Legacy: Witch Island

Legacy: Witch Island
by Itera Labs - October, 2013

Available at:
Alawar
Big Fish
GameHouse
iWin



An ordinary hot air balloon ride turns extraordinary when you accidentally wind up on a mysterious island. When it is revealed that this mystical land is ruled by an evil witch, you begin to realize that your arrival is not a coincidence, and the loyal people of the island are depending on you to break the witch’s spell. Explore the mysterious forest, rocky mountains, dark caves and high altitude lakes as you make your way through the picturesque sceneries of the land towards the witch’s castle. Can you destroy the witch’s curse and reveal the secrets of the ancient prophecy?

• Breathtaking sceneries and landscapes
  
• Logic-based mini-games and bonus Match-10 play
  
• Unconventional use of HOG scenes
  

Click images to enlarge
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This Year’s Best (& Easiest) Stand Alone SE!      
    

BASED ON DEMO

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
I am totally charmed by the unassuming but delightful game. There are no soaring vistas, no fireworks, no terrifying catastrophic events. It is simple and pleasing, with a stack of fun and easy puzzles and some tricky HOPs.

SIGHTS & SOUNDS
The graphics don’t run to the extravagant, but they are beautiful to look at, and somehow more gentle on the eyes than other, more dramatic visuals. The cut scenes are a mix of still shots and light animation that works well. There is no voiceover, which at first seems a bit of a problem, but after the introductory scenes, there is not a lot of talking to do, so it’s not missed. Music is no symphony either, just relaxing. Very quiet too, I had to turn up my volume to hear it at all.

WHAT’S HAPPENING?
I admit, this is a little confusing, but the bottom line is a not unfamiliar story. You crash your hot air balloon on a magical island, which turns out to be ruled by an evil witch who has enchanted everyone, and coincidentally is the home you never knew. The magic mirror that is the only symbol of your past, will protect you while you find a way to defeat the witch and reverse the curse.

MAKING PROGRESS
More than anything else, this is a puzzle game. There are HOs, but they are very much in the minority. There are a total of 48 puzzles in all, all easy, and some repeated, but I saw only 2 interactive list HO scenes, visited twice, in the hour I played. There are also some multiple-items puzzles, within the main location.

A special treat for an SE, we have achievements, all mostly story-based. But it includes the collection of 31 very easy to find fireflies. Also rare, we can replay the puzzles from the main menu, some of them with extra levels!

There is a journal, no map, but you do have a knife that you get to keep and a racoon who is the (directional) hint button (no cute feeding or anything). But you won’t be needing it very much. The adventure part of the game is very easy indeed, and is the least important part of the game.

FAMOUS LAST WORDS
I know a lot of gamers are going to scream that this game is too easy to any good, but it IS special, just not for those experts who believe nothing’s good for you if it doesn’t hurt!

Certainly, beginners will love this game, but I’m pretty much an expert at these things myself these days, and I love it too. So if you’re not into brain strain, give this game a chance, I think it will surprise you.

I Recommend This Game!

I don't have time (at the moment) to properly read through your review, so I have two questions for you:

What in the world is "Match-10 Play," and did you happen to catch the name of the developer?

Developer = Itera Labs

Match 10 is a game like Collapse!, any two of the same colour can be cleared, you have to get rid of 1000 to finish the puzzle. Why match 10? NO idea!

I demoed and bought this game  (got it with the 2 for 1 today, paired it with  Dark Initiation-The Sisterhood---or is it Dark Sisterhood?    Well,  its Dark     ).     That Match-10 game you mentioned-I did not know it was called that- has an achievement.  Match   enough of the same colors so points add up to 200 or over.
I did get that one.
So....how did Witchy-Poo manage to sucker in the boyfriend,  Peter  (that's his name?).

I agree with your review.   

Thanks so much!  I've edited the dev's name in and added it both to the Games with Bonus Items to Find and Really GOOD Standard Edition-only Games lists.