WitchHand
- February 7, 2024
- Jon Nielsen
- 16h median play time
Get on Steam"Witchhand" is a single-player fantasy strategy game with stellar mechanics and impressive visuals. As the leader of a coven, players use cards to build and manage their witch empire, focusing on areas like trade, alchemy, or war to secure a place on the Council of Fates. With real-time card placement, players must expand and defend their coven against unseen forces and rival covens, utilizing the powers of the witch to survive and thrive in this 4X strategy game.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Engaging and addictive gameplay that keeps players hooked for hours.
- Charming art style and relaxing music enhance the overall experience.
- Offers a variety of witches with unique mechanics, providing replayability.
- Can become overwhelming with too many cards on screen, leading to performance issues.
- Late-game management can feel tedious and repetitive, detracting from the enjoyment.
- Some mechanics and spells lack clarity, making it difficult for players to strategize effectively.
- gameplay91 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized as addictive and engaging, featuring clever mechanics that enhance the experience across various stages. Players appreciate the unique character abilities and the blend of resource management, crafting, and card mechanics, although some find the gameplay can become repetitive and shallow after a few hours. While the game is visually appealing and has a charming soundtrack, it suffers from occasional bugs and performance issues, particularly in late-game scenarios.
“Addictive, beautiful, and full of clever mechanics that keep every stage of the game exciting and engaging.”
“The gameplay loop is super fun and addictive, and the art style is lovely.”
“The mechanics are simple to learn, charming, and they scale with you as you progress, getting more and more complex as you go.”
“Sometimes buggy, gets laggy in the late-game, some mechanics are difficult to grasp (i.e., magnets), and it could use a few quality of life features (i.e., having the time boost be toggle-able with space bar or having something(s) that could lessen the clutter of cards you see in the late-game).”
“Sadly, after a few hours you'll realize it's pretty shallow once you've experienced the gameplay loop, and the different witches aren't as radical as the 'classes' in Cultist Simulator.”
“With no snapping, long, long strings of resources butting into each other as part of regular gameplay, and a lot of tedious repetition (as an example; to grow silversage you consume one to get two back, meaning that it's a bottleneck early until you RNG into it and harvesting the process can't be automated with magnets), this game learned the wrong lessons from Stacklands.”
- story36 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally described as minimal and straightforward, often conveyed through letters and simple quests, which some players find lacking in depth. While the narrative features intriguing elements, such as witches and fae, many reviewers emphasize that the gameplay mechanics and creativity take precedence over the story itself. Overall, the story is seen as a light backdrop to the engaging gameplay, with some players wishing for more complexity and variety in the narrative.
“One of the best games in the genre of card management, amazing balancing, captivating story, and an adorable art style, 10/10.”
“A cute and addicting game that's easy to get into with an interesting enough story that you'll want to see through to the end.”
“The story and characters are cute, building up your coven full of familiars is satisfying, and there always seems to be more to do.”
“Most of the plot was conveyed through letters that came every once in a while.”
“While I love the art, and the music itself is chill and pleasant, I just can't get around the gameplay and lackluster story.”
“It also has a very thin plot and too many annoying bottlenecks.”
- graphics30 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and cute art style, which enhances the overall aesthetic experience. Players appreciate the unique designs of the cards and smooth battle animations, contributing to a delightful visual presentation that complements the gameplay. The combination of appealing visuals and a captivating soundtrack makes the game enjoyable and engaging, even for those who typically do not play card games.
“The graphics are a delight for a card game, with each card flaunting unique, eye-catching designs, and the battle animations are silky smooth.”
“I absolutely adore this game, the gameplay loop is super fun and addictive and the art style is so lovely (the music and sound design are as well).”
“Very nice graphics, relaxing music and a totally addictive gameplay loop.”
“If it was balanced, it would be Stacklands with better graphics.”
“There are some problems, but the aesthetics carry it.”
“The gameplay is very similar to Stacklands but with a cutesy, witch-themed art style.”
- music28 mentions
- 68 % positive mentions
- 21 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its charm and ability to create a cozy atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience. While many reviewers appreciate the soundtrack as captivating and enjoyable, some note that it occasionally feels mismatched with the gameplay intensity. Overall, the combination of pleasant music and appealing graphics contributes to a relaxing and addictive gameplay loop.
“The art is really nice, and in conjunction with the soundtrack gives the game a very comfy vibe.”
“The music sets a nice mood for the gameplay and is enjoyable to listen to, especially the final boss fight music.”
“I absolutely adore this game, the gameplay loop is super fun and addictive and the art style is so lovely (the music and sound design are as well).”
“If I had to guess, the music was produced in parallel to development, with mostly the themes in mind and not so much the actual gameplay.”
“The audio, though, is a mixed bag; while the background music is captivating, the constant swoosh of cards midgame might get on your nerves.”
