Tales From Toyotoki: Arrival of the Witch (2022)

A successful showcase in showing that there are great stories in unusual games, Tales from Toyotoki: Arrival of the Witch has the ability to resonate emotionally in a way that few games attempt with their target audience.

Tales from Toyotoki: Arrival of the Witch is a refreshing visual novel with nice ideas that serve its story but fail in some key aspects of the genre, but it's still a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre

Tales from Toyotoki: Arrival of the Witch is a beautiful coming-of-age story in its own right, and I’d recommend it to anyone who wants a beautiful visual novel that will leave a lasting impression on the viewer. Unfortunately, so as not to divulge spoilers, I’ve had to leave some parts deliberately vague, but go and check this out. You will not be disappointed.

Tales from Toyotoki: Arrival of the Witch wasn’t entirely what I expected going into it, but I came away satisfied. While it takes a while to hit its stride and has some odd parts here and there that don’t always click, I think it does a good job of handling several of its core themes and delivering emotional payoff. What matters most to me in a story is if there is something that I was able to get attached to and resonate with, and I absolutely found that here. The story is largely well-paced with a cast of characters I grew to care about, and it features several scenes I found to be surprisingly emotionally gripping. It might not be the most original story, but what it lacks in novelty, it largely makes up for how well-executed much of it is once the ball gets rolling. If a small-town story with personal struggle and bits of magic, fantasy, folklore, romance, growing up, and occasional silliness sounds like something you might even at all enjoy, I can definitely recommend this tale.

Tales from Toyotoki: Arrival of the Witch is a visual novel with a very emotional plot. There are several areas for improvement and the English translation is unfortunately one of Aksys Games' worst, but there is a humanity in the characters that still resonates and is worth knowing.