Ashina: The Red Witch is a game where you go on an adventure and the story is important. You play as Ash, who is Tena’s sister. Ash follows a strange visitor one night and ends up in the Spirit world. When I say Spirit world, I mean the life that comes after death. It’s a place where dead people and supernatural beings are, not a place for living people to spend time. But before she can leave the land of the dead, she will have an exciting experience that she will remember for a long time. So, what does that mean for the game. Well, in each part of the game, you will be in little or medium-sized towns or places where you can freely look around for things you need to do, items you can collect, and people you can interact with to continue the story. Looking at everything and everyone is important and also acknowledged.
The main story will take you to many places, but it’s worth exploring other areas too. I have discovered well-developed characters and fascinating locations hidden in unexpected places when I explored off the main path. The people at Stranga Games have decided to use a simple and basic style of art called pixel art. You will notice that the characters look simple, but it is still easy to distinguish between them. The information is not used by them, but it leaks out into the Spirit world. You can see details and personal touches everywhere, which make each space feel special and either lived in or not. Understand Spirits are no longer alive. The clever use of lighting, both built into the game characters and applied on top of the game world, creates a pleasant atmosphere. I’m really glad to say that Ashina: The Red Witch has some catchy songs that bring some energy to the world Ash is in. It does what it’s supposed to do and creates the perfect atmosphere.
From the fun and energetic music of the Chikara inner city to the calmer and simpler music of Kozan. There are also many times when the music stops completely because the attention is on something else. Imagine a house that moves like a living creature, or a pot of boiling water with a chef cooking a fish. Apart from these types of elements, you have a well-established and reliable sound design. Easy walking sounds and other small noises that make the text progress. Those work well, but we don’t want to create something completely new. I think Ashina: The Red Witch did a great job with the writing and story. That’s definitely a good thing, since it’s a game focused on storytelling. Even though it’s not big in size, it does an amazing job of capturing your attention right from the beginning.
In the beginning, Ash and her sister Tena have a strong relationship that continues to grow as the story progresses. This story feels like you’re playing a different version of Spirited Away, a movie made by Studio Ghibli. But in this story, the main character is in her twenties and we can see the darker side much sooner. In addition, you also have the opportunity to meet different characters from Japanese folklore such as Yokai and kappa. One of the times I enjoyed the most was when a demon surprisingly gave me some really good life advice while taking a break to smoke a cigarette. The conversation is very exciting, which makes the characters feel very real. Even though many of them have died.
This game is one of those games you will not want to put down , this game is like a darker more creepier version of a village sidescroller. So far this game is very fun and is keeping me entertained, I can’t wait to see how this game ends. This game is has been very entertaining, and I have been putting many hours into this game, I will be streaming this game when I get home from Gamescom. As for now please keep it here for more game info.
