Wytchwood
- December 9, 2021
- Alientrap Games Inc
- 11h median play time
Cute, fun, and quite literally fetching; Wytchwood blends all of its elements together wonderfully, although there is little reason to play more once you conclude the 10–12 hours’ worth of story.
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Get on PS Store"Wytchwood" is a single-player, open-world fantasy game with a sensational atmosphere, delightful graphics, and good music. As the old witch of the woods, you will explore an expressive land of gothic fables, gathering and crafting bizarre ingredients, brewing enchantments, and passing twisted judgement on characters and creatures. The game features plenty of humor, lots of grinding, and a lovingly rendered storybook art style, making for a wholesome and intriguing story.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Phone
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Tablet
Xbox
Reviews
- Beautiful art style and engaging story that draws players in.
- Charming characters with witty dialogue and a whimsical atmosphere.
- Relaxing gameplay focused on crafting and collecting, making it a great game for casual players.
- Gameplay can become tedious due to excessive backtracking and repetitive fetch quests.
- The ending feels abrupt and lacks a satisfying conclusion to the overarching story.
- Limited replay value as the game is primarily linear with no branching paths.
- story930 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of Wytchwood is a charming and whimsical narrative that intertwines various fairy tale elements, engaging players with its unique characters and witty dialogue. While the overarching plot revolves around a series of fetch quests to collect souls, many players found the storytelling captivating enough to overlook the repetitive gameplay mechanics. However, some critiques noted that the story could feel predictable and the ending left room for improvement, suggesting a desire for deeper character development and more dynamic resolutions to quests.
“The story is charming and well written.”
“The characters and the story are really well written.”
“Wytchwood is a beautifully drawn game with decent writing - quirky but not as humorous as I expected it to be based on the story.”
“The story is cute, as is the artwork.”
“The story feels like that of a genuine fairytale, complete with hints of more disturbing goings-on, and the ending, though it wasn't what I expected, felt quite satisfying.”
“The story is pretty weak so far since it's basically driven by collecting things (again, having more dialogue available would have made me happier).”
- graphics385 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have been widely praised for their stunning, unique art style that evokes a whimsical, storybook aesthetic. Players appreciate the beautiful visuals, fluid animations, and charming character designs, which are complemented by a soothing soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. While the art style captivates many, some users noted performance issues on lower settings, but overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's enchanting atmosphere.
“The artwork is absolutely phenomenal, truly a masterpiece.”
“Wytchwood is a beautiful game in every aspect: the visuals, the storytelling, and the gameplay.”
“The graphics are beautiful, the music is lovely, the gameplay is fun, and the story is excellent.”
“For example, I have to play it on the lowest graphics quality or else it lags like crazy and I get a lot of rubber banding.”
“The graphics are cute but there's a lot of running around back and forth, the map situation isn't great and the game just seems quite flat and repetitive.”
“Might just be a me-thing because I have pretty severe ADHD, but sadly the visuals make it impossible for me to play (hence the 11 minute play-time).”
- music279 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 24 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its soothing and enchanting qualities, perfectly complementing the whimsical art style and immersive storytelling. Many players find the soundtrack to be a standout feature, enhancing the overall atmosphere and experience, although some note that certain tracks can become repetitive over time. Overall, the combination of beautiful music and charming visuals creates a relaxing and engaging gameplay environment.
“The music is so soothing and hypnotic!”
“The music and art style are really charming, the crafting was fun but with the right level of challenge.”
“The music is lovely and fits the themes.”
“I found the music to be charming in all zones.”
“I can't comment on the music for more than the first section, where I found it really repetitive.”
“Overall I found this to be a very pleasant game - the worst part about it is that it's really just a glorified series of fetch quests except you craft instead of fetch, but the art style, the music, and the story were charming enough that it kept me going anyway and I didn't mind too much.”
