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Before I get started with my REKA review, I want to talk about how important it is for modern video games to tap into the history and folklore behind witchcraft, especially now that it’s become so commercialised in the media. This is something that I touched on in my article Best Witchy Games to Play in 2024, and REKA does this brilliantly.

Instead of just leaning into the trendy witchy aesthetic, REKA brings in a bounty of Slavic folklore, making the game feel considerably more authentic and immersive. Plus, it helps players connect with the deeper cultural and historical sides of witchcraft. This makes the experience more meaningful and interesting, going beyond the surface-level stuff we see everywhere today.

Story – Are You a Friend of Nature, or a Foe?

REKA is steeped in folklore, and the influence of Slavic mythology is clear from the start. REKA is inspired by traditional Slavic Witchcraft, which allows you to experience a more spiritual and meaningful way of using magic. Baba Jaga, as your mentor, is a powerful yet perplexing figure. The game does a great job of portraying her with depth and nuance. It’s a refreshing change from the usual portrayals of her as a villain or one-dimensional character.

She’s a bit odd, and very clearly using Reka for her own gain, but there’s also something underneath that that feels very familial. Her dialogue alludes that she and Reka knew each other in other lives, which I’m hoping the story explores alongside the ancient magic she teaches her young apprentice.

The story doesn’t spoon-feed you, either. You’re left to make decisions in REKA that feel genuinely impactful, whether it’s forging alliances with spirits or manipulating the forces of nature for your own gain. The balance between good and evil isn’t black and white, giving the game a nice depth that mirrors the complex, often misunderstood nature of witchcraft.

There’s an air of mystery about the world and its lore. It’s not a story driven by grand, cinematic moments but one shaped by quiet discoveries and intimate choices. This makes it all the more captivating, as you feel like you’re unravelling an ancient tale while writing your own part in it.

Gameplay – I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud

The sense of calm I get from walking through the woods in REKA mirrors the feeling I get in real life when I’m on a peaceful walk, soaking in the scenery, and feeling completely safe. But REKA isn’t all about cosiness — it knows how to keep you on your toes. If you wander into areas you’re not meant to be in yet, thick fog rolls in, Reka reacts nervously, and you’re left with no choice but to turn back.

Magic feels natural in REKA. As you walk, you have the ability to continuously harvest items from the world around you – berries, wood, wheat, mushrooms… You can create potions from foraged ingredients, and interact with spirits and other folkish creatures that appear out of nowhere. It’s everything modern-day witches wish they could do.

The gentle pace might throw off those looking for a more traditional action-packed experience, but REKA isn’t about that. It’s more about soaking in the atmosphere, taking your time to engage with the world around you. There’s no rush, and that’s exactly what makes it so enjoyable.

Crafting

The crafting system allows you to experiment without feeling overwhelmed. For example, cooking is all about trying new combinations to see what works and makes a recipe. You even have to add wood to the back of your oven to keep the fire going!

You start your crafting/cooking adventure by trying out which ingredients in your inventory work together. Select three to create a meal and use your oven inside your cottage to cook it. You can then take that meal and gift it to villagers or sell it to buy items you need. It’s a bit of guesswork to make a new meal, but it’s weirdly rewarding.

Buying and selling items is such an interesting feature of REKA. To sell, take your items to Bogdan, who you meet at the start of the game. The items are “weighed” on a set of scales, and Bogdan offers a price. You can choose to take his offer or not.

Buying items is fun, too, because the system uses Bogdan as a travelling trader. He has a select number of items for sale, which are all on display for you to view. You can purchase furniture for your cottage, ingredients, and other items.

If you’re looking for clothes, wander around the woods. Abandoned carts with boxes often hold textile surprises. Just a little tip that you can take away from my REKA review.

Realistic Customisation

The character design is wonderful. It’s realistic, which is something that a lot of witchcraft games completely side-step. The natural eye colours are perfection – seeing my own eye colour among them (Earthy Moss!) made me so very pleased, especially because all the colours have such beautific nature-based names.

I know from a Reddit post that the devs of REKA are proud of how far their character customisation system has come during the development of REKA. It does offer a good number of options for players to experiment with, though I would like to see more hairstyles. I can appreciate that the game is staying true to its European 19th-century theme, but there could certainly be more diversity in the hair options.

The chicken-legged cottage is my favourite thing in the game next to the innate magic. You can design the entire building, which is perfect for life sim gamers who enjoy the construction part of those games. Everyone’s cottage is going to be unique to them. I built an upper-floor room that covers half of the ground floor’s space, creating an attic for Reka to have as her own room (and I spent far too much time doing it).

