Ah, the standard fetch quest. Staple of RPGs trying to pad out their lots of of hours of content material by making you run backwards and forwards like a glorified courier however with even much less advantages that an Amazon supply driver. It’s typically criticised as being a lazy method of dealing with quests, and but it has additionally turn into a style itself. There are heaps of video games on the market constructed round delivering parcels, and Mika and the Witch’s Mountain is the most recent, impressed by the traditional Japanese 1990 animated transfer Kiki’s Supply Service.
The sport’s improvement and launch is value commenting on earlier than we delve additional into this evaluation, although. You see, Mika and the Witch’s Mountain really launched on PC and Change in 2024. Weirdly, although, it launched on PC as an Early Entry sport whereas the Change model was offered as regular. The reason was that extra content material was going to be added so builders Chibig and Nukefist felt it made sense to launch it as an Early Entry title. Now, it’s coming to Xbox and PlayStation, with all the deliberate content material included, that means except for updates for bugs and glitches this must be the complete, last sport in all of its magical glory.
Out there On: Xbox, PlayStation, PC, Change
Reviewed On: PS5
Developed By: Chibig, Nukefist
Revealed By: ChibigOverview key offered by the writer,
The sport stars the titular witch Mika, a younger lass of indeterminate age and seemingly infinite cuteness. The superbly animated opening sequence units the scene: armed along with her broom and a hat, we discover her heading to the highest of a mountain the place a outdated witch lives and can supposedly educate Mika the secrets and techniques of magic. However as a substitute of imparting knowledge, the outdated bat explains that there’s an vital custom to handle first, designed to show witches a lesson. And with that, she yeets Mika off the mountain.
Tossed from the mountaintop, little Mika finds herself in an idyllic village and the proprietor of a damaged broom in determined want of restore earlier than she will hope to make her method again up the mountain to her potential mentor. Fortunately, she has landed in a city stuffed with kind-hearted individuals, and the primary girl she meets agrees ton assist mend her broom. She’s going to want just a few cash to fund the repairs, although, and meaning getting a job with the native courier firm, delivering parcels to the numerous and vibrant inhabitants. Earlier than lengthy, Mika finds herself caught up in all of the tales of the individuals round her: the loving bond between a grandfather and his grandson; an artist struggling to seek out inspiration; a loner who hides herself away; a scientist who thinks her ardour bores everybody else, and so many extra. And he or she learns extra in regards to the individuals and is welcomed into the neighborhood, Mika begins to get pleasure from her new job.
Thus the core of the sport’s loop is fashioned: seize parcels from both the depot or instantly from the individuals themselves and ship them. Some can’t be obtained moist, some can’t be broken and some might need to be delivered at a speedy tempo, comparable to some tasty ice-cream. Because the story progresses the deliveries turn into trickier, requiring you to go to new areas of the small island or attain locations that may solely be accessed by utilizing historical floating followers or by discovering helpful funnels of wind. It’s by no means significantly difficult stuff, thoughts you. The toughest it ever will get is perhaps determining the place get some top from to make it out to a ship, or needing to spend a little bit of time exploring to discover a path. The easy nature of the gameplay is a part of the allure, although, letting you sink into the cosy heat of cruising round, having fun with the surroundings and discovering just a few collectibles alongside the way in which.
Mika’s huge benefit in bundle supply is her magical broomstick which lets right here cruise alongside the bottom and soar via the sky. Nicely, kinda. She could also be a witch however Mika isn’t able to flying. As an alternative, her broom floats just a few toes above the bottom and might carry out a bit of hop for added top. However ought to she fly off one thing tall the broom is able to gliding for a substantial distance, and its flight is aided by numerous enhance rings, winds and extra. Chances are you’ll not have the ability to fly totally, however you may get near it. The controls are easy and straightforward to understand, and whereas Mika’s broom isn’t essentially the most exact device on the earth you’ll be able to often pull off pin-point landings or breeze via gaps with ease. After all, it helps that Mika can fall from nice heights and be completely high-quality, too.
The writing does drop the ball a bit of within the type of two individuals who reside on the island, each of whom serve in a extra antagonistic function. There’s no enemy or villain to combat on this relaxed supply sport as such, however these two are supposed to be some delicate opposition to the in any other case pleasant vibes of the sport. Sadly, they simply type of vanish at a sure level within the story, leaving their narrative thread dangling within the breeze. It’s not a large downside however I’d have appreciated extra closure, particularly for the reason that story would appear to naturally push Mika right into a state of affairs the place she competes with one in all these individuals instantly. That by no means occurs, although.
The problems apart, the writing does a good job of portray its characters as charming, easy individuals whose lives are improved by Mika, simply as Mika finds her life bettered by their presence. It does a superb job of capturing that traditional animated feel-good issue. Sure, it’s honest to say that the writing and characters lack any substantial depth or nuance, however given what the sport is aiming for that’s completely okay.
I used to be additionally stunned that Mika’s witchiness didn’t come into play extra. Other than her broomstick and a sharp hat, Mika is just a bit lady. It might have been enjoyable to deliver some extra magical parts into the gameplay for Mika to make use of, however alas she has all of the magical potential of a Muggle. However then once more, I assume that’s why she wanted to go to highschool.
As satisfyingly easy because the gameplay loop is, I’m glad Mika and the Witch’s Mountain doesn’t overstay its welcome. You’ll in all probability wrap up the sport in 3 or4 hours. You may tack on just a few extra for side-quests, and if you wish to chase the Platinum Trophy like I did you’re in all probability beneath 10 hours. The purpose is, the gameplay couldn’t actually help something longer, so I’m glad the journey ends when it does. That stated, if really feel that good worth equals what number of hours a sport lasts, Mika and the Witch’s Mountain may not be for you. And it does really feel as if there was room to broaden on the gameplay a tad extra, offering room to broaden on the characters and perhaps also have a few extra of these attractive cutscenes.
In Conclusion…
Mika and the Witch’s Mountain did hit me on the proper time as I’m going via a part of studying loads of cosy fantasy books, so the low stakes and heat of the sport remind me loads of that style.
Mika and the Witch’s Mountain is a heart-warming sport, a heat hug remodeled right into a supply sport packaged up in a cutesy wrapper. It’s the type of sport I can see interesting to a really particular crowd, the sort who’re simply searching for one thing cosy and cute, simple and enjoyable.