- gameplay243 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Wytchwood is primarily centered around crafting and gathering ingredients through a series of fetch quests, which some players find repetitive and tedious, while others appreciate the relaxing and engaging nature of the mechanics. The game features simple, intuitive mechanics that allow for exploration and interaction with a charming narrative and art style, but it lacks significant variety, leading to a gameplay loop that can feel monotonous over time. Overall, it caters well to players who enjoy crafting and collection-focused gameplay, though it may not appeal to those seeking more dynamic or challenging mechanics.
“The gameplay is engaging.”
“The crafting and exploration mechanics were engaging for the length of the game.”
“The gameplay is mostly about gathering ingredients to craft things, but it's a surprisingly satisfying gameplay loop.”
“Wytchwood suffers from a major flaw in that its sole gameplay is 'collect reagents to solve mini tasks'.”
“The gameplay is essentially just a thousand fetch quests tied into each other.”
“Unfortunately, the core game mechanic, as many other reviews have stated, is mind-numbingly dull at best and infuriating at worst.”
- grinding148 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is a mixed bag, with many players noting that while resource gathering and crafting can become tedious, the charming art style and engaging story often compensate for it. Some players appreciate the unlimited inventory space, which alleviates some of the grind, while others find the constant backtracking and fetch quests repetitive and exhausting, especially towards the end. Overall, enjoyment of the game largely depends on one's tolerance for grinding and the ability to appreciate the cozy atmosphere and narrative.
“The quests are interesting and varied and aren't too grindy.”
“The art style is gorgeous and it's challenging but not too tedious.”
“I really like this, and gathering materials is actually fun; not tedious.”
“The art and story are absolutely amazing, but 80% of the game is just grinding for ingredients.”
“It had endearing quest lines with the hook of farming for supplies.”
“However...the exploring, collecting and crafting rapidly become very tedious and, again, punishingly repetitive.”
- humor83 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its charming blend of dark, sarcastic, and whimsical elements, often delivered through witty dialogue and quirky character interactions. Players appreciate the engaging storytelling and the way humor is seamlessly integrated into the gameplay, making for a fun and immersive experience. Overall, the game's art style and character design complement its humorous tone, creating a delightful atmosphere that keeps players entertained throughout.
“It's so fun and hilarious without feeling forced.”
“The main character is a quick-witted, blunt, grumpy old lady, which feeds into that dark humor of the game.”
“The dialogue is funny and witty, the characters are interesting and varied, the art style is gorgeous, and the sound design is beautifully detailed.”
- atmosphere51 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its beautiful artwork, charming music, and engaging story, creating a fairy tale-like experience that is both relaxing and immersive. While some players noted that repetitive tasks could detract from the overall enjoyment, the vibrant environments and memorable characters help maintain a captivating ambiance. Overall, the game is recommended for those seeking a cozy, atmospheric adventure with a blend of whimsical and slightly dark elements.
“A beautiful game with a fairy tale atmosphere and engaging quest lines.”
“Wytchwood is an extremely atmospheric delight, weaving gothic, rural, and pagan imagery in and out like stitching across cloth.”
“This game feels like something straight out of a Grimm fairytale, except disguising a bit of its darker aspects with the calm and relaxing atmosphere given off by the art and music.”
“But for the last 4 souls, you had to craft a big thing about every step into the story, and that really drowned out the atmosphere.”
“Gets a bit tedious with all the collecting but the stories and atmosphere make up for it.”
“This game feels like something straight out of a grim fairytale, except disguising a bit of its darker aspects with the calm and relaxing atmosphere given off by the art and music.”
- replayability24 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with many players noting that once the story is completed, there is little incentive to play again. While some enjoyed the experience and found it charming, the repetitive gameplay and straightforward narrative contribute to a consensus that the game offers minimal replay value. Players recommend considering it on sale due to its limited replay potential.
“The story being fairly straightforward means there's also not much replay value, though personally I feel that it is delightfully charming enough to be revisited on occasion.”
