Whispering Willows - Maxi-Geek 60 Second Review

I began Whispering Willows with no prior knowledge of the story line or how is was going to look, but once I started a new game it was clear that the style was that of an animated novel. When you’re introduced to the character of Elena there wasn’t much in the way of a tutorial, you’re just set on your way the amulet heirloom in search of your father.

The amulet gives you the ability to cast your spirit outside of your body to assist you in solving puzzles that come your way. At certain points you stumble across other spirits that provide you insights and challenges. I found that these spirits were really detailed and gave the game the spooky edge.

As I travelled through the game it was apparent that the key tool you need is your knowledge. As you start out in the game you’re in the Catacombs which is a twisting and turning maze of different areas. The key is to find different pieces of information that will help you set the souls of the trapped free.

I really enjoyed the stories and illustrations of the ghouls you stumble across and gather information from. The detail in each one was really great, it really tied back to the small amount of horror in the game, in fact most of the horror elements are accentuated by your own imagination rather than the art style.

While the story and plot of the game easily fall to the side, the biggest disappointment is the games final ending. The happy ending that you are given seems forced, thanks in part to the flashbacks that you get from possessing items. Because of all this, the ending feels hollow, which after the experience of the game, is a big letdown.

Overall I found Whispering Willows to be fun and really test your memory. Apart from a few small spelling mistakes, the game is solid, its not great, but its a fun game that will provide an afternoons distraction.