You know, I don’t think I’ve ever played a KRPG before; that’s an RPG developed in South Korea, for the uninitiated. They do exist, and it’s pleasing to see a little diversity in the anime-stylised RPG genre when Japan was previously assumed to hold a monopoly of sorts. WitchSpring, then, is something that those of us who hunt fresh ideas and perspectives should be quite curious about.
Witchcraft has been worked incredibly well into anime RPGs in recent years. When you strip out the traditional theme of witches being wicked old hags in villainous fairy tale roles and instead integrate the ideology with juxtaposing youth representation or ‘coming-of-age’ stories, then we can put together some incredibly fulfilling stories of powerful growth. Little Witch Nobeta and Dragon Star Varnir are both outstanding examples of this. Now, a new contender enters the ring.
Introduction
A Steam exclusive for nearly a year, WitchSpring R and its associated series has been little more than a whisper on the wind for most console players. When the rumour of the series making its way to PS5 surfaced, so too did the screenshots and footage. WitchSpring R had a nostalgic beauty to it, with the return of turn-based combat and fixed-camera locations reminiscent of 2D backdrops used during the JRPG golden age. It’s really quite exciting to get our hands on this one.
Of course, mechanically this could go either way, which worried me a bit. It could be an anime RPG about personal growth, overcoming social stigma and learning powerful magic to protect yourself and others, or it could shift its focus more so into the ‘craft’ part of witchcraft, brewing potions in cauldrons which are key to survival, progression and even narrative development, which all sounds very repetitive and menu-heavy, and the last thing I want is another Atelier game. Don’t let me down, Kiwi Walks.
The ‘R’ in ‘WitchSpring R’ stands for ‘Remaster’ and/or ‘Remake’, since the game is actually an enhanced version of ‘WitchSpring’ which was originally released on mobile devices in 2015. WitchSpring R is a complete overhaul of the original WitchSpring game, with the addition of new characters, new story elements and gameplay features. The PS5 version, our focus today, is released digitally on August 29th, 2024.
Story
In the distant past, mankind worshiped beings with magical powers and treated them as gods. Over time, that reverence grew into envy. Upon discovering the source of their gods’ powers, humanity took the power for themselves and slaughtered the very deities they once loved. Those who survived the slaughter were vilified as demons and hunted without mercy. Those who escaped would be forced to live in hiding.
In a world run by fascist, religious zealots, witches are believed to be the descendants of demons, and are feared, hunted and persecuted by indoctrinated warriors. Pieberry is one such witch. She may be exceptionally bright, but at only ten years old, she has no idea why she is hated and hunted relentlessly, and has become gradually desensitised to killing warriors simply to survive.
Pieberry, appropriately named for her love of both pies and strawberries, lives a life of isolation, where every day is a struggle for survival. However, her curiosity and desire to learn more spells and indulge in the delicious foods of the outside world bring the temptation of grand yet dangerous adventures. Though she’s not allowed to leave, thanks to her protector golem, Balt, who stands as her hostile guardian, a chance encounter with a strange bird named Black Joe turns her world upside down and grants her a rare chance to explore the land she never knew.
Gameplay
WitchSpring R is a single-player, story-driven 3D RPG with a strategic turn-based battling system, crafting elements, an emphasis on exploration and training, and many customisation options. The first hour of gameplay will introduce the player to mechanics available throughout the game. As the threat of knights charging into her forest increases day by day, Pieberry will need to train her mind and body to counter this rising threat.
There is an Atelier-style element of crafting available that allows Pieberry to create bombs, healing potions, and other supportive items. She can also craft new magic spells as she discovers new spell-books. However, the training system is perhaps the most unique component of the game, as each training mini-game completed provides Pieberry with direct enhancements to associated stats. The player can choose from ten different styles of training, each with a unique mini-game associated with it.
