GENRE
	Action
	DEVELOPER
	Dreamcatcher
	PUBLISHER
	Dreamcatcher
	NUMBER OF PLAYERS
	1
	CONNECTIVITY
	no
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Once in a while, there comes an underdog budget title that no one has really ever heard of, but it leaves an impression on me wherein I can’t help but praise it to no end. While Dreamcatcher’s debut on the GameCube certainly has its share of faults, Spirits and Spells has enough chutzpah to give it a glance over. Another title that was able to do this was Darkened Skye from Simon and Schuster Interactive. These titles have one thing in common and that’s fantastic art direction. While the gameplay in Spirits and Spells is missing a whole lot of depth, everything is very nice to look at. This doesn’t mean that you should run out and buy the game since fantastic art direction doesn’t make a game what it is. It merely makes note that the title has heart, which is hard to find these days in smaller, lesser-known titles.

visuals

If it weren’t for the fantastic art direction, Spirits and Spells would just be yet another platform puzzler. Thankfully, the environments in this game are put together beautifully and you can easily tell that influences such as Burton and Spielberg and maybe even Ernest were put into creating them. The character design is cute and nicely done. Unfortunately, not everything looks great, but given the resources, Dreamcatcher did an excellent job of creating a cute Halloween tale. The details given to the characters aren’t nearly as impressive as the backgrounds. With a bit more production and maybe a bit more cash, Dreamcatcher would definitely be a candidate for breakthrough developer. As it stands, Spirits and Spells has an amazing spirit, but needs a few more spells before it can really stand out visually.

audio

One of the best things about Spirits and Spells is the music which carries heavy influence from Danny Elfman of Beetlejuice and Batman fame. The music really gives a sense of creepiness but doesn’t forget that it’s still holding the cute image. However, while the music is an excellent example of how to increase tension within the environment, nothing else in the audio is as impressive, if at all good. The sound effects sound murky and unpolished, but they get the job done. What little voice acting there is is done by the narrator, who seems to have a bit too much fun with the work given to him. Not that it’s a bad thing, since over-the-top is always fun in this sort of title. More voice-overs done by the characters would have been great, though.

gameplay

There’s a wide array of different play mechanics here including combat, puzzles, and element-oriented powers. The ability to change between Alicia the witch, and Greg the imp, is nifty, but would have been better if it wasn’t limited to the amount of crystals you’ve accumulated. At first, I thought that they would both be on the map at the same time, but they simply transition seamlessly from one to the other. It’s kind of cheap and doesn’t work extremely well for what it’s trying to achieve. However, the element powers are fairly interesting since they help solve puzzles and each character can or can’t do certain things. For example, Alicia can skate on ice whereas Greg cannot. The combat is extremely simple, but does require some reflex and pattern education. The downside of everything is the inability to move the camera. Some may think this is a poor decision, others may think that it works for this type of title, but all around, it’s a little clumsy and is hardly worth the effort of guessing games. Since it’s basically a one-hit kill (unless you have a couple of fairy friends to sacrifice), there are plenty of unfair deaths thanks to the immobile camera. All in all, some of the puzzles can be a lot of fun and going through each level can be a blast, but it can become a frustrating chore in order to reach the finish line and move on to the next area.

multiplayer

N/A

overall

If it weren’t for the beautiful Burton-esque influence of the art direction, Spirits and Spells would just be yet another bargain bin title that isn’t worth even a second glance. However, there’s plenty here for a rental at the very least, especially if you’re into the whole fantasy genre of gaming. Plus, it’s an excellent game to play this Halloween. If you’re done playing through Eternal Darkness and Resident Evil for a couple good scares, check out Spirits and Spells for a few Halloween giggles. You may just end up enjoying yourself. In a guilty sort of way, that is.

6.8/10