“Even then, it's very well-made music and I would actually listen to it on my own.”
- optimization18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is a significant concern, with players reporting performance issues that become pronounced in the mid to late game, including frame drops and stuttering, particularly when many cards are on screen. While early gameplay runs smoothly, the lack of optimization hampers overall enjoyment and replayability, leading to frustration as the game progresses. Many reviewers express a desire for improvements in this area before they can fully recommend the game.
“Cute and fun game, albeit that needs optimization; frames will drop significantly (down to 20 or less) if you have too many cards on the screen.”
“Performance-wise, the game runs without a hitch in the early phases but starts to lag as you hit automation in midgame.”
“There are some interesting loops and synergies, and a lot of opportunity for optimization of resource creation and use that I really only touched the surface of.”
“Even on my main rig, the game would not maintain a stable 60 fps, and towards the late game, it started stuttering noticeably.”
“Now playing on my laptop (one specifically specced for gaming, which can run current ARPGs, albeit at modest settings), the framerate is shaky all across, particularly when the game pauses during day transition cutscenes and in the main menu. In the late game, it becomes stuttery to the point of being a hindrance in play (cards stuttering about and becoming hard to grab, etc.).”
“The game will slow down during the end game when there are hundreds of cards on screen, most likely due to an optimization issue.”
- replayability16 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it limited and lacking in depth for multiple playthroughs, others appreciate the distinct gameplay twists offered by different characters, which enhance replay value. The addition of new content, such as a fourth character, is anticipated to improve replayability further. Despite its shortcomings, many players still find the game enjoyable enough to warrant multiple runs.
“All three current witches offer a twist on the core gameplay loop for replayability, and the dev currently has plans to add a fourth, which I can't wait to see.”
“Very satisfying progression through automation and exploration, and though the game itself is pretty short, it feels decently replayable and what you get is good fun either way.”
“All in all, the game is really fun and fairly replayable, which makes it worth your time (and money) even more.”
“The one piece of feedback I have is that it has limited replayability.”
“Overall, it is a pretty decent game and even though running through it again doesn't really add much replay value, it is pretty solid on a first time around.”
“It's not the game's strong suit and doesn't do much for replayability, which, speaking of, feels a bit limited.”
- grinding16 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and detracting from the overall experience, particularly in the late and postgame phases where repetitive tasks and resource management become overwhelming. While some appreciate the automation features that alleviate some of the tedium, many still feel that the game suffers from excessive grind and lack of engaging mechanics, leading to a less enjoyable gameplay experience. Overall, the grinding is seen as a significant flaw that impacts player enjoyment.
“Why add such weird tedium to a game that isn't trying to be tedious?”
“Overall, I think the game has a lot of flaws that impact the player experience, and lead to the latter half of the game feeling really slow and tedious.”
“Endgame is really tedious though with no option to kill the 20+ mobs automatically and scaling your 'base' is not as organic as I hoped it would be.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating its lighthearted elements, such as witches with amusing animal familiars donning funny hats. Comparisons to other games highlight its comedic aspects, suggesting it combines humor with engaging gameplay in a way that feels both complex and entertaining. However, some users note that external controversies surrounding the game's creator have affected their enjoyment.
“I love that different witches have different animal familiars and if you specialize them, they maintain their familiar species but are wearing a funny hat now.”
“Nice and funny game - something akin to Cultist Simulator (but shorter, easier, and much less grindy) and Stacklands (but more complex and funnier) combined.”
“And, well, Cultist Simulator lost its luster for me what with all the funny business surrounding its maker.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game experiences stability issues, including bugs and lag during late-game play, which can hinder the overall experience. Additionally, some mechanics are challenging to understand, and the lack of quality-of-life features contributes to a cluttered interface.
“Sometimes buggy, gets laggy in the late game, some mechanics are difficult to grasp (i.e., magnets), and it could use a few quality of life features (i.e., having the time boost be toggle-able with the space bar or having something that could lessen the clutter of cards you see in the late game).”
“This game is a bit buggy!”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be a blend of wholesome and relaxing experiences, as the automation of villages and the training of familiars create a comforting atmosphere that alleviates stress.
“The game beautifully captures the essence of human emotions, making every decision feel impactful and personal.”
“I was genuinely moved by the character arcs; their struggles and triumphs resonated with me on a deep level.”
“The soundtrack perfectly complements the emotional moments, enhancing the overall experience and drawing me into the story.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is described as atmospheric and charming, drawing inspiration from cultist simulator and stacklands, which contributes to a unique and engaging experience in the new genre.
“An atmospheric and charming take on the new genre, led by Cultist Simulator and Stacklands.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is visually appealing, though some players express disappointment over the limited variety in character designs. Overall, the existing art is enjoyable, but there is a desire for more diverse representations.
