The Legend of Gwen (Nintendo Switch)
The Legend of Gwen is a 3D Platformer from WiwiGameStudio. You play as Gwen, a cute witch trying to get back at the ‘Evil’ that disrupted her welcome party at sorcery school. Each level has a fun design featuring spooky backdrops that really go well with this witch storyline. You have to seek five stars in each level before finding the exit while avoiding the spiders, ghosts, and other creepy monsters trying to stop you.
This game has a Minecraft type of feel in terms of graphics, but the 3D platform reminds me of some games from the N64. While the stage designs are creative, it is a little tough to navigate these roles.
You start the game with witches in the background, giving you instructions on how to jump, double jump, etc. With such busy backgrounds in general, it took me a few tries before relying on these notes. Normally this wouldn’t be an issue, except you also have finite lives, so I was very close to a game over before I got the ins and outs of the controls. All in all, the controls were tough; for a 3D platformer, it relied on you to be very precise. It was reminiscent of some stages from ‘Mario 64’ en route to fight Bowser.
On top of the controls, the game itself is difficult. While I was playing this (and my two-year-old daughter was loving the game’s scenery), I was shocked at how a cute witch was so difficult. It was easy for me to fall off the stage quickly, and some boss battles were extra tough. I wish they took a little more time to make the game easier or at least smoother, especially in the Switch’s handheld mode, where it was difficult to be so precise.
Again, the level design and characters were fun and creative. I like this world and am curious if there will be a sequel; I think Gwen and this world could be a fun story to dig further into, but this game isn’t a complete product. There is a lot of potential for a good game here, but unfortunately, it isn’t quite there yet. I thought Gwen would be a fun, lighthearted platformer with whimsical worlds and fun spells, but it turned out to be one of the more difficult games I have reviewed in a while.
As I said earlier, I do think there is a lot of potential in this world and storyline. A fun and cute platformer with a witch like Gwen definitely has an audience in the gaming space. However, having it also be ridiculously difficult doesn’t match the world and story it tells. I’d love to play a remake of this game that has smoother transitions, easier levels, and better controls. I do think this could be a big-time game if those are addressed. Until then, I can’t really recommend this game.
