I'm split as a game designer on this game, but at the same time, as a player, I'm not split at all - I stopped playing it after about 40 minutes. The Witch's Isle is a gorgeous pixel art point and click adventure available on Android for free and when you start to play it, it looks like the best thing ever if you're into old-school Lucas art adventures. Add to that a really macabre setting and a story-driven feel similar to things like the HBO TV show Carnivale and you might think you found the Android adventure game you always looked for.
But, there the problems begin - in my case, this happened around the fifth minutes of the game. The main issue is this: I had no clue what I was doing. Sure, an evil witch sends me on a fetch quest on this island where I can then move about and talk to the locals, all of whom are scared or disturbed. I have an inventory but no idea how to use it. All of my activities seem to be reduced to either talking or moving about. The island is split into parallax levels (again, which look fantastic, especially when it comes to lighting design) but I can only go up and down. At the same time, the clock is ticking to my eventual in-game death.
I'm sad to say but while this game has some great elements (that's the game designer in me) it simply was too confusing and very un-rewarding for me to continue to play it. I know that there's a chance I'm basing this Witch's Isle Review on a missed tutorial explanation or something similar, but I very much doubt that. The game just badly communicates its mechanics with the players, which is a deadly sin in my gaming book.
Takeaway:
Beautiful but ultimately completely unclear to me as a player. Download Witch's Isle right here!
But, there the problems begin - in my case, this happened around the fifth minutes of the game. The main issue is this: I had no clue what I was doing. Sure, an evil witch sends me on a fetch quest on this island where I can then move about and talk to the locals, all of whom are scared or disturbed. I have an inventory but no idea how to use it. All of my activities seem to be reduced to either talking or moving about. The island is split into parallax levels (again, which look fantastic, especially when it comes to lighting design) but I can only go up and down. At the same time, the clock is ticking to my eventual in-game death.
I'm sad to say but while this game has some great elements (that's the game designer in me) it simply was too confusing and very un-rewarding for me to continue to play it. I know that there's a chance I'm basing this Witch's Isle Review on a missed tutorial explanation or something similar, but I very much doubt that. The game just badly communicates its mechanics with the players, which is a deadly sin in my gaming book.
Takeaway:
Beautiful but ultimately completely unclear to me as a player. Download Witch's Isle right here!