Witch Strandings
- July 7, 2022
- Strange Scaffold
Witch Strandings is a simple yet fascinating game that manages to build a world and make you care about it with little detail at all.
Get on SteamIn "Witch Strandings," you traverse a dark, open world as a strand of light, tasked with nurturing creatures and repairing structures within a forest dominated by a mysterious witch. The game features a unique cursor control system, providing a physically engaging experience as you navigate treacherous terrain and confront the source of the forest's corruption. Gather and manage resources to aid in your quest while immersing yourself in a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Unique concept that offers a calming and atmospheric experience while exploring a cursed forest and helping its inhabitants.
- Engaging gameplay loop that involves clearing hazards and assisting characters, providing a rewarding sense of progress.
- Beautiful art and sound design that enhances the overall immersion and emotional connection to the game.
- Awful controls that can cause discomfort, especially for players with joint issues, due to the reliance on extensive mouse movement and low sensitivity.
- Lack of character development and motivation for helping NPCs, making the fetch quests feel repetitive and shallow.
- Short playtime and limited replayability, with many players feeling the game does not justify its price point.
- gameplay11 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a tactile experience that relies heavily on player movements, creating an engaging atmosphere. However, many users express frustration with the controls, which detracts from the overall enjoyment, despite appreciating the game's mechanics and style. While the core gameplay involves repetitive fetch quests, some players find the experience rewarding and satisfying, particularly when clearing obstacles and assisting NPCs.
“It is very tactile and a lot of the gameplay, as well as the feeling of your surroundings, is conveyed through your movements.”
“I will go more in depth below but the tl;dr is that it's a short and sweet game that uses its simple gameplay loop well.”
“Witch Stranding is an interesting and satisfying experience, and the tactile gameplay loop of clearing hazards and helping people is very rewarding.”
“I thought this was going to be an interesting game to play, but as soon as the game started, my curiosity for it was replaced with frustration with its gameplay.”
“The idea is cute and interesting, but they need to improve the gameplay, because that's what makes this game a chore to experience, rather than a fun one. Sadly, that aspect will make a lot of people not experience this game.”
“The core gameplay is doing fetch quests over and over for a bunch of cardboard NPCs.”
- story8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The story is criticized for being overly simplistic, primarily revolving around repetitive fetch quests with minimal character development. Players are left to interpret the narrative themselves, as the game lacks depth in its NPCs, who each have brief backstories but remain stagnant in their quests. Overall, the narrative feels more like a series of tasks rather than a cohesive or engaging storyline.
“The story is left to you to understand and make sense of, so much in fact that aside from the tutorial, you can theoretically play without looking deeply into anything at all.”
“This is what I believe the point of the story is.”
“Aside from that, the game itself plays to your own will because no quests are given and no directions to find certain areas are shown; it's purely driven by your own exploration.”
“The story is left to you to understand and make sense of, so much in fact that aside from the tutorial you can theoretically play without looking deeply into anything at all.”
“Every NPC has a 1-paragraph sob story to make you want to help them, but that's all there is to them.”
“At the start of each new day they're exactly as crippled as they were the previous day, except their quest tally counter will have gone up by one.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
"Witch Stranding" is praised for its rich atmosphere, characterized by engaging visuals and sound that create a unique and immersive experience. The pixelated forest setting and mouse-only gameplay contribute to its charm, making it a recommended choice for those seeking a short yet captivating adventure filled with character.
“Definitely recommend to anyone who fancies great atmosphere and animals with names like Chad Shakespeare.”
“Witch Stranding is full of atmosphere, from visuals to sound.”
“This pixelated forest oozes character and atmosphere, and the mouse-only gameplay is engaging.”
- graphics2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics in Witch Stranding are praised for their atmospheric quality, effectively creating a realistic forest environment that enhances the overall experience, despite the unique graphical style.
“Witch Stranding is full of atmosphere, from visuals to sound.”
“As the spirit, the game does a great job of making the forest feel real despite the graphical style.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers suggest that the addition of random maps by the developer could significantly enhance the game's replayability, offering players new experiences and challenges with each playthrough.
“If the developer adds random maps in the future, it could greatly improve replayability.”
- music1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, creating an immersive experience that players find unforgettable.
“The music beautifully wraps the whole ambiance of the game together.”
“The soundtrack perfectly complements the gameplay, enhancing every moment.”
“Each track is thoughtfully composed, immersing players in the game's world.”
