With thanks to the folks at Chibig Games I’ve been taking a look into Mika and the Witch’s Mountain. This cosy-vibes-only adventure has hit early access recently, and I’ve been looking over it on PC and Nintendo Switch.
My Early Access Review video and written review for Mika and the Witch’s Mountain is just below. As ever, if you’d like to know more, get in touch on your favourite social media platform, and I’ll answer any comments as soon as possible.
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The Basics – What is Mika and the Witch’s Mountain About?
In this early access title players will take on the role of Mika, an aspiring witch looking to join a prestigious magic school. After a rather abrupt witch’s test and a broken broom, you’ll head to the local town, looking to earn some cash and repair your broom to once again get to the top of the mountain.
To do so, Mika will capture the hearts and minds of the local population as their latest delivery service. You’ll meet a host of villagers, and help them to get packages, letters and other items to their friends dotted around the little island.
Packages will have some failure criteria, for damage, water and time, which you’ll need to work around in order to get the important green smiley face, and get paid. You’ll also have little side-quest deliveries which can help you get a little more involved with the locals and learn more about the island.
Importantly, the team have worked to make this a cosy adventure, and if things do go disastrously wrong with a delivery, Mika can just pick up and try again. As you progress, you’ll get new brooms with new capabilities, unlocking a couple of new island areas, and making your progress up the witch’s mountain.
Is Mika and the Witch’s Mountain Safe for Children?
Mike and the Witch’s mountain is rated by PEGI at three and above and by the ESRB at E for Everyone. While this is an early access title currently, and change can happen, I’d be very surprised if anything of concern did come up between now and full release. As a cosy adventure, there’s nothing in the game which gives me any hesitation in letting our micro-bandits have a go currently, and simple mechanics and zero danger make it one they can fly around on as they choose. If you’re looking at buying it for your own young ones, Mika is a great game to get them started on.
The Run Down – My Early Access Look at Mika and the Witch’s Mountain
As ever for an early access review I’ll not be giving any final ratings as things here are a work in progress. The gameplay currently is well put together, but relatively simplistic. I was hoping for a bit more in terms of flight capabilities, but even with the best broom in the game Mika can still only really glide, rather than fly. There are more updates planned so I do hope that this is something that they look at. The title is, at it’s core, a short series of fetch quests which can get repetitive but this does help it lean into the cosy vibe it’s aiming for.
Visuals are pretty good currently, and while there are sometimes a few sharp edges I’ve not found anything which I’d say needs much work. Performance on nintendo Switch is also good, with a bold look and smooth play and camera movement.
I do enjoy the various soundtracks within Mika’s journey, but as you move from area to area the sudden switch can be jarring at the moment. I understand why they’ve not gone for full voice acting in dialogue for a title of this nature, but the exclamation sounds can be a little much as well.
Narrative is a bit of a double edged sword for Mika here, and while I found myself genuinely caring about her journey and the residents of the island, the short nature of the story means that the overarching narrative progresses a little too fast, and is resolved pretty quickly. For replay, there is more to do alongside the main story which is great, as it gives players a little drive to explore the island, grab collectable items, and make your own personal deliveries to get a little more side-story from villagers.
Overall, I’m waiting for full release and the next updates before giving scores here. Mika doesn’t quite scratch my Kiki’s Delivery Service itch right now, but it does have some great potential and I am looking forward to seeing what comes from the next updates. Right now, if you’re looking for a lightweight, cosy delivery adventure, or are thinking about it for your little ones, there are some nice deliveries, and some nice new friends to make here on the island as long as you’re not expecting anything too deep.
As ever to provide my early access review for Mika and the Witch’s Mountain I received free copies of the game from the folks at Chibig.
