Magical Delicacy Review | PC

Even though Metroidvania games are a dime a dozen in the indie market, there are plenty from up-and-coming studios that will eventually become household names, so be on the lookout for hidden treasures. Even as I do my best to seek out new titles on my own, sometimes it is an abstract that captures my gaze. Imagine for a second a world where each replay of a game was distinct—or, more specifically, Metroid—was an atelier.
 

 

That is how I met Skaule's creation, Magical Delicacy, the latest game from publisher Whitethorn Games. I enjoyed Botany Manor which was also published by Whitethorn Games. Magic Delicacy, on the other hand, is Skaule's first attempt at making a video game. This is surprising since, when considered as a whole, this game is well put together, and I could not resist getting into Magical Delicacy right away.

Grat, a city perched on a cliff, is the destination of the witchlet Flora, whose upbringing was marked by a complete lack of knowledge about witches. A diverse group of people and beast folk of various kinds dwell in the town as she prepares to open her business and establish herself.

There are essentially two halves to Magical Delicacy. What unfolds when Flora is at work, as well as while she is out and about meeting new characters and collecting ingredients? As Flora must platform her way throughout town, aided by a map you get early on, greeting the locals and delivering their orders to advance, Magical Delicacy is fundamentally a Metroidvania in the strictest meaning of the term. More mobility options become available as you go through the game's narrative, giving you a lot more leeway to explore its vast environment.

The town is abuzz with harvesting locations that, every few days, produce certain plants. On the other hand, numerous food supplies are to be purchased in stores. You can get regular restocking, product recipes, and cooking enhancements at each of these stores run by colorful personalities that seem to have an existing dynamic with Flora. In this manner, you may constantly increase your craftable menu.

Magical Delicacy's focus shifts to the culinary and economic elements after you have gathered all of the necessary ingredients. You will need to utilize different cooking equipment to prepare food for the locals or to sell at your walk-up window, which you may unlock eventually, to earn additional revenue. Your creations are rated based on the final taste, the uncommon nature of the ingredients, and the intricacy of the cooking procedure, much like the Atelier series.
 

 

Most of the stations serve multiple purposes, and each one is different. Not only can you bake in an oven, but you can also roast particular items to include in other meals. For your benefit, there is a little icon tooltip for each component that explains how to prepare everything.

The ingredient management method may be a little bit of a pain when you have to physically retrieve goods from storage to utilize them. Preparing ingredients by hand is also not possible. I see this as an intentional decision to make the player feel more invested in each phase of the cooking process rather than just trying to optimize productivity. Playing Magical Delicacy is definitely entertaining. The loop is more effective than I anticipated.

Beautiful visuals are another standout feature of the Magical Delicacy world. Since much of the action occurs outside and the world's day-night cycles generate broad sensations, Magical Delicacy's heavily detailed pixel graphics style quickly sets it apart from most other games in its genre. Night-time in Grat brings the witchy atmosphere the game nurtures to existence, along with various platforming parts and recipes that are only accessible at night, but during the day it seems like a nice seaside town full of cheerful residents. 

Even though the Magical Delicacy's storyline moves at a snail's pace, I get the impression that the developers wanted Flora and the player to venture into the community and make connections with the locals so that the plot could take center stage later on. In Grat, you could get a varied response to the topic of whether or not witches are present depending on who you inquire, albeit there is also a girl with a mysterious history who wanders about Flora's store.

Although Flora's survival in this town and the town's inhabitants are uncertain, the region's secrets seem to have very modest risks. There is zero fighting, and if you fail a platforming stage, you will often be immediately sent to your previous position. I did not encounter any major obstacles throughout the whole game. There are certain alternative parkours that are more difficult, but they will reward you after you have completed them.
 

 

It is worthwhile to explore Grat both during the day and at night since a few things are different. Even if the double leap enhancement is not very original for the genre, I liked how the witch-themed twists on the usual exploring abilities helped set the game apart

If you are stuck and cannot locate any other way to proceed, you may usually come across a huge boss battle someplace, as is typical with most Metroidvania games. The absence of this feature in Magical Delicacy forces the player to navigate more complex gameplay mechanisms to advance. Even more frustrating is the fact that there is no obvious way to complete the quests with the vast quantities of ingredients that accumulate in your inventory and storage facilities.

On top of that, there were early instances when I was completely confused regarding what to attempt next, leading me to complete many laps of the available map in the vain hope that I had missed something someplace. In my humble view, an emergency hint system is the very least that Magical Delicacy must accomplish to become a deserved classic.

The intricate ingredient structure would not feel so overwhelming if, in a moment of dismay, I could seek advice from certain NPCs or utilize a possession that would direct me to the correct location. The fact that it is missing, considering all the other options, renders it to appear bizarre.

But the game is considerably more expansive than you may imagine. As you grow in skills and knowledge, more avenues become available to you. Playing through the game for the first time took me several hours, granted that I do get distracted, so there is plenty of time to kill. Except for a few culinary stations, there is no time limitation of any kind, so you are free to spend as much time as you like.
 

 

In the end, considering as an indie video game, Magical Delicacy stands out as a unique gem. Its gorgeous visuals and Ghibli-esque characters make you want to take each new acquaintance out for a special dinner that they have been longing for. There are a few little things like the movement and platforming seem a bit sluggish which can be fixed in an update. But the majority of my criticisms are minor issues that speak something about the game's overall quality. The game more than delivered its Magical moniker. Anyone seeking an enjoyable, relaxing Metroidvania experience has my recommendation!
 

Jennifer
Editor, NoobFeed