The Legend Of Gwen | Switch

Speedrunning, precision platforming, and collect-a-thon goals are what you'll find in WIWI Games', "The Legend Of Gwen". This 3D witch versus evil adventure comes with minimal plot, and to the point gameplay with gated features locked behind an in-game paywall. Not a paywall in the real money sense, but a paywall wherein stars and crystals collected will open up new areas in the game's base hub. 

In total you'll find 7 uniquely themed moons with point marked stages, and boss battles. Each stage is a themed and timed event where speed running your way through to beat that timer will bank you some bragging rights if not rewards. While in each stage lives are limited, and items that must be collected specific in number. You'll find crystals, stars, and chests that when collected in full will grant you a 100% completion. Allowing you to not only move on to the next stage, but also to spend the items on base unlocks. Things like spells, and bonus mini-games that have their own rewards for effort rendered.

As Gwen, the resident witch with a case of amnesia, you have on hand a wand with which to cast spells, and a jump/double jump for the platforming that is to be done. Spells are used to trigger switches to unlock pathways and chests as well as deal with enemy threats. Be it lesser enemies or the bosses you'll meet after all stages are cleared on a given moon. 

Platforming itself is achieved, and mastered by changing the view angle on the fly to better adjust for jumping, flying, and other means of transport across the floating collection of platforms, blocks, and pillars. You can do this by pressing the top trigger buttons on the Switch controllers. Jumping is also an important part of gameplay wherein timing, and landing are crucial for avoiding certain death at the impact of an enemy or the pitfalls down below. You can also double jump, and later on fly using a broomstick. Last but not least is the magic wand, and spells. These spells help with enemy problems, and platforming puzzle elements. It can be used to trigger switches, and incapacitate or control enemies/objects should they be blocking your way on the way to the finish platform. 

The Presentation ...

Visually, "The Legend of Gwen" is going for a chibi-style of anime inspired art and character design. Leaving the base map, and unlocked regions there to resemble a 'Super Mario Bros. 3' type of stage layout. With number pads representing stages within a moon's location, and the boss fight marked as an evil face. The moons, and stages are each themed according to the moon's name as are the inhabitants. Initially 6 of the 7 moons are unlocked by default leaving the last moon to be the mystery, and endgame location. In the way movement Gwen plays like a floaty character creating an artificial difficulty or handicap making the already challenging stages to be that much more difficult to complete, especially within the allotted speed run time. There's also what seems to be framerate issues creating a sort of visual, and input lag. This in itself makes for a problematic playthrough, overall.

The Verdict ...

The Legend Of Gwen, is definitely inspired by the later 3D 'Mario Bros.' games. Though the stages are smaller in scale, and the collect-a-thon goals a bit different you can tell it's main gimmicks were borrowed, even if slightly so. Delivery of these mechanics, and features kind of fall flat though. The game has major mobility issues further worsened by framerate and input delay. Deaths feel cheap as a result, and avoiding any pitfalls while trying to race against the clock is a near impossibility, because of this. For a game of this caliber to succeed in needs to play as fluidly as a game like "Super Mario Bros. 3D World", but sadly it does not. I do get what they were going for, but I feel this indie has missed it's mark.