The Witch's House MV

About

"The Witch's House MV" is a horror RPG that combines puzzle-solving with jump scares, concealing frightening horror within pixel-art graphics. The game features trap-filled levels with unpredictable death sequences, and is now remastered with new visuals and a challenging difficulty mode upon completion. Violence and gore warnings are in place for this suspenseful and terrifying experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 907 reviews

story134 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

The Witch's House MV features stunning updated graphics and animations that enhance the overall experience.
The game offers a compelling story with a shocking twist that leaves a lasting impression on players.
The puzzles are well-designed, providing a good balance of challenge and satisfaction when solved.

The game is relatively short, with a playtime of around 2-3 hours, which some players feel does not justify the price.
There is a lack of achievements and replay value, making it less appealing for completionists.
Some players find the controls to be clunky, which can lead to frustration during chase sequences.

story
304 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
54%
2%
The story of "The Witch's House" is often described as simple yet captivating, featuring a blend of horror and psychological elements that culminate in impactful plot twists. While some players appreciate the intriguing narrative and emotional depth, others feel it lacks complexity and depth, with minimal backstory provided through diary entries. Overall, the game is praised for its ability to evoke strong emotions and maintain suspense, making it a memorable experience despite its brevity.
- “Its story is captivating and psychologically suspenseful, with an impactful twist at the end.”
- “The story, centered on the mysterious Viola and the witch Ellen, provides enough intrigue to keep players engaged, revealing its dark secrets at a measured pace.”
- “The plot is intriguing as well, and the true ending of the game contains a twist I absolutely adore that is both mind-blowing and heartbreaking.”
- “The story presented in the game is limited; there's not much to comment on it.”
- “The game lacks a more complicated storyline and endings.”
- “The story is underwhelming.”
graphics
137 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
64%
2%
The graphics of "The Witch's House MV" have received widespread praise for their significant upgrades over the original, enhancing the game's unsettling atmosphere with beautifully detailed pixel art and animations. Reviewers noted that the remastered visuals effectively complement the horror elements, creating a compelling experience that retains the charm of classic RPG Maker titles while adding depth to the gameplay. However, some players felt that while the graphics are impressive, the remaster could have included more content beyond visual improvements.
- “The aesthetic of the game and overall sprites are amazing and are something I believe every future game of the genre should take inspiration from.”
- “The graphics of the enemies are so disturbing and the world itself sets such a good atmosphere, almost like a false sense of security since Viola and the cat are portrayed so cutely, making you think things won't be as haunting and graphic as they are.”
- “The updated graphics are gorgeous and the soundtrack is distinct, not to mention the intriguing and memorable storyline.”
- “Very basic port of the original game, with some improved graphics.”
- “However, you're not missing out on anything by playing the free version - I'd even say it looks better with RPG Maker VX rather than MV graphics.”
- “Graphics aren't everything obviously but I felt that was a big issue I found with the original is that the graphics were mostly stock.”
atmosphere
88 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
42%
3%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its ability to create a tense and immersive experience, enhanced by excellent music, detailed pixel art, and effective sound design. Many reviewers highlight the game's unsettling ambiance and clever puzzle integration, which together evoke a sense of dread and keep players engaged. While some games in the genre may falter in storytelling, this title compensates with a captivating atmosphere that resonates with horror fans.
- “The game excels in creating an unsettling atmosphere, with its pixel art style and ominous soundtrack effectively setting the tone.”
- “It's beautifully eerie atmosphere, excellent use of sound and intricate puzzle design make for a game that is both captivating and unnerving in equally high measures, and definitely an experience that horror fans won't want to miss out on.”
- “The atmosphere is among the best I have ever seen in any game.”
- “Unfortunately in The Witch's House, the story is barebones, and the atmosphere/art are both just decent.”
- “The oppressive atmosphere of the house is displayed extremely well, and the game encourages you to look very closely at it all.”
- “The game has very little atmosphere for me because I don't care about the characters.”
music
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
40%
5%
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, effectively creating a creepy and immersive experience. While some reviewers note a limited variety, the compositions are described as beautiful, atmospheric, and fitting for the game's horror elements, contributing significantly to the overall enjoyment and tension. Many players highlight the soundtrack's memorable quality, with specific praise for its ability to complement the game's visuals and storytelling.
- “The music composed by fummy does not pass by, hitting every note of the floors of this mansion of horrors and in the chases this level seizes in a magnificent way.”
- “The witch's house pairs a tranquil, almost soothing soundtrack with its bizarre puzzles, grotesque monsters, and exceedingly deadly terrain, creating an ambiance that is incredibly proficient at easing your nerves, lulling you into a sense of security, and setting the stage for whatever jumpscare it has in store for you next.”
- “The music is perfect, as is often noted.”
- “There isn't much music except on the top floor of the house.”
- “In terms of sounds, the soundtrack is the typical creepy house high piano notes that one would imagine.”
- “The genius of the sound design lies outside of the soundtrack.”
gameplay
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
73%
5%
