Become a strand of light and save a magic forest in the metaphysical transportation game Witch Strandings

Witch Strandings, the new game from Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator designer and sometime-PC Gamer writer Xalavier Nelson Jr., will arrive on Steam, GOG, and the Epic Games Store on July 7. The launch date, and a new live-action teaser, were revealed during today's Guerrilla Collective online showcase.

In Witch Strandings, you become a strand of light in a top-down world, creating pathways through the darkness, nurturing the creatures of the forest, repairing ancient structures, and ultimately confronting the witch who destroyed it. The teaser doesn't say too much about the game, but fortunately the Steam page is here to tell us more. Witch Strandings "dials into the emerging genre of physical transportation," which, I'll admit, I did not realize was an emerging genre at all. What that works out to in gameplay terms is:

  • Carry supplies across the Forest to nurture transformed creatures.
  • Whether swiping your mouse quickly to move through raging rapids, or inching forward to avoid being swallowed by quicksand, a unique cursor control method makes your journey a physical experience.
  • Haunting open world with distinct biomes and a day-night cycle.
  • Activate ancient structures to strengthen your link to the land of the living.
  • Create your own pathways through a cursed and ruined Forest.
  • Use haunted mushrooms, mystical artifacts, and more to alter the world.
  • Kill any character at any time—permanently.
  • Confront the Witch, and decide the fate of the Forest.
  • You are a spirit of the forest; a strand of light in the darkness. Make the Forest a better place--or strangle it.

"Witch Strandings is a psychic nightmare about being presented with a truly cursed place—and finding the spirit to make it a good one," Nelson said. "Bringing something this weird and compelling to life required a partner who understood our vision, and a truly unique take on what a game trailer could be—and in both cases, [publisher] Modern Wolf delivered."

Witch Strandings is available for wishlisting now on Steam, and as mentioned is coming to GOG and Epic too. Until then, you can find out more about what's happening on Discord.

Andy Chalk

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.