Witching Stone
- September 16, 2024
- Alexander Taylor
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Witching Stone" is a unique blend of puzzle, roguelite, and deckbuilding gameplay, where you draw paths on a stone board to cast spells against enemies. Your objective is to battle deeper into procedurally generated dungeons, upgrading your spellbook with new spells, enchantments, and abilities. Watch out for enemies that retaliate with damage, harmful status effects, and alterations to the stone grid. The game features persistent upgrades and rewards strategic planning to build the perfect spell book.
PC
Steam Deck
Web Browser
Windows
Reviews
- The spell casting system via the gem grid offers a fun variety and meaningful choices, enhancing both moment-to-moment gameplay and overall build strategy.
- The game features charming art and music, contributing to an engaging atmosphere that keeps players invested.
- Witching Stone combines elements of puzzle-solving and deck-building in a unique way, providing a satisfying and rewarding experience with a high level of replayability.
- The balance of the game can be inconsistent, with some characters feeling significantly stronger than others, leading to frustrating experiences in later stages.
- Some encounters in the full version can feel exhausting due to constant disruptions and stalling mechanics from enemies, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
- While the game is intuitive, the complexity of enemy effects and attack orders can sometimes lead to confusion, making it difficult to strategize effectively.
- gameplay37 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its mechanical depth, intuitive design, and engaging puzzle elements, making it both fun and replayable. While some character balance issues and a questionable late-game design choice are noted, the overall experience is enhanced by unique spellcasting mechanics and a strong roguelike structure. Players appreciate the blend of deck-building and puzzle-solving, which offers a satisfying challenge and encourages strategic thinking.
“Gameplay is very intuitive yet full of a lot of depth and varying strategies and mechanics to play with.”
“The casting system along with the possibilities that come with the deck building and card upgrade mechanics give surprising depth, especially for something that was so easy to pick up.”
“There's a deeply playful spirit to how the game explores its mechanics, especially once you start secret hunting.”
“Some of the characters are way stronger than others, and there's one baffling design choice the dev put in for the late game, but those are minor flaws when compared to the mechanical depth and replayability.”
“While it's still possible here to make a single mechanic-centric spellbook to win you most battles, some enemies can hard counter your ace in the hole if you're not careful.”
“Takes a little while to get used to the mechanics, and some prudence born of experience is necessary to start getting a truly satisfying and fun build, but when you get a good run, it's very fun.”
- music22 mentions
- 73 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its charm and catchiness, with many reviewers highlighting the fantastic soundtrack that evokes a nostalgic, early-90s feel. The combination of funky shop tunes and memorable melodies enhances the overall experience, complementing the game's art and gameplay mechanics effectively. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that adds significant enjoyment to the game.
“The music is just absolutely fantastic.”
“Charming game and the music is awesome.”
“The absolute banger of a soundtrack on the other hand is immediately apparent.”
- graphics8 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are praised for their attractive aesthetic and polished user interface, contributing to an enjoyable experience. The retro style, featuring good sprite graphics and a memorable early-90s soundtrack, adds to its charm and appeal. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point, making it easy to recommend.
“I played the demo of this game on a whim based on the attractive aesthetic and found the polished UI and simple system to be very fun.”
“The retro graphics and memorable soundtrack have some great, early-90s appeal, too!”
“Good sprite graphics and a catchy soundtrack.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers strong replayability due to its mechanical depth, despite some character balance issues and a questionable late-game design choice. Players feel encouraged to revisit the game for varied experiences, making it engaging over multiple playthroughs.
“Replayability seems great so far!”
“Some of the characters are way stronger than others, and there's one baffling design choice the dev put in for the late game, but those are minor flaws when compared to the mechanical depth and replayability.”
- story2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's story is considered thin and lacking in depth, which may not appeal to all players; however, many reviewers emphasize that the primary attraction lies in its engaging puzzles and strategic gameplay.
“The story, fluff, and flavor of the game are a bit thin, but that's not really why I showed up, and chances are it won't be for you: the real draw is some fun puzzling and strategy.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the optimization aspect of the game enjoyable, as it allows for creative build-making and the thrill of discovering new abilities that can significantly alter their strategies.
“It is a really fun time trying to make an optimized build, and it is exciting when you come across a new ability that changes your build completely.”
