Games worth discovering

Crafting game lovers won’t want to miss this cozy RPG

5K View2023-09-19

WitchSpring R is a simple but addictive RPG that’s all about collecting items and crafting potions. It’s a remake of the first title in a popular series of mobile games, but it also has a lot in common with another game series: Atelier. I’m a huge Atelier fan, and WitchSpring R definitely captures the cozy slice-of-life qualities that makes those games great.

The game revolves around Pieberry, an adorable witch who would like nothing more than to spend her days eating the best pie that the world has to offer. Unfortunately for her, WitchSpring R takes place in a world where magic users are being hunted down. This means she has to dodge attacks from enemy soldiers while she’s exploring or gathering ingredients.

Like most Atelier games, WitchSpring R involves time management, but it’s not overly restrictive or overwhelming. Each day, I could use my limited time to carry out any number of tasks. I could focus on progressing the story, grab ingredients, craft healing potions that would help me in battle, or focus on training Pieberry so that I could improve my strength and magic skills.

These training segments are one of the most interesting elements of the game. There are a wide range of training tasks—such as running, swimming, and reading—that can boost various skills. Tasks can be completed automatically, but I could potentially get a bigger boost by successfully playing through a minigame. There are all kinds of short minigames here, including rhythm games and obstacle courses, and I found all of them to be pretty entertaining.

I also had a lot of fun experimenting with combat. At first glance, it seems like WitchSpring R has basic turn-based battles, but the system is surprisingly deep. Certain actions, like finishing off an enemy with a physical attack, allowed me to earn extra turns in battle, giving me an advantage over my enemy. Some types of enemies can also be mind-controlled when their health is low, which allowed me to turn them into pets!

I’ve only gotten a brief taste of WitchSpring R’s story, but so far, it seems lighthearted and fun, with cute characters and charming dialogue. It looks like the game has multiple endings, so I’m definitely curious to see where the story goes! I’ll be sharing a longer review next week, so make sure you check back to see more of my thoughts.