The witching hour is now
When I played the demo of REKA, I quickly fell in love with basically everything about it. From the immediate autumnal energy the visuals exude to the army of crows it sends you out to forage with, it basically featured everything I could want from a game about witches. But, as is the way with game demos, it comes to an end just as you board your chicken-legged hut and set off on your way. I was desperate to get back in to see what happens next, and it simply didn’t disappoint.
In fact, REKA only gets better from where the demo ended my journey. Once I was free from the shackles of the starting area and beyond the zone of where the demo took place, a set of trials unfurled. The first, pleasing a forest spirit who grants permission to fell trees so I could customise my hut. But, this task wasn’t exactly straightforward. I had to trek around the whole forest to complete a series of favours like knocking down structures and feeding crows. It was definitely a more in-depth process than I expected, but after satisfying the spirit I felt a lot more accomplished than if I had to embark on a simple fetch quest.
The same can be said for the rest of the game too. REKA consistently offered challenges and trials that made me feel like I was completing a day’s work by the end of it. But the satisfaction of knowing I had pleased spirits and planted the seed in the townsfolk that not all witches are evil was well worth the effort. Plus, I just wanted an excuse to see how much detail has been poured into the environmental design of the game and this was a perfect opportunity. As a result I’m happy to report that the game doesn’t stray from its enchanting Over the Garden Wall-esque feel and I frequently found myself fawning over clusters of trees and mushrooms.
This detail doesn’t stop there either. Although a lot of REKA is about bettering yourself as a baby witch, I spent a lot more time than I like to admit in my chicken hut. There are no restrictions to how you can build as long as it is atop the chicken legs. So you’re free to add rooms wherever and decorate how you want with whatever hanging herbs or gifts you’ve been given. But, what makes this whole experience even cooler is how you see your structure from every angle once you set off aboard your hut.
But even though customisation of your hut is pretty extensive, character customisation is quite the opposite. Because of this, the appearance of NPCs is also very limited throughout each area of the game, but that doesn’t stop each character you come across having a personality that shines through. Many look down on the world of witchcraft around them, and they’re scared to speak about spirits or the old witch in the woods. However, there are many curious and willing to speak to you about what you’re doing.
I much preferred these interactions, which isn’t surprising really, but I noticed after a while that I took a sense of pride when people were curious and became offended when they didn’t want to talk. This was a clear sign that I’d become maybe slightly too invested in my character and her journey, but when I’m pouring so much energy into completing trials it’s hard not to get attached.
What I loved most about REKA, trials and hut customisation aside, was how willing I felt to stray from the beaten path to just wander around and see what I could find. I’ve already rambled enough about how gorgeous the world design is, but the secrets and hidden gems tucked away that you don’t need to remember for the story make the exploration worth it.
Each time I stumbled across something that looked slightly peculiar, like a face carved into a tree or a patch of grass that vaguely resembled a sigil I wanted to jot it down in case I needed it later. But, for the most part these things are just there for the sake of world building. A lot of the tasks you’re asked to complete won’t be too far from where you’re originally tasked, so I found the general rule of thumb to be that anything you find far off track is just for the sake of your own enchantment.
But that perfectly encapsulates the whole experience of REKA and how it’s been built for your own enchantment. It’s refreshing to play through a game that typically falls into the “cosy” category and not have to worry about seasonal forage, farming, or fishing. Instead, my only concern is making my chicken-legged hut look cool to anyone who we pass by, and hoping that one day I can be the most powerful witch around.
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