It’s been said that good things come in small packages, and WitchSpring3 Re:Fine is about the best JRPG equivalent of that saying that you’re going to find. Eirudy’s adventure around Derkarr is a full JRPG experience boiled down to a breezy 10 – 20 hours, depending upon how you play and what kinds of things you’d like to do. If you’re itching for adventure but don’t have much time, or just have an appreciation for cutesy, easily digestible JRPG action, WitchSpring3 Re:Fine is probably worth your while.
WitchSpring3 Re: Fine successfully enters the Nintendo machine. First, thanks to the visual and sound improvements made, which make the title a console game in its own right. Then thanks to the design of this opus, initially made for mobiles, which lends itself very well to the Switch. It allows you to get started both in short sessions and in parts of a longer duration, which is particularly suitable for those who take advantage of the nomadic aspect of the console to play as soon as they have a small niche. That said, the fault register is an optimization that lacks finishing, slowdowns and jerks follow us throughout the adventure. Nothing terribly off-putting though, WitchSpring3 is nonetheless a fun title to run through, with a combat system of unexpected depth and a story that holds up. Remains a fairly repetitive aspect which, if it can satisfy the followers of leveling up and crafting of objects, can put off the others.
The presentation has been juiced up a bit here, but there are also some technical issues that weren’t in the mobile version. It’s not a bad game, mind you. It’s completely average. But I can’t imagine any world where buying this would serve you better than grabbing any of the dozen or so Atelier games that offer a much better experience.
Ultimately, WitchSpring3 Re:Fine is a perfectly average title with its highs and lows. It’s not my kind of game, but I’m certainly glad that fans of this Korean franchise will be getting a chance to have it on a major platform. Bogged down by the shadow of its mobile game past, WitchSpring3 Re:Fine will probably appeal, primarily, to fans of the franchise. Newcomers might find this entry hit or miss: it just depends on if Eirudy and her story grab your attention. I will say that the Magic Circle system—this is used to power up your magic—was a bit confusing. That might be due to the overwhelming amount of info stuffed into each textbox, which unfortunately suffers from the small font size.
WitchSpring3 [Re:Fine] fails to stand out in any way, which is sad because from afar it carries a large degree of charm in its minimalist design and soft character illustration. The combat is mindless yet provides the most fun you’ll have in the adventure given that the unrefined dialogue and overtly simple gameplay mechanics are always looming over.
Despite being widely empty of content outside the main storyline, WitchSpring3 [Re:Fine] costs 39.99 USD on the Nintendo Store at time of writing. With gameplay more in line with mobile-app game expectations, those who enjoy in-depth JRPG titles may be frustrated with the lack of exploration, storyline, and graphic quality. However, for those wanting a simple experience that is easy to set down, WitchSpring3 [Re:Fine] might be a good fit. With a drop in price and a patch to improve translations and add content that takes advantage of the Nintendo Switch’s capabilities, WitchSpring3 [Re:Fine] would be a more enjoyable experience for those interested in trying it out.
