Stardander School for Witches
- October 2, 2023
- Fancy Fish Games
Get on SteamDelve into the lives of four young witches as they learn magic, protect their families, try to stay on their brooms, and work hard to unravel the mysteries surrounding Stardander, the best school of magic in the world. Your time at Stardander will be full of surprising discoveries, strategic battles against many fae creatures, late-night study sessions, and not a few delightful pranks at your lea…
Reviews
- The game features excellent atmosphere, world-building, and character development, making for an immersive experience.
- The art and animations are beautifully crafted, showcasing the love and detail put into the game's design.
- The story is compelling and addictive, with a unique blend of visual novel, RPG, and simulation elements that keep players engaged.
- The game is currently incomplete, which may deter some players from fully investing in the experience.
- The user interface and mechanics, particularly in time management and battle systems, are cumbersome and could use significant improvement.
- The linearity of the story and character switching each year limits player agency and can make choices feel meaningless.
- story15 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story is generally praised for its compelling narrative and unique characters, creating an immersive experience in a magical school setting. However, players note that the linearity of the plot and limited decision-making options can detract from the overall experience, especially as the game progresses and feels increasingly rushed. Despite these drawbacks, many find the story engaging and visually appealing, with potential for improvement if further developed.
“For me, experiencing the story and characters made it worth it so far to put up with the negatives, and if the developers could improve on those, too, then this could become an absolutely amazing completed game.”
“The story is compelling as of the chapters that have been released, and the game makes me feel way more immersed with the characters and magical-school setting than any Harry Potter game.”
“The story is great; the characters are all unique with their own motivations and surprises.”
“Many of the decisions are a bit useless (the story is linear, there are no branches in the first four years).”
“The story felt like it got more and more rushed the further along in the game I got.”
“Whereas earlier years had things like the interlude between year 1 and 2, later years had certain things skipped due to plot events.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay features a mix of engaging mechanics, particularly in battles, but suffers from execution flaws that hinder the overall experience. Players find the spell selection process cumbersome, and the transition between characters in the raising sim aspect feels forced, leading to a loss of interest as progression becomes slow and unfulfilling.
“The battles themselves are mechanically fine and they can pose a challenge, but the basic process of selecting which spells to cast, especially if a battle requires more than two, is very cumbersome.”
“You also lose mechanical control of the girl in the raising sim part of the game, and instead inherit another girl with a completely different set of strengths and have to try to figure out what direction to steer her skills in.”
“It comes across as a really forced 'balance mechanic' that constricts the characters down whatever paths they were already strong in before.”
“Other than being incomplete, which may cause hesitation, the combination of mechanics, while proven to be a good idea, has several execution deficiencies.”
“The battles themselves are mechanically fine and can pose a challenge, but the basic process of selecting which spells to cast, especially if a battle requires more than two, is very cumbersome.”
“It comes across as a really forced 'balance mechanic' that constricts the characters down whatever paths they were already strong in before, and by the end of it, I had totally lost interest in this part of the game and was just picking whatever because the spell gain is so slow, and by the time you gain a new spell, that character won't be your main character anymore anyway.”
- music3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the soundtrack enough to support it further, others find the overall sound design generic and forgettable, lacking the unique witchy or Celtic-inspired themes they hoped for. One standout track is noted positively, but many feel the music fails to leave a lasting impression.
“The music is pretty good, too, and I got the soundtrack for further support.”
“The sound and music design felt very underwhelming to me. I feel like some interesting witchy or Celtic-style new age music could have been used here, but it all felt very generic, and I don't remember a single tune, with one obvious exception that I did very much like.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its engaging world-building and relatable characters, effectively capturing the essence of a coming-of-age story set in a magical school. Players appreciate the blend of adventure and vulnerability, making it an appealing experience for fans of the genre.
“The atmosphere, world-building, characters, and mysteries are great.”
“I love what I have read so far; the atmosphere of the game is great and on point. If you enjoy stories in the coming-of-age genre, and the concept of 'witches in school trying to save the world while also balancing their studies and being somewhat vulnerable young adults' sounds appealing to you, then you'll probably like this game.”
- graphics1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their stunning beauty, complementing the game's engaging story and creating a harmonious blend of visual artistry and narrative depth.
“Amazingly beautiful graphics and the story is terrific – a perfect combination of novel and game.”
