F777 is a renowned music producer and composer known for creating catchy and energetic electronic music. One of the elements that make his music stand out is his use of the "magic brush." The term "magic brush" refers to F777's unique way of blending various instruments and sounds to create a mesmerizing and captivating sonic experience for his listeners. The "magic brush" can be seen as F777's musical technique or approach to composing his tracks. He effortlessly combines elements of different genres, such as electronic, trance, dubstep, and more, to create a seamless fusion of sounds. The result is a dynamic and vibrant sonic landscape that grabs the listener's attention from the first beat.
Brilliantly, you have the option of either deploying twinstick controls to fire Rayne's magical bullet spells, or just holding down the shoulder buttons on your game pad to fire automatically at the nearest enemy. For the most part, the latter works brilliantly, and often there's so much happening onscreen that moving and shooting manually is simply too much to handle. Individual enemies are fairly easy to take on, but occasionally you'll be locked into an Ambush, which is preceded by a big glowing warning light and some srs bsns kick-ass battle music.
You are Rayne, a kind-hearted magical lady who was almost selected to join the titular Knight Witches when the evil Emperor Erebus was threatening to destroy the planet with his big army of war golems, but it turns out you didn t quite pass the entrance exam to be part of the Knight Witch team proper. The March page on the left really gives off that vibe and the floral page on the right gives off botanical herbal witch for all the green witches out there.
The result is a dynamic and vibrant sonic landscape that grabs the listener's attention from the first beat. F777's magic brush enables him to paint vivid musical pictures that take the audience on a sonic journey. His compositions often feature intricate melodies, pulsating beats, and rich layers of sound that create a sense of depth and texture.
The Knight Witch shows a magical bullet-hell is a great match for a Metroidvania
RPS is celebrating witchy, wizardy, magical games, as well as games by trans devs, in a festival of coolness we're calling the RPS Magic Week. Check the tag for more.
Bullet hell shooters have never been one of my fortes in games. There is certainly something magical about watching masters of the genre weave effortlessly in and out of flying orbs in the likes of Gradius, R-Type and Ikaruga, but whenever I attempt to step up to the gamepad myself, my movements have always proven too flighty, too seized by panic, to make much headway with them. Enter The Knight Witch, which takes the thrill of the bullet hell shooter and wraps it up in a lovely Metroid-like-shaped package my brain can actually understand. It's a fantastic little game, and I'm only sorry we didn't cover it in more detail when it came out at the end of November last year.
In some ways, I'm shocked no one's made a Metroid-like twinstick bullet-hell shooter with witches before now (and if you have, apologies, please tell me about your game immediately). Putting you in the flying magic boots of a witch capable of shooting spells from their hands is such a great fit for fending off waves of orbs, spells and other beam-like nasties, and marrying it all to beautifully crafted Metroid-like environments is just the icing on an already satisfying cake. Did I mention your spells are also represented by a randomised deck of cards as well? Oh yes. The Knight Witch is something special all right, so strap in and let me tell you about it.
You are Rayne, a kind-hearted magical lady who was almost selected to join the titular Knight Witches when the evil Emperor Erebus was threatening to destroy the planet with his big army of war golems, but it turns out you didn't quite pass the entrance exam to be part of the Knight Witch team proper. Probably for the best, really, as that climatic battle between Erebus and the Knight Witches didn't end up resulting in the happy ending everyone was hoping for, and while Erebus was stopped, it came at the cost of 'Hey remaining fragments of society, we all need to go and live underground now because we ruined the planet up top, sorry about that'. Hence the maze-like, Metroidvania-style structure of its beautifully hand-drawn environments.
The Knight Witches then disappeared in the mists of battle, everything was hunky dory for a while, and everyone lived in relative peace. Years later, though, some pesky golems start causing trouble again, and with no other Knight Witch in sight, it's time for the B-team, aka: Rayne on her lonesome, to step up and save the day. So begins the classic power curve of a newbie hero acquiring better, more powerful spells to take on the big bad at the end of it all.
Enemies are a mixture of monster and the mechanical, and all of them fire horrible orbs at you.
Brilliantly, you have the option of either deploying twinstick controls to fire Rayne's magical bullet spells, or just holding down the shoulder buttons on your game pad to fire automatically at the nearest enemy. For the most part, the latter works brilliantly, and often there's so much happening onscreen that moving and shooting manually is simply too much to handle. Individual enemies are fairly easy to take on, but occasionally you'll be locked into an Ambush, which is preceded by a big glowing warning light and some srs bsns kick-ass battle music.
These are much, much harder (more so than its actual boss fights a lot of the time), capturing that classic bullet-hell challenge in a tight and confined space. They demand much more precise flying and shooting, as well as smart deployment of your big spell cards, which are mapped to X, Y and B on your game pad. Each card requires a set number of energy orbs to cast, which you accrue by defeating other enemies, but the tricksy thing about them is that they're constantly changing as you go through your deck, so you don't know which of your deck's six cards will appear on that button next. It certainly helps keep things lively, although the number of times I've also tapped the wrong button in the heat of the moment (and thus spending all my energy orbs in the process) has happened too often to count. Still, I like the unpredictability it brings to each battle, and the number of cards you eventually get to pull from later on brings loads of different options and playstyles to the table.
The skeleton shopkeepers are your only company in The Knight Witch, as everyone else is tucked up safely inside the big castle. They'll 'bake' you additional armour to give you protection from the golem nasties out to get you.
Naturally, when you combine this with The Knight Witch's Ambush pits, the luck of the draw can really screw you over sometimes. Over time, you definitely get the sense that some cards are better suited to some Ambushes than others, but thankfully you can freely edit your deck any time you get to a save point. Indeed, there were times when I frequently felt like I'd suddenly stepped into a Dark Souls game during these Ambushes, so sharp was their sudden difficulty spike. But it cuts both ways in the end. There would always be some runs where the right cards just kept on coming, which, all in all, probably made up for the time I spent bashing my head against its skull-laced walls a lot of time.
