Wytchwood Game Review – A Gothic Crafting Adventure Story
Wytchwood is an adventure simulation game; a dark fable rich with intriguing characters and immersive sounds.
You play as an elderly witch, whose daily routine of pottering about her swamp and sleeping in her cozy hut, is rudely interrupted.
With her trusty Grimoire and her toolbelt, she embarks on a journey through swamps, forests, and farmlands, collecting materials to craft potions and cast spells.
Wytchwood is ultimately a crafting sim with RPG elements. You’ll retrace your footsteps for the same materials and follow a To-Do list, penned in your Journal, which grows as you meet new characters.
If you enjoyed Spiritfarer and looking forward to the release of Little Witch in the Woods, Wytchwood will enchant you with its cozy storytelling.
What is the story of Wytchwood?
An indie game, Developed by Alientrap and Published by WhiteThorn Games. The publisher behind Calico, Lake, and Teacup.
You wake to the sound of a bleating demon goat who wants you to fulfill your contract with it – a contract you do not remember signing.
Reluctantly you’re tasked with bringing the goat 12 wicked souls and in exchange, it will wake a sleeping maiden.
Who is she? And how did she get in your swamp?
You’ll wander to the far corners of your world, through portals that act as shortcuts, to unlock a dangerous land teeming with villagers that want to harm you, and travelers who have lost their way.
To find the 12 souls you’ll need your reagents and spells which you discover with your witch eye sense as you complete mini-quests.
Each soul has a fable to spin, told through the characters who have had the misfortune to cross the wicked soul’s path.
You’ll be tasked with collecting ingredients and revealing new spells to outsmart these troubling souls.
How long is Wytchwood?
Within Wytchwood there are 14 chapters – a beginning, an ending, and a chapter per each 12 souls.
You’ll be given 4 souls at a time to collect and you’ll be able to track them in your Journal.
I recommend dealing with one soul at a time or you risk getting confused with what spell or reagent you were trying to gather ingredients for and which soul they belonged to.
On your travels, you may accidentally reveal a new chapter by talking to someone or entering a new area. It minor annoyance as it interrupts the chapter but you can go back later.
To lessen the burden of your Journal filling up with tasks that you’re not currently focusing on you can track just one chapter.
I started with The Bear but unearthed all 4 souls before I had finished his chapter. Tracking The Bear helped me see my current To-do list on the top right side of the screen and stopped me from becoming overwhelmed with tasks.
The game may take you 10-15 hours to complete depending on how much exploring and gathering you like to do.
I spent a good 15 minutes just running after a wiggling Changeling because I loved the cute giggles it made.
6 Beginner Tips for Wytchwood
I know starting a game for the first time can come with its challenges. So here are my 6 beginner tips for how to start playing Wytchwood:
1. Use your Witch Eye Sense often
When you’re out exploring your Witch Eye Sense is your best friend. Use it whenever you see a highlighted object or character. This is how you reveal new spells that need crafting. It also pauses your game so you can take your time to read.
2. Organize your tools.
Make the best use of your toolbar. Just as you would do in Animal Crossing, put your shears, hatchet, net, bait stick, and trowel in the first slots so you can switch between them quickly. Handy when you’re trying to catch a poisonous newt that tries to scamper away.
3. Focus on just one quest
As I already mentioned earlier, Wytchwood can become overwhelming with tasks at times. Each quest has multiple steps to complete and it’s easy to lose track of what you’re trying to accomplish. Track the quest from your List to see it on your screen as you move about.
4. Collect more materials than you need
Don’t miss out on materials as you scamper by on your path to speak to another villager. You may not need that Hagshroom or Forest Herb now but you can never have enough because it will make crafting quicker later in the game.
5. The Wytchwood Grimoire
Your Grimoire will show you the spells and potions you’ve revealed throughout the game. Highlight a spell or reagent to see the ingredients needed and where to find them.
Use your portals to skip to that area quickly once you’ve revealed where each hidden portal is.
6. How to save Wytchwood
I was worried I was going to lose my game progress when I first started playing Wytchwood. There doesn’t appear to be any way to save gameplay from the menu. But do not worry, as I found out the game does auto-save after you quit. So you can safely shut down your game at any time and not lose your progress.
Last Thoughts
Wytchwood is a cozy treat that will linger on you. Although it leaves little replayability, you’ll find yourself returning to the forest to listen to the pleasant sounds – the crunching of the ground underfoot, the laughter of a Changeling.
I was completely at peace while playing this game. The music and atmosphere on the whole were so calming and soothing, I felt like I was on a journey in my mind.
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