Wicked Willow
- June 2, 2020
- T.F. Wright
Get on Steam"Wicked Willow" is a narrative-driven game where you play as a powerful witch named Willow in 1993, navigating her life with a group of diverse characters, including a talking cat named Shadow. Faced with decisions that affect those around you, such as helping a friend with a serious illness, your choices determine Willow's path as she embraces her newfound abilities while dealing with her own tragic past.
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Reviews
- The game features beautiful artwork and excellent voice acting, enhancing the overall experience.
- It offers a variety of LGBTQ+ characters and multiple endings, providing replay value and diverse storylines.
- The narrative explores deep themes such as trauma, identity, and morality, making it thought-provoking and engaging.
- The pacing of the story is often rushed, leading to abrupt character developments and emotional escalations.
- The main character, Willow, is perceived as unlikable by some players due to her aggressive demeanor and constant cursing.
- Some players found the writing and dialogue to be unnatural and forced, making it difficult to connect with the characters.
- story138 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 79 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story of the visual novel is praised for its emotional depth and intricate plot twists, particularly regarding character relationships and the exploration of heavy themes like trauma and consequences. However, some players feel the pacing is rushed, with character introductions lacking depth and certain plot points feeling hasty or disconnected from the narrative arc. Despite these criticisms, the game offers a rich experience with multiple endings and encourages replayability to uncover different story paths, making it a compelling choice for fans of interactive storytelling.
“This game has an intriguing and engaging story, and it's fun to replay it to make different choices, follow different paths of the story, and fill in the gaps, finding out stuff in the background that you might have missed.”
“Tl;dr this is an amazingly high-quality visual novel with full voice acting, a plethora of gorgeous character art, and a story that even after three runs still has you going back for more.”
“For me, as much as I can dig a story with depth, this game is so genuine about the character relationships it wants to show, the audience it wants to reach, and the way in which it wants to tell its story that I find the package deal to be utterly charming.”
“The story handles pretty heavy topics at times, and I wish it would do it more slowly, as sometimes you are just thrown into those scenarios, and I couldn’t help but raise a brow at how quickly things escalated.”
“It's really annoying; I couldn't like her, and I couldn't get into the story.”
“Relationships would go from 0 to 100 in the span of a day in the game; it felt just all very rushed simply for the sake of some of the plot points.”
- emotional16 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is described as both moving and touching, with some players finding it deeply impactful and even tear-jerking. However, there are critiques regarding the depth and consistency of the emotional narrative, suggesting that while it aims for profound moments, it sometimes falls short. Overall, players recommend exploring various endings to fully appreciate the emotional range and creativity of the story.
“Very emotionally moving story.”
“This is so sweet & it made me cry!”
“Very touching, even if the writing can sometimes be a bit silly.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their excellent artwork and animations, with many players enjoying the visual creativity. However, some users expressed a dislike for the overall art style, indicating a mixed reception in that regard.
“So I did this entire game in one run; it was very fun trying to find all the different avenues for each, and the artwork was really good.”
“Great artwork.”
“Excellent artwork and animations.”
“I have to admit that I didn't particularly like the art style.”
“This is in stark contrast to the visuals.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its innovative use of a "pick your own adventure" mechanic within a time-loop narrative, offering a surprisingly intricate experience. Players appreciate the inclusion of checkpoints, which streamline the exploration of different outcomes without the hassle of constant saving and reloading.
“However, I do like the checkpoint system so you don't have to go all over the gameplay and the hassle of saving and reloading to check out the outcome of other options.”
“However, I do like the checkpoint system so you don't have to go all over the gameplay and the hassle to save and reload to check out the outcome of other options.”
“Gameplay:”
“I came in expecting a cute story, but got a surprisingly intricate yet neatly tied up time-loop journey that creatively embraces the 'pick your own adventure' mechanic of visual novels in a way I wasn't expecting!”
- music4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its seamless integration and overall appeal, with players expressing their love for the soundtrack.
“The music was also very nicely fitted in.”
“I loved the music.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the comedic elements, particularly involving the character Shadow, while others feel that certain jokes, like the idea of a vegan cat, lack clarity. Overall, the game features a variety of endings that range from funny to touching, showcasing the creative effort behind the storytelling.
“There are more good endings out there, some funny, some almost really touching, so I do recommend trying out more just to experience the surprises and the overall creative work that went into the story.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to its relatable characters and engaging narrative, making it a worthwhile experience for players who enjoy exploring different outcomes.
“This is a beautiful, short visual novel with loads of replay value, an incredibly relatable cast of characters, and a decent message to boot.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, leading to a lack of engagement as they become overly familiar with the content. This predictability detracts from the overall experience, making it feel monotonous.
“The grinding became tedious very quickly, with repetitive tasks that made it feel like we could predict the lines before they even appeared.”
“The grinding aspect was so repetitive that it lost its charm, turning into a monotonous chore.”
“I found the grinding to be excessively tedious, with tasks that felt like they dragged on forever.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The reviews do not provide specific feedback on optimization, focusing instead on the writing and performances of the game. As such, there is no clear consensus or information regarding the game's optimization.
