WITCH ON THE HOLY NIGHT
- December 14, 2023
- Lasengle Inc.
- 30h median play time
Get on Steam"WITCH ON THE HOLY NIGHT" is a coming-of-age story set in the 1980s, following an innocent young man and two young witches. The remastered version features fully voiced characters, full HD visuals, and animated graphical elements, bringing the reading experience to life. The game tells the tale of two witches living in a mansion on the hill, and a boy who moves to the city, narrowly missing them.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The story is engaging and well-written, showcasing the depth of the characters and their relationships.
- The visuals and animations are stunning, making the game feel more like an animated experience than a traditional visual novel.
- The soundtrack is exceptional, enhancing the emotional impact of the story and providing a memorable auditory experience.
- The translation has several typos and awkward phrasing, which can detract from the overall experience.
- The game is linear with no choices or multiple endings, which may disappoint players looking for more interactivity.
- Some players may find the pacing slow in the beginning, which could lead to a lack of engagement before the story picks up.
- story322 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The story of "Witch on the Holy Night" is widely praised for its engaging narrative, well-developed characters, and stunning visuals, showcasing a blend of slice-of-life and magical elements. While it is a linear kinetic novel with no choices, many reviewers appreciate the focus on character interactions and emotional depth, making it a compelling experience. However, some critiques mention pacing issues and a lack of resolution for certain plot threads, yet overall, it is considered a standout entry in the Nasuverse that captivates both newcomers and long-time fans.
“The depth of work on characters, scenes, and plot in general, as well as stunning visual effects, music, and art make it a 10/10 product.”
“This is genuinely the best story I have ever read, and I am eager to consume all of the extras and await my next read-through, whenever that may be.”
“A story that everybody should have the joy of experiencing for themselves.”
“Good moments are 10/10, but the story is full of holes and devoid of logic while the author tries to cover it up with complex magical nonsense.”
“The plot is largely inconsequential, the stakes are low, the overwhelmingly detailed world-building is mostly absent, action scenes are relatively sparse, and there's essentially only 3-4 characters that matter.”
“Lazy pacing, no character development, plot is pretty mid, with no choices.”
- music120 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in this visual novel is widely praised for its exceptional quality, blending classical pieces with original compositions that enhance the emotional depth of the story. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, describing it as beautiful, atmospheric, and integral to the overall experience, often elevating key moments and scenes. Many consider it one of the best soundtracks in the genre, contributing significantly to the game's immersive narrative and stunning visuals.
“The soundtrack is simply beautiful, with some music being classical pieces or original tracks from the visual novel that are absolute bangers, making some moments in the story truly memorable.”
“The music is a great mix of classical artists like Liszt, Satie, Tchaikovsky, and Haydn, interspersed with an original soundtrack that really enhances the scenes.”
“The music and animation are incredible and immersive, bordering on being an anime sometimes.”
“The OST is also an absolute banger, so much that I'm sad you can't buy it as a DLC to listen during free time without having to open the game's mediocre music player.”
“Firstly, this is less a game and more a novel with music and pictures.”
“But would I be equally as gripped had there just been the killer visuals, soundtrack, and characters talking in a static room?”
- graphics67 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics in this visual novel are widely praised for their stunning quality and artistic beauty, often described as some of the best seen in the medium. Reviewers highlight the dynamic animations, intricate character designs, and immersive backgrounds that elevate the storytelling experience. Overall, the visuals are considered a significant strength, contributing to an engaging and atmospheric narrative.
“Not only is the story great (written by Tsukihime's and Fate/Stay Night's author, Nasu), but the visuals are also impressive; everything is positioned and animated in a way that makes the novel seem very dynamic.”
“The artwork in the novel itself is incredibly beautiful.”
“The visuals, the characters, the soundtrack, everything is incredible.”
“Not that the visuals were not significant or not good; quite the contrary, but this was more or less an animated/computerized light novel than it was a game.”
“Now $40 is a lot for what is at the end of the day a fancy picture book, but Wothn has flat-out some of the best production value ever seen in this medium; challenging the limits with its jaw-dropping visuals, sporting dynamic portraits over ever-changing backgrounds, coupled with copious CGs.”
“Many modern visual novels share a common trend: no matter how bad or good they are, they will always have fantastic time and effort put into their visuals, as this catches most people's attention at first glance.”
- humor17 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, with players praising its ability to elicit genuine laughter through clever character interactions and absurd scenarios. While some moments may fall flat, the overall comedic timing and well-defined characters contribute to a mix of hilarity and emotional depth, making for a memorable experience. Highlights include witty banter, amusing side content, and exceptional voice acting that enhances the comedic elements throughout the narrative.
“Thanks to this, when the game goes for humor it's absolutely hysterical; I was belly laughing at multiple points.”
“The characters are incredibly well defined, the music and art are incredible and the work has an amazing sense of humor.”