The gorgeous places you get to explore also help pull you through those difficult moments, and its artful puzzles and plentiful secrets make for pleasing return visits once you've acquired some new abilities. Most of all, though, I like the moments where Rayne has a bit of downtime back at her castle hub. You see, the ultimate power of the Knight Witches isn't an innate thing - it lies in the hope and belief of other people, which sounds a bit twee and touchy-feely, but it's a sentiment that gets interrogated to surprising effect in the game's overarching story.
A witch after my own heart.
Upon returning from each mission, for example, Rayne gets swept up in the castle's PR machine. The castle itself is the last line of defence against the golems, and the castle's 'Venerable' leader asks Rayne to hold press conferences to reassure the populace that everything is fine and that the Knight Witches (aka, still just her mostly) are doing a fantastic job. It's partly to inspire that all-powerful hope and belief that's so vital to their ability to conquer all evil, but you quickly start seeing the cracks in their bid for fame and glory. You're given the choice to lie and say everything's dandy (giving you a big Link bonus to level up your stats and powers), or tell the truth and stick to your guns about the reality of the situation at hand (resulting in a teeny, sometimes non-existent Link bonus). I've yet to finish the game in its entirety, but despite the obvious temptation to go with the former, I do get the sense that denying myself those tasty, tasty stat boosts will eventually come good for me in the end. Maybe.
Still, this questioning of the Knight Witches purpose, function and utility in the wider landscape of this war-torn kingdom wasn't something I was expecting going in, and it's refreshing to have something chewy like this to mull over in between its snappy combat sections. Chuck that into the pot with its gorgeous blend of genres, and it's the kind of game I could imagine coming from a studio like Supergiant and being an instant mega-hit - and not just because Damien Sanchez's excellent score has such big Bastion vibes that I would have sworn blind it was the work of Darren Korb almost as soon as I heard it. Alas, even I didn't quite clock The Knight Witch when it came out at the tail end of November a couple of months ago, and I have to thank Graham (RPS in peace) for putting me onto it when we were swapping Steam Deck recommendations over Christmas (and yes, it is a great Steam Deck game, too, in case you were wondering).
There are definitely moments when The Knight Witch will grate and frustrate with its sharp difficulty spikes, but it's also taught me to love a genre I've only ever dabbled in up until now, making bullet-hell shooters just a tiny bit less intimidating than they were previously (Drainus, I've got my eye on you next, you better believe it). It's also just a very good Metroid-like in its own right, and when there's currently a free demo on Steam available for you to try right this very second, it would basically be rude not to just give it a go at this point. It is, if you'll pardon the expression, proper magic.
Rock Paper Shotgun is the home of PC gaming
Sign in and join us on our journey to discover strange and compelling PC games.
This neutral spread by @_paperieur_ gives me art witch vibes with the detailed drawings but I also love the tarot card symbolising the lovers which is one of my favourite cards. I definitely recommend incorporating tarot cards in your spreads if you are into reading them!
By skillfully combining different instruments and effects, he manages to create a sound palette that is both diverse and cohesive. What sets F777 apart is his ability to inject his tracks with an infectious energy and enthusiasm. The "magic brush" serves as a tool for him to infuse his music with a sense of excitement and liveliness that keeps the listener engaged throughout. His catchy melodies and intense rhythms make his music highly danceable and perfect for parties or energetic workout sessions. Moreover, F777's "magic brush" allows him to experiment with different sonic elements, pushing the boundaries of traditional music genres. He often incorporates unique and unconventional sounds, making his music distinctive and fresh. This constant exploration and innovation contribute to F777's growing fanbase and continued success in the electronic music scene. In conclusion, F777's "magic brush" is a metaphorical representation of his unique musical technique and style. It symbolizes his ability to effortlessly blend different instruments and sounds, creating an energetic and captivating sonic experience. Through his innovative approach to music production, F777 continues to create tracks that are both catchy and dynamic, establishing himself as a prominent figure in the electronic music industry..
Reviews for "Creating Musical Miracles with F777's Magic Brush"
1. Emma - 2 stars
I was really disappointed with "F777 your magic brush". The game had a lot of potential with its unique concept of painting magical creatures, but it fell flat in execution. The controls were clunky and unresponsive, making it difficult to accurately paint the creatures. Additionally, the graphics were mediocre at best, and the music looped so frequently that it became irritating after a while. Overall, I found the game to be unenjoyable and would not recommend it.
2. Jason - 1 star
"F777 your magic brush" was a complete waste of my time. The gameplay was incredibly boring and repetitive, and there was no real challenge or excitement to keep me engaged. The concept of painting magical creatures sounded intriguing, but the execution was poor. The graphics were outdated and uninspiring, and the controls were frustratingly imprecise. I regret playing this game and would advise others to avoid it at all costs.
3. Lily - 2 stars
I had high hopes for "F777 your magic brush", but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. The gameplay felt monotonous and lacked any real depth. The levels were repetitive, with little variety in challenges or objectives. Additionally, the music was repetitive and became annoying after a short while. The concept had potential, but the execution was lacking. I wouldn't recommend this game unless you're a die-hard fan of painting games.
4. Michael - 2 stars
"F777 your magic brush" was a disappointment. The controls were awkward and difficult to maneuver, making it frustrating to paint the creatures accurately. The graphics were lackluster, and the overall presentation of the game felt cheap. The gameplay lacked innovation and became repetitive quickly. I was hoping for a more enjoyable and engaging experience, but unfortunately, this game fell short. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a fun gaming experience.