Witch Spring 3 [Re: Fine] Review: Good Things Come In Small Packages

Story:

In a medieval fantasy setting there is a group of magic users called "deities" by some and "witches" by others. Eirudy, a witch living in the secluded Misty Forest, has narrowly escaped the witch hunts. One day she meets a young nobleman named Adrian, whose mother is sick. After saving his life, the two become friends. The only problem is Adrian's father Regal, who heavily taxes the common man, can control dragons and hates witches.

There are three or four dialogue options that can change the story for a "light", "dark", or "true" ending.

Gameplay:

At her atelier, Eirudy can craft weapons or items, which moves time forward. Every few days she can train various stats that will make combat and crafting easier. As a "Marionette Witch" Eirudy can bring dolls to life using 'soul juice' extracted from people and animals defeated in combat. These dolls can then be ridden around and used in battle.

This cycle was a good fit for the game because it encourages the player to seek out new opponents in order to bring new dolls to life or to upgrade the existing ones. The combat itself opens a wheel with simple options for attack combos, spells or items. It isn't hard or going to require much strategy, but is good enough for the easygoing 'cozy' experience that Witch Spring 3 is aiming for.

The map is broken up into small sections that are quick to traverse and all have something interesting to find. There are enough collectibles and side-missions to give the player a reason to backtrack.

Conclusion:

Witch Spring 3 was originally a mobile game before getting ported to other hardware and it shows. It doesn't do anything surprising or revolutionary but moves at a steady pace and was engaging enough to hold my attention. It can be beaten in roughly 10 hours, making this compact game an ideal choice for those who want to play an atelier or RPG-like title but don't have the time to sink into a grand narrative experience.

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