The Witch's Cauldron

About

The Witch's Cauldron is a single player casual simulation game. It was developed by Harvey games and was released on January 24, 2024. It received very positive reviews from players.

"The Witch's Cauldron" is a narrative roguelike game where you play as a witch balancing terror and fame. Brew potions, meet peculiar petitioners, and unlock new recipes, all while maintaining a balance between benevolent and malevolent intentions. Your choices will impact the story and determine your survival on the outskirts of a medieval town.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 51 reviews

music2 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game features charming visuals and well-animated effects, particularly the cauldron smoke, which enhances the overall experience.
There is a variety of character interactions and story branches that keep the gameplay engaging, allowing players to explore different outcomes.
The game is relaxing and not overly stressful, making it accessible for players who may have difficulty with more complex controls.

The gameplay can become repetitive after a few hours, leading to a sense of boredom as players find themselves doing the same tasks.
Some achievements are tied to rare RNG events or may be bugged, causing frustration for completionists.
The clarity of requests from characters can be lacking, making it difficult to understand what is needed for potion crafting.

story
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
The story aspect of the game is criticized for being overshadowed by its puzzle mechanics, where players must navigate random events and balance gauges rather than experiencing a cohesive narrative. This leads to a repetitive gameplay loop, as players often fail to progress or unintentionally advance the story, detracting from the overall storytelling experience. Reviewers express a desire for a more structured narrative rather than the current focus on puzzle-solving.
- “This is not actually a potion/alchemy game, nor is it particularly a witch simulator; it's a puzzle game, where the puzzle itself is figuring out what the ideal course of action is per random story event.”
- “As a result, it's very repetitious as you find yourself failing to progress a story on one run, or accidentally progressing when you didn't mean to on another, while you aim for certain endings.”
- “If you want to tell me a story, tell me a story.”
- “If you want to tell me a story, tell me a story.”
gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The gameplay is straightforward and remains consistent throughout, making it accessible and non-stressful, even for those who may struggle with traditional controls. Players can choose between clicking or dragging ingredients into the cauldron, accommodating various preferences and needs, which enhances the overall experience.
- “It's also, despite being a roguelike in the loosest sense, not stressful to play, doesn't require keeping spreadsheets, and mechanically, you're given the option to click and drag ingredients into the cauldron or simply click them (it's a double click normally but if you have a controller plugged in, a relaxing single click will do) which is welcomed if you have hand problems.”
- “I assume if you're on the fence, you can just play that, since the gameplay doesn't really change as you progress.”
- “It's also, despite being a roguelike in the loosest sense, not stressful to play, doesn't require keeping spreadsheets, and mechanically, you're given the option to click and drag ingredients into the cauldron or simply click them, which is welcomed if you have hand problems.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music and sound design in the game are highly praised for being immersive and enjoyable, with players noting that they remain pleasant without becoming repetitive or annoying. Additionally, the overall visual style complements the music, enhancing the overall experience.
- “The music and sound design is easy to get lost in; I felt none of them becoming annoying after some time, so that's also a positive.”
- “Very pleasant visual style and music.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its abundant humor, featuring a variety of amusing combinations and funny narratives. Players particularly enjoy the whimsical elements, such as the deceptive cat character, which adds to the overall comedic experience.
- “Lots of good humor, with different funny combinations of help provided!”
- “Funny stories, beautiful effects, and the cat is a liar.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with users describing it as boring and repetitive, leading to a consensus that it is not worth playing multiple times.
- “Boring, repetitive, unreplayable, not logical”
- “Boring, repetitive, unreplayable, not logical”