A Few Bumps Along the Way

Of course, REKA is still in Early Access, so it’s not without its hiccups. The map has a few navigation bugs, and I did find myself struggling to climb a ladder outside of the village (Reka got stuck in a weird crouch position and I literally had to hop up the ladder to reach the top).

The main issues I have are the map, quests, and the quest log. You end up with several quests running at the same time and the journal isn’t very user-friendly at the moment. I have spent far too much time running around various areas trying to figure out how to complete certain tasks. The map and the journal need some work, but I’m sure the developers are waiting on feedback from REKA Early Access players so they can make some quality-of-life improvements.

Audio and Visuals – Taking Me Back to Skyhold

The audio and visual elements of REKA hit that sweet spot between enchanting and haunting. It was a bit like stepping back into Dragon Age: Inquisition for me. There’s a feeling of calm, but an underlying edge that keeps your pulse raised at times.

While the game’s visual style is more minimalist than other titles out there, it’s still striking in its own right. The colour palette is soft and muted, giving off an ethereal vibe. There’s a sense of magic in every detail, no matter how small. The glow of Reka’s fingers as she lights a candle, the colours-of-the-wind rushes of leaves as she harvests ingredients… I can see dark cosy gamers sinking their teeth into this game easily.

Audio – Powerlifting an Already Beautiful Game

The soundtrack, composed by Sebastian Grunewald, is extremely thematic. I couldn’t resist name-dropping it in my REKA review because Grunewald deserves as much recognition as possible. The power behind each of the tracks used is something to behold and the last game that had an OST that made me feel like this was certainly Dragon Age: Inquisition (hence my mention of Skyhold above). It’s utterly mesmerising.

The music plays its part perfectly. It doesn’t overpower your experience, but it does more than act as a supporting pillar. You’ll find it creeping in just at the right moments – a soft melody when you’re cooking or an eerie hum when you’re in the darker corners of the map.

What impressed me most is how the sound design manages to balance the serene with the unsettling. The game pulls you in with gentle, natural sounds, then surprises you with something a bit more chilling when you least expect it. It’s a delicate dance, but REKA pulls it off beautifully.

Visuals – Magic in the Air

Visually, REKA is a delight. There’s a quiet charm in the game’s design, with every detail feeling like it’s been crafted with care. The world feels soft and alive, as if it’s breathing alongside you. While it might not boast the photorealism of bigger titles, there’s magic in its simplicity. The skies shimmer with a magical haze, and the forests feel otherworldly, yet strangely familiar. If I were to pinpoint a part of this REKA review that made me fall in love with the game, it was certainly the sky.

One thing that stands out is how the game uses light and shadow to enhance its mystical vibe. The world is Autumnal during the day, and significantly darker at night. It makes you feel like you need to wait for the sun to rise again, even though the sky is utterly breathtaking at any time of day. REKA’s art direction leans into the magical realism aesthetic, where the ordinary merges with the fantastical. It’s the sort of game where you can almost feel the magic in the air – not because it’s loud or flashy, but because it’s woven into every scene.

Plus, you can collect Tarot cards to decorate your cottage with. I’m a sucker for any occult tools being included in games, and I adore seeing depictions of Tarot cards in video games. Cultist Simulator also has some incredible Tarot-style art, but I can’t go too much into those in a REKA review.

Verdict

REKA offers a fresh and thoughtful take on the witchy game genre. With its mix of traditional folklore and open-world exploration, the game strikes a wonderful balance between eerie and cosy. You shape your own path as a witch, and each choice feels deeply personal.

What makes REKA different is its emphasis on nature, steering clear of flashy magic battles or action-packed sequences. Instead, it pulls you into moments of quiet reflection, asking you to consider your role in the natural world. The slower, more contemplative pace might not appeal to everyone, but it offers a sense of peace and purpose for those who enjoy uncovering secrets at their own rhythm. Every decision holds significance, as your actions either align with or go against the forces of nature.

For those who enjoy a slow-burn, atmospheric experience that offers a cosy yet eerie feel, REKA is a magical escape worth exploring. The game encourages you to immerse yourself in its quiet moments; delivering a distinctive experience in a genre that is so often filled with combat-heavy alternatives.

Now that you’ve finished this REKA review, I’m sure you’ll want to check out the game on Steam. But, REKA isn’t the only witchy game we’ve covered here at Screen Hype. Black Book has made its way into a couple of posts, and there are a few cosy games on Netflix that have witchy vibes.

Playing REKA? Join the discussion over in our Facebook community or tweet us on Twitter about your favourite features in this atmospheric indie game!