Witchroid Vania: A Magical Girl’s Fantastical Adventures

If you're looking for a Metroidvania with a super in depth story, this game is not it. If you just want to explore and defeat enemies, this game definitely does the job. Most of the spells are fun to use but most of the time you'll be using fireballs and Lightning attacks. I definitely appreciate that most enemies don't cause contact damage, however Lily's invincible frames are almost none existent so if you get caught in a powerful multi hit attack, you're likely done. Thankfully progression is pretty forgiving. I seemed to have kept my current progress after my last save despite getting defeated. There are costumes to collect that change Lily's appearance, but unfortunately these are only gained towards 3/4ths towards the end of the game. Would have been nice to get some sooner. Most puzzles are manageable, but some mandatory puzzles, can be time consuming so looking at a guide in the discussions will help you out! Overall a decent game.

A really cute and Surprisingly Large Metroidvania.
I had a lot of fun, exploring the map, leveling up spells and finding new ones.
Its very simple but it was made with Love.
I recently played another metroidvania that looked more polished than this one, but I can definitely say
I had more fun, and more time spent playing this game than the other one.

A fun game that took me about 10 hours to 100% complete. It is very rare to find games with so much love and soul poured into it. The developer is very active in the game's Steam Community Hub.

Witchroid Vania: A Magical Girl’s Fantastical Adventures, developed by Turkey Games and published by Waku Waku Games, is a side-scrolling action Metroidvania that blends magical girl charm with nonlinear exploration and elemental combat. At its core, it is a journey of growth—both mechanical and narrative—following a young witch named Lily as she ventures across an interconnected fantasy world to prove herself and master her arcane potential. While clearly inspired by genre classics, the game establishes its own identity through its spell-driven progression system and colorful, character-focused worldbuilding.
From the outset, the game emphasizes freedom. Rather than forcing a strict sequence of stages, it presents a wide map composed of forests, deserts, subterranean caverns, volcanic peaks, and mystical kingdoms that gradually open as Lily learns new magical abilities. Exploration is the primary driver of engagement. Paths often loop back into earlier regions once new traversal spells are unlocked, rewarding attentive players who remember unreachable ledges or sealed doors. The structure encourages curiosity over linear momentum; advancement feels earned through discovery rather than dictated by quest markers.
Combat revolves around four elemental schools of magic—fire, ice, wind, and lightning—each with distinct properties and situational advantages. Early encounters are simple, but as enemy variety expands, understanding elemental weaknesses becomes essential. Some foes are resistant to fire but vulnerable to lightning; others require careful positioning and spell timing to avoid devastating counterattacks. Spell switching is fluid, allowing players to adapt mid-fight rather than committing to a single build. Beyond offensive magic, Lily acquires support spells that enhance mobility, survivability, and environmental interaction, weaving combat and exploration tightly together.
Boss encounters serve as highlights of the experience. These larger-than-life adversaries test mastery of both movement and elemental mechanics. Patterns must be learned, safe zones identified, and spell loadouts adjusted strategically. While not brutally punishing, the fights demand attention and reward preparation. The sense of progression is tangible—returning to earlier regions with upgraded spells and higher stats reinforces Lily’s growth from novice to formidable mage.
Character progression includes light RPG elements. Defeating enemies grants experience, improving Lily’s overall attributes, while repeated use of spells gradually enhances their potency. Equipment and magical artifacts discovered throughout the world further customize playstyle, boosting elemental damage, defense, or utility. The system avoids overwhelming complexity while still offering meaningful choices. Players can favor aggressive elemental builds or balance offense with support capabilities depending on preference.
Visually, the game embraces detailed pixel art that evokes nostalgia without feeling dated. Environments are varied and vibrant, from tranquil village hubs to ominous dragon-infested ridges. Character sprites are expressive, and spell effects add bursts of color and motion during combat. The aesthetic leans into classic 2D action design but with modern polish in animation and layering. Music complements each region with whimsical and adventurous themes, enhancing immersion without overpowering the action.
Narratively, Witchroid Vania maintains a light but earnest tone. Lily’s journey is framed as both personal and heroic, with encounters involving villagers, rival mages, and mythical creatures adding personality to the world. Dialogue is concise yet effective in giving context to quests and conflicts. While the story does not delve into heavy dramatic territory, it provides enough motivation to tie exploration and combat into a cohesive adventure.
The game is not without minor shortcomings. Certain areas can feel obscure in terms of progression direction, occasionally leading to backtracking without clear guidance. Platforming segments sometimes demand precise timing, and while generally fair, they may feel less refined than combat systems. However, these moments rarely overshadow the broader experience. The overall pacing remains engaging, especially for players who enjoy methodical exploration.
Ultimately, Witchroid Vania: A Magical Girl’s Fantastical Adventures succeeds by combining familiar Metroidvania foundations with a strong magical identity. Its elemental combat system, modular spell progression, and open-ended exploration create a satisfying loop of discovery and empowerment. The charm of its world, paired with accessible yet layered mechanics, makes it appealing to both genre newcomers and veterans seeking a colorful, magic-infused adventure. It may not revolutionize the genre, but it confidently delivers a cohesive and enchanting experience that rewards curiosity and experimentation.
Rating: 7/10

Fun game but there are parts of it that were extremely frustrating to me because there are no indicators for the main or side quests. I think you will like this game if you enjoy exploring and finding hidden stuff; there's a lot of platforming and backtracking. I really liked using magic in this game and summon pixie was my goat. I think the dev is cool 'cause he was helping players out in the discussions page. The flying shrimp was goofy but I enjoyed it. Shoutout to DeltaShinyZeta because I couldn't have finished this game without his walkthroughs. One last thing... the exploding wall that you have to hit with a barrel in the Labyrinth of Trials was absolutely unnecessary.

Pretty great little game, wish it had some replayability. The inspiration from Astlibra is there alright. Even though it doesn't have that much dialog or story, it delivers in terms of exploration and gameplay.

For what I expected to be a decent palette cleanser, Witchroid Vania was surprisingly good. There's a strong variety of magic spells of elemental types (with enemy weaknesses), along with a few support summons, situational debuffs, and self-enhancements. Each individual spell has its own level that you're pretty much going to be casting and swapping around all the time.
Lily-chan adventures to become the greatest witch in the world. That's it, that's literally the whole plot.
Oftentimes it really feels like a Dungeon RPG crawler, with its exploration having a number of secrets here and there with its regions and dungeons being fairly large. Wander around, observe the environment for hidden things, break open chests for loot, permanent stat bonuses, and potentially equipment, and level up both Lily and her spells to get stronger.
Surprisingly there aren't any actual movement abilities at all, no double jump or whatever. All the progression is gated by magical spells or tools.
It does feel somewhat amateurish and the English script has some noticeable typos but it does not erase the shine of the adventure.