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 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
- 36 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
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.”
- story16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The story is primarily structured around a series of fetch quests, where players help NPCs with minimal characterization, each having only brief backstories. While the narrative encourages personal exploration and interpretation, it ultimately lacks depth, leading to a repetitive experience where NPCs remain unchanged despite the player's efforts. Overall, the storytelling feels simplistic and underdeveloped, relying heavily on the player's initiative rather than providing a compelling narrative.
“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 within 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 so 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.”
- atmosphere10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % 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 short yet captivating journey that appeals to those who appreciate a strong atmospheric presence.
“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.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % 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.”
“The game does a great job of making the forest feel real despite the graphical style.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers suggest that the game's replayability could significantly increase with the addition of random maps, indicating a desire for more varied gameplay experiences.
“If the developer adds random maps in the future, it could greatly improve replayability.”
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to beautifully enhance the overall atmosphere, creating an immersive experience that players find unforgettable.
“The music beautifully wraps the whole ambience of the game together.”
“The music beautifully wraps the whole ambience of the game together.”
