Greetings from Team Tapas!
How’s everyone feeling now that spring is in full bloom?
We’ve been hard at work putting the finishing touches on the Early Access version of Garden of Witches, and after a long wait, we’re thrilled to finally share some exciting news:
Garden of Witches is launching on Steam Early Access on May 23, 2025 at 5 AM EDT / 9 AM UTC! 🎉
To thank you for your patience and support during the long wait, we’re excited to give you a sneak peek at what’s coming in Early Access—and how it will differ from the full version.
📖Main Story – Chapters 1 to 5
In Early Access, you will be able to enjoy the main story of Garden of Witches up to Chapter 5.
The story you experienced in the demo will finally continue, and the backstories of various locations and characters will be revealed one by one.
Join our quirky coven of witches as they embark on a journey to bring the garden back to life.
⚙️System Expansions – Key elements added to each chapter
The real fun of Garden of Witches is just getting started.
In the Early Access build, new systems will be unlocked gradually as you progress through the chapters, adding depth to your play and making your strategic choices increasingly important.
🧬Chapter 2 – Synergy System
(This is a development-in-progress image; its content is subject to change.)
Synergies are powerful additional effects that are activated when you collect 2, 4, or 6 Attributes of the same “tag."
Effects are especially powerful upon collecting 6 of the same tag, and you can also combine multiple tags in groups of two or four to target multiple effects simultaneously.
It's up to you whether you wish to focus on a single tag for maximum effect or mix and match tags to create a more flexible build.
This system will allow for a wider range of strategies, making it easier to adapt to challenges of various kinds.
🔮Chapter 3 – Relic System
(This is a development-in-progress image; its content is subject to change.)
Starting from Chapter 3, a new Relic system will allow you to add more depth to your battles.
Each Relic provides a unique and powerful effect, and players can use them to immediately fill in gaps in their ability or strategize to maximize their power later in the game.
The key to using these Relics effectively is to understand your current playstyle, and then carefully select the Relics that best complement it.
A split-second choice can turn the tide of battle and determine the direction of your entire build.
✂️Chapter 4 – Weapon Select System
(This is a development-in-progress image; its content is subject to change.)
In Chapter 4, you will be able to choose between different weapons.
Each weapon has its own unique battle style and method of attacking, adding to the fun of crafting the optimal build combination of Spells, Attributes, Synergies, and Relics.
For example, the “Broken Scissors” allows you to attack in rapid succession by holding two separate halves of the scissors in each hand, like a pair of twin swords.
Enemies will become increasingly powerful as you progress to the endgame, but if you can make the right choices by considering all the factors that affect battles, you will be more than capable of overcoming any challenge.
🎯Difficulty Adjustments and Skill Balancing
A number of adjustments have been made to the overall difficulty and balance of the game based on player feedback.
- The names of the difficulties selected at the start of the game have been changed:
- Old: Story / Casual / Normal
- New: Story / Normal / Hard
- Stage compositions have been reworked, and the overall difficulty has been adjusted
In particular, after our initial rework of the “Counter” skill, we received many comments that it was still too powerful.
Following this latest adjustment, the Counter skill —previously powerful even without any buildup—will gain a new niche as a high-risk, high-reward skill that rewards players with a good combination of control and strategy.
🔓After Story – Endgame Content and Challenge Mode
After clearing Chapter 5, you will unlock temporary Endgame Content that will allow you to tackle greater difficulties of gameplay while you wait for the next update.
This content will provide the opportunity to experiment with new combinations, builds, and strategies, giving you plenty to do even after clearing the story chapters.
🛠️Future Updates
The full release of Garden of Witches will include the following additional content:
- More exciting and challenging endgame content
- Side story chapters featuring battles against new witches
- New progression elements, spells, skills, and more
- Various UI, art, balance, and system improvements
We will continue working hard to ensure feedback and bug reports received during Early Access are incorporated as much as possible in the full version.
💬Final Words
We value nothing more than the feedback from our players.
Please join us on our journey to perfect Garden of Witches from Early Access all the way until full release.
Your playthroughs, comments, and tips will be invaluable.
Be sure to join Sil on May 23 as she once again fights to save the Garden of Witches!
Thank you!