“The sophisticated main character's reactions to the naive 'farm boy' are hilarious.”
- atmosphere16 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is universally praised for its immersive quality, enhanced by exceptional writing, voice acting, and a captivating soundtrack. Reviewers highlight the combination of stunning visuals and a rich narrative that creates a cozy yet mysterious environment, drawing players into the experience. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as a masterclass in world-building and emotional engagement, making it a standout in the visual novel genre.
“The atmosphere, writing, voice acting, characters, and all are to die for.”
“Witch on the Holy Night is a masterclass of atmosphere and character-building.”
“The atmosphere in 'Witch on the Holy Night' is particularly noteworthy; I'm instantly transported to Misaki Town, vividly feeling each scene's distinct mood alongside characters like Aoko and Sojuro.”
“Starting up the game and reading through the prologue while 'Liebestraum' by Franz Liszt is playing in the background, being hit with multiple shots of indoors and hearing raindrops while slowly realizing the scene isn't played in one character's perspective, this game immediately drops in a cozy yet mysterious atmosphere that dragged me in for a ride that left me eager for more by the end.”
“The novel uses its limited character art and backgrounds creatively to give a cinematic dimension to the reading experience, further enhancing the immersion and atmosphere that Type-Moon novels often took advantage of.”
- emotional13 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its slow build-up, rich character development, and a heartwarming narrative that culminates in a touching conclusion. Players are drawn into a coming-of-age story filled with heartfelt moments, enhanced by an outstanding soundtrack and beautiful visuals, making it difficult not to become attached to the characters. Overall, the blend of action and slice-of-life elements creates a deeply engaging experience that resonates emotionally with players.
“It's definitely a slow build up but if you like a lot of world building, character development/exploration, and strong emotional impact, give this a shot.”
“Kinoko Nasu's tried and true blend of action and slice-of-life finds itself perfectly at home in this story, where the dynamic between youthful and eccentric characters lends to a touching coming-of-age story, where teenagers cope with the loss of their childhood by being thrust into a new and strange life they're not sure they fit in with, but learn to find a new reason to live and exist through each other's friendship and values.”
“The stories are great too, but honestly it's the characters that shine in this story the most; they are written with such heartfelt tenderness that it's difficult to not get invested in any of them.”
- character development12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is notably inconsistent, with some players appreciating the slow build and emotional depth, while others criticize the lack of growth and unlikable characters. While character designs effectively reflect personalities, many reviews highlight a significant absence of meaningful development, leading to a disconnect with the story's climax. Overall, the game presents a mixed bag, with strong artistic elements overshadowed by poor character progression.
“It's definitely a slow build-up, but if you like a lot of world-building, character development/exploration, and strong emotional impact, give this a shot.”
“The character designs are very good, each one showing a bit of the character's personality through their design or facial expressions, and they are also drawn beautifully.”
“The character design for some characters may not be exceptional in their uniqueness; however, they reflect their personality ideally in their expressions and designs. As the game progresses, you start to see the charm in the simplicity of some characters, as well as an understanding of the complexity of why a character looks a certain way once you learn more about them.”
“Lazy pacing, no character development, plot is pretty mid, with no choices.”
“Unlikable characters and no character development for any of them means I am given no reason to care about the climax, and ultimately one moment at the end where a character actually does something for another person for once falls flat because they had no character development leading up to it.”
“The problem lies in that not a single character in the game experiences character development.”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The gameplay of [i]witch on the holy night[/i] is characterized as a linear visual novel or "kinetic novel," where players engage solely by reading the story without any interactive choices or multiple routes. While this lack of gameplay elements may deter some, many find the experience enjoyable, likening it to an illustrated book with sound.
“In terms of gameplay, 'Witch on the Holy Night' can be classified as the 'kinetic novel' type: a visual novel where the player can only read through the story instead of interacting with it; there are no choices to be made or multiple routes to play through here.”
“In terms of 'gameplay', [i]Witch on the Holy Night[/i] can be classified as the 'kinetic novel'-type: a visual novel where the player can only read through the story instead of interacting with it; there are no choices to be made or multiple routes to play through here.”
“- No routes, there's no choices to make and no gameplay (aside from a bonus story at the end), so it's really just a book with sound and pictures. It's not necessarily a negative, but you need to know it before buying.”
“The game is entirely a linear visual novel, with no gameplay or choices of any kind, but I found it very enjoyable.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's engine suffers from poor optimization, leading to significant battery drain, prompting users to adjust settings to around 4W TDP for better performance. Despite this, the solid voice performances contribute positively to the overall experience, enhancing player attachment to the characters.
“The engine isn't well optimized and will drain a lot of battery, so set to ~4W TDP.”
“On top of this are solid voice performances that may not be award-winning, but easily get the job done and enhance your attachment to these wonderful characters.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers express disappointment with Aniplex's lack of advertising for the game, suggesting that the monetization strategy may be hindered by insufficient promotion.