“Sv is way more impressive and immersive, more varied and customizable, better thought out, has much more replay value and gives a much greater sense of progression and satisfaction.”
“I'm not sure how replayable I would rate this game just yet, but I love the intricacy and interwoven quests that take you all over the map and I am very intrigued how it will ultimately play out.”
“There is no replayability once you beat it.”
“Not much of a gameplay and no replay value.”
“Not a lot of replayability; once the story is done, you're done.”
- character development18 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is primarily conveyed through its stunning and unique character designs, which are praised for their charm and inclusivity. While the artwork and visual storytelling are highly regarded, some players note a lack of traditional character development, as the game does not offer choices that influence character growth. Overall, the engaging story and delightful character designs contribute to a cozy and immersive experience.
“The character designs are astonishing.”
“This was a really fun game to play; I loved the artwork used and the thought that went into the character design and the plot.”
“Between the intertwining stories, character design, and gorgeous writing, this game was a joy to play.”
“I would not consider this game an RPG because there are no choices to be made and no character development.”
“The character design is charming, but the story keeps you engaged.”
“The character design is charming, but the story keeps you engaged.”
- emotional16 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a mix of heartwarming and gloomy moments, with engaging yet somewhat linear storytelling. While some players found the narratives touching and the interactions with characters wholesome, others felt the emotional depth was lacking, often relying on simplistic expressions and mechanics that detracted from a more profound experience. Overall, it offers a cozy atmosphere that can be relaxing, but may not evoke strong emotional responses for everyone.
“Heartwarming at times, gruesome at other times.”
“The little stories are wholesome and the vibe is all around comfy, albeit a little gloomy at times.”
“It’s stories are heartwarming, sad, funny and fun.”
- stability13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 77 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with some players experiencing minor glitches and character freezes that can hinder progress, while others report a mostly smooth experience with minimal issues. Overall, many users acknowledge a few bugs, particularly with movement and interactions, but find the game generally well-designed and enjoyable despite these setbacks.
“It ran bug-free, and the UI is set up well so that it actually works with a controller, so I never needed to grab the mouse.”
“It's not buggy; the art style is charming, and the sounds are just fine.”
“In general, it seems very well-designed and not buggy.”
“Sometimes the character freezes up or gets stuck.”
“Glitches make it impossible to progress or get achievements, very unfortunate considering I would have loved to play through the entire game.”
“The movement occasionally gets a bit buggy with getting stuck on objects, or drops not seeming to happen but overall, it was very enjoyable.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is praised for its strong performance on the Steam Deck, but some users report strange performance issues even on high-end hardware like the RTX 3090. The unique art style and soothing music further enhance the experience, despite these inconsistencies.
“I’ll update once I’ve finished, but I wanted to encourage people to buy this game; the art style is gorgeous and very unique, the performance is great on Steam Deck, and the music is so soothing and hypnotic!”
“There are strange performance issues despite having a 3090.”
“The game runs poorly even on high-end hardware, which is frustrating.”
“I experience frequent frame drops and stuttering, making it unplayable at times.”
Critic Reviews
Wytchwood Review (PS5) – Enchantment
Related
90%Wytchwood Review
Wytchwood is a crafting game, through and through — and a good one. It smartly puts its focus purely on the act of gathering materials to create a wide range of objects, with little else to distract from the core crafting mechanic. It’s backed up by a great soundtrack and a reasonably well-told but ultimately forgettable tale as you trawl through the various areas searching for ingredients. Trying to locate specific items can at times feel exhausting and drags down the pacing of the game, and the gorgeous visuals are unfortunately hampered by a slight frame rate jitter. Ultimately though, Wytchwood is a relaxing and addictive jaunt into the world of crafting.
70%Wytchwood Review
Cute, fun, and quite literally fetching; Wytchwood blends all of its elements together wonderfully, although there is little reason to play more once you conclude the 10–12 hours’ worth of story.
75%
