Wenjia
- October 17, 2018
- Luoriver studio-洛神游戏工作室
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games Store"Wenjia is a single-player platformer game with splendid gameplay, good graphics, and a masterful soundtrack. The game takes place in a unique world that shifts between the realms of Matter and Energy, where players, controlling a cat-shaped energy entity, can travel freely between the two realms. Recently updated with a new storyline, music, and challenging difficulty, Wenjia also offers a free easy mode and clearer tutorial for players."
Nintendo Switch
PC
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
Xbox
Reviews
- Beautiful visuals and art style reminiscent of Ori and the Blind Forest.
- Engaging soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- Unique gameplay mechanic of switching between two realms adds a layer of challenge and creativity.
- Game is very short, often completed in under two hours, leaving players wanting more.
- Controls can feel unresponsive and clunky, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- English translation issues and awkward pacing detract from the overall narrative experience.
- music46 mentions
- 70 % positive mentions
- 24 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its relaxing qualities and enchanting melodies, particularly the use of piano and violin. While some players feel the soundtrack could benefit from more variety and intensity in certain sections, the overall consensus is that the music complements the stunning visuals and contributes significantly to the game's aesthetic experience. Despite its short length, the soundtrack leaves a lasting impression, making it a highlight of the gameplay.
“The music is relaxing and fits the game, though the last section may benefit from something a little more intense.”
“Especially the music needs some mention, because the theme song is fantastic and the piano and violin you hear throughout the game are enchanting.”
“The high notes are definitely the amazing art style and the beautiful and relaxing music that fit strongly with the world created.”
“The music cuts/resets at loading screens.”
“For the platforming puzzles, you will have to time absolutely right; otherwise, you would just keep dying, and with a little help from the dull soundtrack and boring mechanics, it feels more torturous than rewarding even if you succeed.”
“Soft music that doesn't get stuck in your head.”
- gameplay46 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is visually stunning and features a magical cat protagonist, but it suffers from repetitiveness and a poorly executed realm-shifting mechanic that quickly becomes tedious. While some players appreciate the simple and smooth mechanics, many find the gameplay lacks depth and originality, often comparing it unfavorably to titles like "Ori and the Blind Forest." Overall, the game is enjoyable for its aesthetics and soundtrack, but the gameplay experience may leave players wanting more.
“The visuals are wonderful and they're definitely the best thing about it, but the gameplay is also pretty solid and enjoyable, and I like the gimmick of switching between two realms (even though it doesn't feel like it makes much of a difference in some cases).”
“Putting that aside, this is a short and pretty game with great music and simple gameplay that's worth a try.”
“The best element about this game aside from the artistic presentation is how well the mechanics work.”
“The central mechanic of switching between the 'matter' and 'energy' realms just doesn't come together.”
“Its only unique mechanic feels like a chore, rather than a joy... and everything else is very rote.”
“Learnt a double jump skill and nothing more after the entire hour of gameplay; therefore, the same jumping to solve different puzzles made the game start to feel repetitive and boring because you just keep your thumb over the jump button.”
- graphics32 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful, hand-drawn art style, reminiscent of titles like "Ori and the Blind Forest," creating a visually stunning experience that enhances the overall atmosphere. Players appreciate the seamless integration of visuals and music, which contribute to a captivating aesthetic, although some note that the gameplay may not fully match the high visual standards. Overall, the graphics are considered the standout feature, elevating the game's appeal despite some gameplay shortcomings.
“The visuals are wonderful and they're definitely the best thing about it, but the gameplay is also pretty solid and enjoyable.”
“Wenjia is a fantastic game; both realms mirror each other and yet are still different, and both with awesome hand-drawn graphics, along with a great soundtrack, which gives the game a wonderful atmosphere as your journey unfolds.”
“The high notes are definitely the amazing art style and the beautiful and relaxing music that fit strongly with the world created.”
“Graphics are similar to Ori - some elements are practically copy-pasted - and so are the music and story.”
“I noticed this game when it was launched on Steam; my first impression is that the graphics are very much like Ori and the Blind Forest.”
“The game itself is absolutely nothing like Ori except similar in art/graphic direction.”
- story29 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 79 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The story in the game is generally considered average and somewhat disjointed, with a non-linear structure that can make it difficult to follow. While the premise is interesting and the visuals and soundtrack are praised, the narrative suffers from pacing issues and translation problems, leading to a lack of clarity. Overall, the story serves more as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a driving force, with many players feeling that the game's other elements overshadow the narrative itself.
“The story is a little awkwardly told, due to the lackluster translation, but what matters in this game lies elsewhere - namely the music and the graphic style, both of which are very well done.”
“The story is nothing groundbreaking and in some areas when you finish a level you do get a cutscene that explains more of the plot before continuing to the next level.”
“The story and the narration are a bit weird and all over the place, and the pacing isn't exactly the best; you just get thrown into a bunch of separated levels and learn about the story every now and then. It's not super linear.”
“The story is lackluster and typos are numerous.”
“The story isn't anything groundbreaking and will only take you one or two hours to complete, but I felt a sense of attachment and accountability as I approached the end.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game offers notable replayability through collectible items and ranking systems, encouraging players to achieve higher ranks and discover all secrets, which can also influence the game's ending. Players are motivated to revisit levels to enhance their performance and complete their collections.
“There's things to collect as well, which adds to the replayability.”
“You get a rank at the end of each level, which adds replayability as you try to achieve an 'S' rank in everything and locate all secret collectibles.”
“The developer suggests finding all these elements, as it will affect the ending, adding a replayability factor to the game.”
“You get a rank at the end of each level, which adds some replayability to try to get an 'S' rank in everything as well as locate all secret collectibles.”
“The developer suggests finding all these elements as that will affect the ending, so there's a replayability factor to it.”
“There's things to collect as well, so that gives it a bit of replayability.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Wenjia is praised for its captivating atmosphere, characterized by beautifully hand-drawn graphics and a relaxing soundtrack that enhances the immersive experience of the game. Reviewers highlight the distinct yet interconnected realms, contributing to an overall score of 9/10 for atmosphere.
“Wenjia is a fantastic game; both realms mirror each other and yet are still different, and both with awesome hand-drawn graphics, along with a great soundtrack, which gives the game a wonderful atmosphere as your journey unfolds.”
“The music is pretty relaxing and delivers a great atmosphere.”
“Atmosphere 9/10”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, as the "realm shifting" mechanic loses its novelty and the linear missions to collect energy balls feel repetitive and unengaging. Additionally, poor English translations detract from the overall experience, making the gameplay feel even more monotonous.
“The 'realm shifting' mechanic quickly becomes more tedious than enjoyable, with environments broken up into numerous short, mostly-linear 'missions' to find energy balls that ultimately serve no purpose. The gameplay starts to feel repetitive very quickly, and the English translation of both text and voiceovers is often distracting.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users feel that the main character's animation detracts from the emotional experience, as the awkward running movement resembles skiing or sliding rather than a natural interaction with the environment, which can break immersion.
