Witchbrook's gameplay finally showed off the magical Stardew Valley-like life sim that's been 8 years in the making, and it was worth the wait

As soon as a pixelated scene of a green-haired girl riding a broom came into focus during the Nintendo Direct March 2025 showcase, I audibly gasped. I instantly recognized the style of the "spellingbinding adventure" on screen, and shouted "Witchbrook" before the title even entered the picture.

As a longtime fan of games like Stardew Valley and the life sim genre in general, I've been following Chucklefish's upcoming magic school RPG for years, and I could hardly believe I was finally seeing it in action. Originally teased all the way back in 2016, Witchbrook was first officially announced the following year, and has been in development ever since.

The last major update on the project came in 2019, but we've not seen so much as a wand or pointy hat from Chucklefish over the last five years. I've never stopped hoping for it to make a big comeback, though, and the latest Nintendo Direct at last answered my prayers. With our first proper glimpse at some Witchbrook gameplay, it looks every bit like it's going to be well worth the wait. From snippets of magic lessons, to shots of witches socializing, and even sharing a cup of coffee at a cafe, everything I've seen and read about what awaits us in the setting of Mossport has reignited my excitement all over again. In fact, I'd go as far as to say there's never been a new life sim that's called my name quite so ardently.

Hocus pocus

Witchbrook is far from the first witchy life sim that's cast a spell over me. Wylde Flowers from developer Studio Drydock is one of the best farming games around thanks to the way it delivers a magical, story-driven twist on the classic farming life sim formula. But Chuckelish's new adventure looks like an idyllic blend of spellbinding academia meets Stardew Valley, and there's so much it promises to do that speaks directly to my tastes as an avid player of the genre.

For starters, who hasn't fantasized about attending magic school and becoming a member of a witch coven? That's right, we'll get to enroll in Witchbrook college, where there are different lessons to attend. As much as I didn't enjoy school in real life, I've always loved recreating the experience in life sims and RPGs. From dividing up my day with classes to develop my skills in the same vein as Persona and Rockstar's Bully, to capturing the minutiae of the awkward teen years in The Sims 4's Highschool expansion, I can't wait to get stuck into some magical academic pursuits in Mossport. We'll be able to learn the ropes of potion brewing, performing rituals, and even divining from the stars as we set out to master the arts of Witchhood.

Better still, it all takes place in a delightfully cozy-looking seaside city, which is home to a variety of businesses to visit, areas to discover, and most importantly, residents to get to know and bond with. Not unlike Stardew Valley, all of the characters you meet run on their own schedule, from your teachers to your coven and everyone in between. You might, say, meet someone down the pub, or get to know a local shop owner. With friendships to form, you can even develop romantic relationships with residents – if you so wish. Romance is an immediate draw for me. With the chance to go on dates (including cute little picnics), I adore when life sims give me the option to bond with the people I meet in this way. I can't wait to see who I might fall in love with.

If that wasn't enough, we can also customize our experience in a variety of ways, from tailoring our own clothes, hair, and accessories, to decorating our very own cottage. If you really want to sell me on anything, offering up a cottage that I can make my own will absolutely do it. As a life sim, you can also expect to tuck into a variety of activities, from shopping at boutiques, playing at arcades, dining at the local eateries, and growing your own garden. You can even start up your own business to sell any resources you acquire outside of your studies. As an experience that's designed to be equal parts engaging and relaxing, Mossport is said to be "full of ways to unwind and express yourself". Sign me up, right now.

If you're anything like me, you should get excited, too. Witchbrook sounds like it's going to deliver just the kind of magical RPG I've been waiting for, with plenty of life sim ingredients in its cauldron that speak to me. I can't wait to discover what it brews up, and with a winter launch window, it's flying right to the top of my wishlist of new games for 2025. I'm so ready to get on my broom and soar into Mossport.

Look ahead to more exciting releases on the way with our roundup of upcoming Switch games, upcoming Xbox Series X games, and upcoming PC games.