- July 7, 2022
- Strange Scaffold
Witch Strandings
Taking after fairy tales, Witch Strandings manages to tell a predictable story in unpredictable ways. It can often be painful to play but the experience is one I won't forget soon. Witch Strandings is a game I'm glad exists, even if I'm not sure I enjoyed it all that much.
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About
Witch Strandings is a single player open world simulation game with horror and fantasy themes. It was developed by Strange Scaffold and was released on July 7, 2022. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.
In "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.
+4
- 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 sense of satisfaction and connection.
- Beautiful art and sound design that enhances the overall ambiance and emotional impact of the game.
- Controls are frustrating and can cause discomfort, especially for players with joint issues, due to low mouse sensitivity and the need for extensive mouse movement.
- The game can feel repetitive with its fetch quest mechanics, lacking depth in character development and motivation to assist the NPCs.
- Short playtime and limited replayability due to the static nature of the game world and predictable character needs.
- gameplay22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
The gameplay is described as tactile and engaging, with a simple loop that involves clearing obstacles and completing fetch quests, which some players find rewarding. However, many reviewers express frustration with the controls, labeling them as abysmal, and suggest that improvements are necessary for a more enjoyable experience. Overall, while the game has a charming atmosphere and interesting mechanics, its reliance on repetitive tasks and control issues may deter some players.
“It is very tactile and a lot of the gameplay, as well as the feeling of your surroundings, is conveyed through your movements.”
“This pixelated forest oozes character and atmosphere, and the mouse-only gameplay is engaging.”
“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 gonna 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, more like a fun one, and 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.”
Witch Strandings Review - Bewitching and Bewildering
Taking after fairy tales, Witch Strandings manages to tell a predictable story in unpredictable ways. It can often be painful to play but the experience is one I won't forget soon. Witch Strandings is a game I'm glad exists, even if I'm not sure I enjoyed it all that much.
60%Witch Strandings (PC/Steam)
My struggles with Witch Strandings are not of its simplicity, but that of lack of depth. Witch Strandings is not meant to be Death Stranding, part two. Instead, it's meant to be a simplified and more desolate interpretation of a "strand-type" game. The gameplay loop is so simple, all you need is a mouse; you will be wishing that your keyboard will have a greater purpose. Sure, the characters are well-written (albeit needier than I without my morning coffee), the atmosphere is moody and melancholy, and the core (rather, single) gameplay loop leaves the player to assume that they have only one purpose. However, I feel that Witch Strandings could do with another layer of complexity and depth, be it lore-driven or gameplay-driven, to bolster its attempt at experimenting with an already experimental genre. I do not consider Witch Strandings to be a fun in its current state (nor do I consider Death Stranding to be fun, either). Witch Strandings is an intriguing experiment that underdelivers on complexity but excels in atmospheric emulation and simple gameplay. I cannot help but want more from Witch Strandings, and I hope that Strange Scaffold continues to build on this experiment.
65%Witch Strandings is a one-of-a-kind healing adventure
75%
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Frequently Asked Questions
Witch Strandings is a open world simulation game with horror and fantasy themes.
Witch Strandings is available on PC and Windows.
Witch Strandings was released on July 7, 2022.
Witch Strandings was developed by Strange Scaffold.
Witch Strandings has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its story.
Witch Strandings is a single player game.
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