Developed by Leafy Games, WYRMHALL: Brush and Banter is a delightful surprise in the world of cozy games. This interesting title has you playing as a goblin working a part-time job at a magical artifact cleaning kiosk.
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Over the course of seven in-game days (technically 8 for a short endgame scene), you’ll scrub, polish, and de-bug your way through an array of enchanted items, all while navigating the magical world of WYRMHALL.
The Good:
Art Style:
This game’s 3D rendered visuals are quite pleasing to the eye, characters are designed with a unique blend of both strangeness and cuteness, featuring humanoid versions of monsters such as spiders, cats, and bats. This charming art direction adds a layer of visual humour to the already comedic gameplay and emphasizes the cozy nature of the game.
Music:
The soundtrack is a standout feature, evoking the lively atmosphere of a bustling tavern. The upbeat tunes keep the energy high as you tackle your cleaning tasks, perfectly complementing the game’s lighthearted tone.
Comedy:
WYRMHALL: Brush and Banter is packed with absurd situations and witty dialogue. From cleaning soap bubbles to polishing a literal clump of dirt, the tasks you’re given often veer into the hilariously ridiculous.
The varied reactions based on your cleaning performance added another layer of humour, keeping the gameplay fresh and entertaining. Even something as simple as a customer essentially scamming you and just watching them slowly shift away when you ask for payment or a humanoid spider informing you ahead of time that if you touch the claws of their artifact that you would die (and naturally being curious enough at that point in the game to try it anyway) was effective in its delivery.
Satisfying Cleaning
The core gameplay mechanic is surprisingly addictive. Armed with a bag for bugs, a cloth for mysterious swirls, and a brush for dirt, I found myself oddly engrossed in the cleaning process. The simplicity of clicking on spots with the right tool, coupled with the satisfying sparkle effect upon completion, in my opinion made for an unexpectedly enjoyable experience. Although when one of the customers in particular kept taking my cleaning tools when I was just trying to clean got me just a little bit frustrated.
Replayability
With multiple endings and various outcomes based on your performance, WYRMHALL offers significant replay value. The game kept me on my toes with unexpected twists, like potentially being taken to court by a wizard for mishandling his staff, or an artifact that continuously shrank the more it was moved. This game is advertised as being able to be completed within a single session (more of less 2 hours) and these branching paths and consequences encourage multiple playthroughs to uncover all the game’s secrets.
The Bad
Basic Responses
There is a lot to love about this game. And whilst the flaws are minor overall there is one particular issue that I felt was worth mentioning within this review. The game’s dialogue responses more often than not fall flat, relying heavily on internet shorthand using words like “lol” or “K” or even “Nice 2 Meet u”. While this appears to be an attempt at modern humour, it feels out of place and undermines the otherwise well-crafted comedy. A more thoughtful approach to dialogue responses could have elevated the game’s writing to match its other strong elements.
There are several instances in the game where the response is intentionally vague to sort of get you to say something about your character that is bizarre yet funny. However, these dialogue options in my opinion didn’t make up for the vast majority of the aforementioned flat responses.
Conclusion
Overall, WYRMHALL: Brush and Banter is a charming and engaging title that turns the mundane task of cleaning into a blast. While it generally maintains a cozy atmosphere, the occasional high-pressure tasks add a nice balance of challenge.
Despite the minor dialogue issues, the game’s unique premise, delightful art style, and satisfying gameplay mechanics make it a standout in the cozy game genre. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing experience or a good laugh. I believe this is one of the best cozy games that I have played.
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