Gameplay in this game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the atmospheric puzzles and engaging mechanics, while others criticize the reliance on trial-and-error and frustrating design choices. The puzzles are generally well-received for their thought-provoking nature, though some find them overly simplistic or poorly integrated into the gameplay experience. Overall, while the game offers enjoyable moments and a compelling story, its short length and occasional design flaws leave some players wanting more.
- “The gameplay is a very good combination of atmosphere, scenery, music, trolling, and fast-paced gameplay.”
- “The gameplay's mechanics make this game very comfortable and easy to play, and the puzzles are very good, while some of them will be simple, and others... all the opposite.”
- “Starting with the gameplay: the puzzles are really good, they make you scratch your head and think, but unlike a lot of puzzle games, they aren't too hard to the point that you get discouraged or stuck for too long.”
- “For a game that has very bare minimum gameplay and story, no Steam support, no achievements, and assets from free engines and plugins, I felt that this would be at most a $5 experience.”
- “However, the game's reliance on trial-and-error mechanics can sometimes feel more frustrating than fun, as frequent and often sudden deaths disrupt the flow of exploration.”
- “Overly aggressive scare attempts lead to exhausting eye rolls, trial-and-error gameplay feels shallow, the story is flimsy, and 'complex puzzles' is being very generous; there's literally instructions on what to do in each room.”
humor
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is characterized by a blend of dark comedy and slapstick elements, often turning gruesome deaths into laugh-out-loud moments. Players appreciate the unexpected and absurd nature of the deaths, which contribute to a lighthearted atmosphere despite the horror theme. Overall, the humor enhances the experience, making it memorable and enjoyable for those with a taste for the macabre.
- “The game had me laughing a lot; there are so many ways for your character to die, and they are all very gruesome, and some of them come out of nowhere for slapstick effect.”
- “I must have a sick sense of humor, but I laughed out loud at the jumpscares.”
- “This game loves to punish you with death upon any failure, which may be frustrating for some, but I thought it was funny.”
emotional
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is described as deeply impactful and heart-wrenching, with players expressing strong feelings of sadness and connection to the story and characters. Many reviews highlight moments that evoke tears, particularly during pivotal plot twists and character revelations, emphasizing the game's ability to resonate on a personal level despite its simple mechanics and graphics. Overall, the narrative and emotional depth are praised as standout features that elevate the experience beyond typical horror RPGs.
- “Heart-wrenching, truly.”
- “I've loved this game since 2012; it's a short experience, but carries a truly emotional story and ambiance.”
- “Truly heartbreaking (again) to see the true ending with Viola's father unaware that Viola's soul was inside the remains of Ellen's body (you killed your own daughter that day, Hunter!).”
replayability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the extra modes and multiple endings that enhance replay value, others find the short playtime and predictability of scares limit its longevity. The addition of different difficulties and an extra mode after completion offers some incentive for replaying, but the lack of achievements and the game's brevity may deter others from returning.
- “I also appreciate that the extra mode (which unlocks after beating the game) adds more replayability.”
- “Overall, The Witch's House MV is an amazing game that's a lot of fun to play and has great replayability.”
- “Since there are different endings and difficulties, it has replay value, so the length isn't a problem.”
- “I would also have to say it's very overpriced for being a 60-90 minute game with limited replay value.”
- “The game is quite short (a single playthrough can easily be completed in under an hour if you know what you're doing), but has a handful of different endings to help increase replay value.”
- “It's a very short game, and once you know the scares there's 0 replay value.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to the lack of engaging story elements that could make repetitive tasks more enjoyable. The need for precise timing in certain chases adds to the frustration, making the experience feel more like a chore than a fun challenge.
- “I'm being extremely critical with all this, but it's because this game offers so little in terms of story explanation, making resolution feel tedious rather than fun, even with the multiple endings and different game modes.”
- “On that note, some of the chases require really tight timing, which becomes tedious to attempt over and over again.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
Character development is noted for its appealing designs, but players feel that there is a lack of depth and variety in the characters, limiting their engagement. The game adheres closely to traditional Japanese horror RPG aesthetics, which may restrict innovative character exploration.
- “The character designs are nice; however, you don't see much variety among them.”
- “It remains in the realm of Japanese horror RPG games in terms of building styles, floor layouts, and character design.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
- “I found the character arcs predictable and uninspired, leaving little room for growth or transformation.”
- “The interactions between characters are often one-dimensional, failing to create meaningful relationships.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game is reported to be well-optimized, running smoothly without any noticeable bugs.
- “Everything runs smoothly, no bugs at this point.”
- “The optimization is top-notch, allowing for seamless gameplay.”
- “I appreciate how well the game performs on lower-end systems without sacrificing quality.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users report that the game is stable and free of bugs, indicating a smooth and reliable experience.
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or glitches.”
- “I haven't encountered any bugs, which makes for a seamless experience.”
- “The stability of the game is impressive; I can play for hours without any issues.”