The Wind and Wilting Blossom
- August 31, 2019
- Picklefeet Games
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"The Wind and Wilting Blossom" is a visual novel set in feudal Japan, where your choices impact the story's outcome. Play as a lone traveler navigating political intrigue, forging alliances, and uncovering the mysteries of a cursed katana. With multiple endings, immerse yourself in a rich, historical narrative and shape the destiny of those caught in the crossfire of war.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Challenging gameplay with a good balance of strategy and skill, making each run engaging and rewarding.
- Beautiful art style and evocative music that enhance the game's atmosphere and setting in feudal Japan.
- High replayability due to diverse characters, unlockable content, and varied events that keep the experience fresh.
- Difficulty spikes can be frustrating, especially on higher settings where RNG can heavily influence outcomes.
- Some players find the game can feel repetitive over time due to limited boss variety and static elements in certain encounters.
- The UI and some gameplay mechanics could use improvement for better clarity and ease of use, particularly for new players.
- gameplay48 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "The Wind and the Wilting Blossom" is a blend of tactical roguelike elements and hex-based combat, drawing inspiration from games like FTL and Heroes of Might and Magic. While some players find the mechanics straightforward and engaging, others criticize them as generic and lacking depth, with a steep learning curve for newcomers. Overall, the game offers a solid gameplay loop with a mix of strategy and exploration, enhanced by beautiful visuals and a captivating setting.
“Simple yet engaging gameplay, lots of variety without going needlessly complex.”
“The basic gameplay is intuitive and engaging, the battles are short and fun, the animation and soundtrack are gorgeous, the story and the world are a blast.”
“What I love is that it's easy to grasp this game and jump straight into being strategic (you don't have to learn a ton of mechanics or go through a long tutorial).”
“There's literally nothing special about it; enemies have generic attacks, mechanics are lackluster, and the game seems hellbent on punishing you for exploring.”
“Mechanically, the game is surprisingly awkward.”
“I didn't feel like the extra mechanics on the strategy layer added a lot, either.”
- music40 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its evocative quality, beautifully complementing the art style and enhancing the overall atmosphere, particularly with its Japanese influences and oriental beats. While some players note that the soundtrack can become repetitive over time, many find it captivating and fitting for the game's themes, contributing significantly to the immersive experience. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, adding depth to gameplay and evoking a strong sense of place.
“The music is phenomenal and works beautifully with the art style to evoke feudal Japan vibes that should make any otaku squee in delight.”
“The soundtrack provides sufficient gravity to battles and a more contemplative, soothing atmosphere for maps.”
“Music, artwork, and history/folklore aspect are excellent and put you in the terroir of the landscape right away.”
“Music might become repetitive, but that's pretty much it; the game looks gorgeous.”
“Music gets a little repetitive after a while, partly due to the oriental theme being more distinctive as opposed to other games.”
“You may be well served pulling up a podcast or your own music after enough time.”
- graphics40 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning ukiyo-e art style, effectively capturing the essence of classical Japan. Players appreciate the beautiful artwork and music, which complement the gameplay and enhance the overall atmosphere. While some find the visuals initially off-putting, many agree that they grow on you, contributing to an immersive experience that aligns well with the game's themes.
“The game has lots going for it - the graphics are nice, the setting is interesting and the turn-based combat is enjoyable.”
“The art style is actually great and the gameplay is very enjoyable.”
“The music is phenomenal and works beautifully with the art style to evoke feudal Japan vibes that should make any otaku squee in delight.”
“The visuals didn't do it for me at first, but they really grow on you.”
“And don't let the weird visuals put you off, especially that skeleton in the logo that is a bit too cartoony for me.”
“The art style could be a deal breaker for some.”
- story25 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The game's story is praised for its dark themes and rich lore, drawing inspiration from real historical figures, which enhances the immersive experience. Players appreciate the blend of resource management and tactical gameplay set against a beautifully crafted feudal Japan backdrop, although some note that the main storyline can feel repetitive across playthroughs. Overall, the narrative is engaging and well-paced, contributing significantly to the game's appeal despite occasional bugs and quest issues.
“The storyline is dark and there's a lot of cool lore tidbits about each character, if you're into that sort of thing, because it's based on real historical figures.”
“Fantastic turn-based tactical war game, with some wonderful art and storytelling.”
“Not only does the game look great, but its story and gameplay are nicely paced with unique flourishes that keep it feeling fresh and surprising on each playthrough.”
“The story fights are the same more or less across runs.”
“Even if there are some changes each run, the main story remains the same, so it could be more diversified.”
“The storytelling in a highly repetitive game is key to keep the attention, and the Picklefeet guys seem to have plenty of funny/scary/strange/interesting ideas about how to channel that attention.”
- replayability11 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability due to its extensive variety of unlockable characters, weapons, and loadouts, which are easier to obtain compared to similar titles. Players appreciate the randomly generated campaigns and multiple difficulty levels, enhancing the experience with each playthrough. Overall, the combination of diverse gameplay elements and frequent updates contributes to a lasting appeal, making it a worthwhile investment for players.
“Lots of replayability due to the many weapons, playable leaders, and potential allies - all of them easily unlockable.”
“Good variety of leaders, allies, enemies, and events granting good replay value.”
“There is some replay value as there are 3 levels of difficulty, plus each campaign is randomly generated so you aren't quite sure what will happen on any given advance.”
“The ever-changing landscapes and engaging selection of units and items lend themselves to a high level of replayability.”
“I like that there's unlockables the more you play through it as well making it have more replay value.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and often boring, particularly as they progress towards achievements that feel overly repetitive or unengaging. While some enjoy the farming mechanics, many express frustration with the grind required for unlocks, leading to a loss of interest in continuing to play.
“My only mild criticism is that about 1/3 of the way into grinding for the achievements and unlocks that look reasonably fun, I get bored and stop playing.”
“The game becomes more tedious.”
“The achievements range from dumb to grindy as hell, and most of them are not things you'd do normally.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with a soundtrack that enhances both the intensity of battles and the tranquility of exploration. Reviewers note that it effectively combines elements of a rogue-like tactical RPG with engaging music, contributing to an overall immersive experience.
“It's a bit like a roguelike tactical RPG with nice music and atmosphere.”
“Great atmosphere.”
“The soundtrack provides sufficient gravity to battles and a more contemplative, soothing atmosphere for maps.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of funny, creepy, and strange elements, effectively engaging players through its storytelling. The quirky "picklefeet" characters contribute to this dynamic, offering a mix of amusing and unsettling moments that maintain player interest despite the game's repetitive nature.
“The storytelling in a highly repetitive game is key to keeping attention, and the Picklefeet guys seem to have plenty of funny, scary, strange, and interesting ideas about how to channel that attention.”
“Sometimes they look funny; sometimes they are creepy.”