Each mini-game boosts a stat or a combination of stats. Stat boosting via training is incredibly useful when the levelling up through conventional experience becomes temporarily unavailable. Combat in the game comes with a limited amount of experience points available. Each battle can provide experience only once, ensuring that the player cannot grind to over-level.
Pieberry will level-up from standard battles, and more combat options become available once Pieberry reaches the next level. This may allow her to summon more tamed pets into battle as additional party members, wear more accessories, or unlock new skills and abilities. Recovery stones replenish Pieberry’s HP and MP out in the field. If Pieberry moves to another area and returns, a Recovery Stone can be cheekily reused.
Pets give the game a fantastic monster-tamer twist, allowing the player to find, mind-control and train over 20 different types of pets, some of which assist in navigating specific terrains. Your pets can be summoned to assist you in battle as additional party members, delivering extra attacks while dividing up the incoming damage, so it really pays to build a solid team.
There is also a weapon evolution system which allows players to choose a path for their weapons and feed items into them to manipulate the weapon’s skill tree. Each tree has unique special abilities, some of which are particularly powerful. Each weapon tree offers new abilities that change how battles unfold, leading to increased variety in how to approach encounters.
Finding resources is a key part of exploration and crafting. Most items can be found as glowing objects littered throughout each area, however live animals will need to be hunted. When in range of an animal that can be hunted, Pieberry can enter the magic bow state when prompted. Aim at your target and then fire a magical arrow. Players have 5 seconds to hit the target; if the countdown reaches 0 before the arrow is fired, the target will be alerted and escape.
Graphics/Sound
Sure, the original mobile game had its charms, but WitchSpring R is a staggering glow-up in nearly every way. The forest and the outside world are vivid with vibrant natural colours. Flora and fauna are all around, and while outside environments are suitably bright and lively, even the dark, dank caves hide curious touches of life. Every particle effect and battle explosion is a delicious spectacle too. Characters are charmingly expressive and lovingly animated. The little details gracing each area bring a quality of presentation that really goes that extra mile.
You can play the game in seven different languages: English, French, German, Korean, Japanese, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese. The game is fully voiced, however the dub is only available in Korean or Japanese. The subtitles get the job done 99% of the time, but I did notice a few grammatical errors slipping through.
WitchSpring R brings with it a soundtrack that’s absolutely stellar. The gentle music of Pieberry’s home feels calm and welcoming, while the battle themes offer a pleasing variety based on the threat encountered. The standard battle themes are very catchy and addictive, while the fights against giant enemies and bosses sound appropriately intimidating.
Conclusion
It’s very easy to fall in love with WitchSpring R thanks to those lovely colourful visuals, that epic soundtrack and the adorable characters, so much so that’s it’s all too easy to briefly forget just how great the gameplay is. There’s this brilliantly smart simplicity to every mechanic that makes the experience so easy to pick up and play.
Yes, there are a lot of different mechanics to learn but don’t let this intimate you. The game is all too aware of its ambition and makes the effort not to hinder your overall progress by having the player take too much on. Every mechanic is refined down to its most basic form. You aren’t going to need to hike for miles for a chance to grab an ingredient needed for a basic health potion here.
Mini-games can usually be completed with one or two buttons, crafting is little more than a one-button confirmation once you’ve got all the necessary ingredients which are never too far away, while capturing creatures strips out rarity of encounters, necessary status effect changes and trap devices and simply focuses on casting a mind-control spell once you’ve landed a hit or two.
A simple, easy-to-use interface is essential in an RPG with multiple mechanics to learn and WitchSpring R absolutely nails it. When combined with a beautiful world to explore, fun characters and a surprisingly dark story which reveals a lot of depth in its lore, WitchSpring R is seriously impressive.
Joys
- A very simple interface makes the plethora of mechanics and activities a breeze to pick up
- The visuals are a pleasing spectacle
- Incredible soundtrack throughout
Cons
- Some grammatical errors in the translation
- No English dub
