The game mechanics are really nice, but if anything is weird or needs to be changed, the devs listen.”
“A way to see the tutorial or instructions again would have been nice, as it was I only truly understood the mechanics during the last battle in the story (because the enemy wombo combo was busted).”
“Rocwood Academy is an adventure casual indie game that mixes the 'swipe right-left' mechanic with a 'card combat system' inside a fantasy magic universe.”
- character development5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character development in the game is highlighted by its impressive and diverse character designs, which are complemented by beautiful artwork and engaging storytelling. Players appreciate the fun and immersive nature of the narrative, enhancing their connection to the characters. Overall, the combination of visual appeal and compelling story contributes to a positive reception of character development.
“The art is nice, the character designs are great, and most importantly, the story is fun and engaging.”
“I really enjoyed the character designs, and I enjoy the choice-based gameplay.”
“I just love the character design of this game; it's so cool!”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game successfully creates a relaxed and lighthearted atmosphere reminiscent of a magical school, providing enjoyable moments for players. However, the overall experience is marred by flat character development and aimless gameplay, which detracts from the immersive potential of the setting.
“If you like the atmosphere of the school of magic, then the game will give you a couple of pleasant hours.”
“It has a relaxed and lighthearted atmosphere.”
“It does a decent job setting up the atmosphere, but the characters are generally flat and do not develop; most of the game is aimless faffing around.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is somewhat limited due to the absence of a fast-forward option for skipping to choices, which can hinder quick replays. However, the presence of multiple paths and an achievements section suggests that players can still enjoy varied experiences and unlock new stories, enhancing overall replay value.
“The achievements section looks to be easy to get, with at least four different paths to explore, providing plenty of replayability and new stories or side stories to unlock.”
“I also noticed that, like a lot of Unity-based visual novels, there is no fast forward option for skipping to only the choices, which limits the replay value.”
“The achievements section looks to be easy to get, with at least four different paths to explore, providing plenty of replayability and certainly new stories or side stories to unlock.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its occasionally amusing dialogues, complemented by appealing artwork.
“The humor in this game is spot on, with clever jokes that keep you laughing.”
“I love the witty banter between characters; it adds so much charm to the game.”
“The comedic timing in the dialogues is fantastic, making even the serious moments light-hearted.”
