A Hybrid of Popular Genres

Ah platformers; a genre intentionally made popular by arcades before the rise of console games. And it continues to flourish due to popular franchises such as Sonic and Mario, serving for some like me as their first entry way to gaming. Although I will admit when I first started playing platformers I never thought someone would combine it with a genre that usually demands layers of detail.

But that’s exactly what Quantum Witch, developed and published by Nikkjay, dares to do. It combines your typical platformer mechanics with visual novel storytelling. Such a combination was so peculiar to me that I couldn’t resist the urge to play.

Where the Chaos Begun

Our story properly begins when Ren wakes up from a dream; only to find her faer/sheep have escaped from the pen. Seems straightforward right? Find the faer and beat the game; easy.  Except as any proper protagonist would she gets a bit sidetracked and trusts the wrong warrior. 

Breaking a blockade and unlocking a magic that dooms her town of Hus. So, a simple fetch quest turns into a save the world adventure. Just be careful what choices you pick in the process. 

For a Candle Can Become a Blaze

It’s not often that I can say that a choose-your-own-adventure game has choices that truly matter. More often than not, it’s just little things that change depending on what you pick. So, color me surprised when my one decision to cause a little trouble ended up causing a winter apocalypse, that you may or may not be able to reverse.

Of course, this means nothing if it happens regardless of if you play it nice or not. So, on my second playthrough I did just that. I was surprised to see that not only did the town stay in spring but my interaction with a certain someone was completely different!

That’s just one of the many choices that can affect gameplay, ensuring different experiences each time you play. Fair warning: it may take a while to unlock each ending. I haven’t even done that yet. But in my opinion, it’s worth every second.

But oh the Cardboard Expressions

Now this is admittedly a little nitpicky, so take it as a grain of salt. It would have been nice if the characters had some variety of facial expressions. Instead, they the same blank expression no matter the circumstance. Of course, I wasn’t expecting vivid expressions as naturally they’re confined the pixel-art style, with just subtle cues of emotion. A tear at the corners of the eyes, a raised eyebrow, eyes being closed can all be used to express emotion without breaking form. It would ensure each character feels more human and hence encouraging the players to care more for them.

The Carefully Done Commentary

I don’t know about you, but I never thought that a platformer visual novel mix would tackle complex themes, such as the complicatedness of religion; and how it can be used both for good or for cruelty and control. This includes depicting some gods as being purely egotistical, viewing their worshippers as mere ants who would be worthless without their guidance.

A lot of media will refuse to touch such a topic with a ten-foot pool, with the sole reason of not wanting to stir that pot. Those that do tend to force any discussion into clear-cut boxes. Quantum Witch not only leaves the religion topic open and neutral but also encourages gamers to actually discuss the differences on hopefully a civil playing field. Such a choice helps prevent it from becoming a toxic community, and hopefully encouraging people to give the game a try.

Silly Little Bugs Dampening the Fun

If to enter is to exit but to exit is to enter, which is the entrance or exit? Such a conundrum truly becomes a problem when you’re in a building with two doors and unsure if there’s something behind either one. Otherwise, it’s a slightly funny bug that happens when Ren approaches the door.

The bug wouldn’t really be remarkable if it’s an Early Access game. But since it’s not it makes the game seem unfinished. However, it shouldn’t really affect your gaming experience. I know I certainly still had fun.

An Impressive Tutorial 

One of the many areas that Quantum Witch shines is its tutorial. It tells the player not only what they need to do but how to do it. It goes so far as to show you where the buttons are on a controller for if you decide to play with one. And the clear instructions make it an optimal experience no matter if you’re playing with a keyboard or controller. Its something I wish I had when I was playing Dishonored a few months back.

Such easy to understand instructions don’t just end when you finish the tutorial. They pop up whenever you learn a new mechanic,no matter where you’re in the game. So, you’re never lost for long. 

Not Just Product Placement

Media is no stranger to sliding in references to other medias, usually doing so it with at least an attempt to be subtle. Quantum Witch does the complete opposite of subtle and even gives an in-game reason for the reference’s existence. I was pleasantly surprised! The characters will even aid you in their own ways. Although if you need their help, you might want to proceed with extreme caution.

Final Thoughts

Quantum Witch is a rather impressive game almost masterfully combining two genres few would think possible. It also tells a story that demands to be replayed more than once.  And its so fun to play that I found myself struggling to think of any true critiques.

So, if you like choose-your-own-adventures, platformers, and a game with more layers than an onion, I encourage you to give Quantum Witch a try.

Now, if you’ll excuse me I have at least one more ending to find.