Despite a few minor issues, Bloomtown: A Different Story is a game that'll stick with you long after you put it down. The blend of comforting and creepy is masterful, and the game presents a surprising amount of challenge in places. With everything from boss fights and puzzles to intricate crafting and skill-building, there's a lot to get excited about here. Bloomtown was clearly made with a lot of love and attention to detail, and it's the perfect pick for anyone who enjoys rich stories paired with riddles and tricky, turn-based combat.
If you're willing to look past a handful of typos and some fairly significant visual issues, WitchSpring R is a great example of turn-based combat with a strong story to back it up. It's whimsical and enchanting, and you won't be able to predict how it all ends. On top of this, the NG+ option gives it an extra splash of replayability for players who like a challenge. That being said, the visual quirks do take a toll on the score here. While they weren't game-breaking, having the main character pop out of existence during crucial cutscenes was frustrating, and it did affect our overall experience.
Playing through The Lullaby of Life was a joy, with plenty of challenging moments without feeling frustrating, and it feels perfectly at home on the Switch. Each chapter has its own distinct personality and the music adds a lot of soul to each new planet. If you enjoy quirky, unique puzzle titles with cute characters and interesting mechanics, this is a gem that needs to be in your library - one that's especially suited to handheld players with headphones, as the music really is beautiful.
Potion Craft is bound to be a gem for the right audience and is ideal for dedicated completionist crafters who enjoy sim games with strategic elements and cosy, magical aesthetics. It's a heady concoction, just one that doesn't go down very well on Switch.
In Stars and Time can be unforgiving, but if you're a sucker for story-driven RPGs with roguelite mechanics and tricky puzzles, you won't find many better options out there. It's a difficult game to beat quickly, with our initial run taking us just over the 45-hour mark. Aside from the small problems like some unclear visual cues and minor lag issues, the game plays brilliantly. The characters are loveable and feel incredibly authentic, and the story is deeply engaging. Just be warned - almost every item becomes important at some stage. There are heaps of rooms, hidden passages, and corridors, and you'll need to remember where everything is if you want to progress. Keep a pen and paper handy.
Despite these problems, the overall game was still fun. It was rather short, with our playthrough taking us just over the two-and-a-half-hour mark, so the issues didn't have time to grate on us. If you want to see all the endings, you'll either need to rely on auto-saves or replay the entire game. If you're a fan of visual novels and witchy games specifically, though, the gorgeous art and meditative gameplay loop are sure to outshine the issues we've highlighted. For the right people, this game will be enchanting.
The Tarot deckbuilding aspect is present and correct here, but the wide variety of Witches and the way their stories intertwine is where The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood really shines. Every being that you encounter has a purpose in this story, and all the threads twist together to make a truly beautiful tapestry. Being locked down narrative paths without the ability to return might not be for everyone, but it's a moot point when the story is this good - every playthrough will feel like a brand-new experience.
The visuals are fun and lively, and the sound design is great. The marbles sound incredibly realistic and the noise of them on ice is oddly satisfying. While the gameplay loop of this title might not be for everyone, it does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s a vibrant, snappy game that offers a nice handful of content for both single players and people looking to play with friends. Super Monkey Ball fans will get a kick out of it, too.