Jenny the Witch

7/10
short
i expected the combat to feel better, maybe faster?, but it does feel good, its just i expected more.
movement could also feel much better, but it isnt bad
the emviroment overall is greatthe story is interesting, would like to see more

I was looking forward to playing the full game after I tried out the demo and I must say it didn't disappoint. The combat is engaging and you can even make combos up in the middle of combat, the platforming, even tho I didn't enjoy it quite as much, is challenging and fun and the general atmosphere of the game is really appealing thanks to the setting and style of graphics!

Good short game. Cool moves available to the player. Slightly disturbing setting

Jenny the Witch is a short but energetic action game that combines third-person shooting, fast melee combat, platforming, and score-chasing into a focused adventure. Developed and published by Catbird Soft, it takes place in the Steel Carnelian universe but functions as a standalone story, so newcomers do not need any knowledge of previous games. Rather than trying to provide a huge campaign, it concentrates on a few hours of increasingly stylish combat and gives players reasons to return through upgrades, higher difficulties, scoring, collectibles, achievements, and replayable encounters.

The story takes place beneath New York City in 2063. Four workers have disappeared inside the Brooklyn Understructure, an enormous underground network of sewage infrastructure and abandoned passages. Mercenary Genevieve Marconi is hired to investigate, inevitably discovering considerably more trouble than a routine search mission would suggest. The premise is straightforward but appropriate for a game primarily concerned with action. The underground science-fiction setting also creates an interesting contrast with Genevieve's witch-inspired appearance and broom-based abilities.

Combat is the strongest element. Genevieve can attack drones from a distance using energy blasts before moving into close range and smashing them with her broom. Missiles and powerful super abilities add additional offensive options, while metered attacks can dramatically shift the momentum of difficult encounters. The result feels like a hybrid between a spectacle fighter and a third-person shooter. Players who simply want to survive can learn the fundamentals relatively quickly, but the broader combat system rewards experimentation with different attacks and combinations.

The scoring system gives those mechanics additional purpose. Destroying enemies efficiently is useful, but defeating them stylishly through extended combinations is considerably more satisfying. Successful play generates a higher score and provides resources that can be spent on upgrades and additional abilities, including new melee techniques and super attacks. Progression therefore feeds naturally back into combat. A larger collection of moves gives players more ways to create impressive combinations, which in turn makes returning to earlier encounters more interesting.

Movement is another important part of the experience. Genevieve uses her broom for traversal, and the game occasionally introduces platforming challenges between battles. Aerial dashing across dangerous gaps gives navigation a welcome sense of speed without turning the adventure into a demanding precision platformer. These sections primarily exist to provide variety and demonstrate the character's mobility. The ability to move rapidly through the air also complements the aggressive nature of the combat.

One limitation is the campaign's deliberately modest length. This is intended to be an adventure that can potentially be completed during a single afternoon rather than a lengthy action RPG. Players expecting dozens of hours of story content may therefore find it too brief. However, its structure makes more sense when viewed as an arcade-style action experience. After completing the campaign, players can replay it while retaining unlocked abilities, pursue higher scores, experiment with different difficulty settings, hunt collectibles, and work toward achievements. The additional postgame incentives make mastery more important than merely reaching the ending.

The presentation gives the game considerable personality despite its relatively small scale. Cyberpunk technology, hostile drones, industrial underground environments, energy weapons, and futuristic machinery are mixed with the wonderfully unconventional image of a mercenary witch beating robots apart with a broom. It is a combination that could easily feel ridiculous, but that eccentricity is part of the appeal. The game embraces fast, exaggerated action instead of trying to present its world with complete seriousness.

Controller support is particularly welcome because the combination of movement, melee attacks, shooting, and aerial navigation naturally suits a gamepad. Adjustable difficulty also makes the experience accessible to players who are more interested in completing the story while leaving room for action enthusiasts to pursue stronger performances.

Steam Deck compatibility is currently listed as Unknown rather than officially Verified or Playable. The game does provide full controller support, but the absence of an official Steam Deck compatibility rating means handheld users should not interpret controller support alone as confirmation of complete Deck compatibility.

Overall, Jenny the Witch is an appealing example of a small action game concentrating its resources on mechanical depth instead of excessive length. Its mixture of shooting, broom-based melee attacks, super moves, aerial movement, upgrades, score chasing, and replayable encounters produces a surprisingly substantial combat system for such a compact campaign. Its brevity will be the biggest drawback for players seeking a long adventure, but anyone comfortable with a shorter game designed around replayability and improving personal performance should find plenty to enjoy.

Rating: 8/10

Nice short game, I like the PS1-like graphics, story exists, thats kinda it. Platforming is alright, sometimes a bit finicky. Enemies sometimes seem a bit "unfair", e.g. very fast turning mid combo, but with a bit of practice its doable.
Good game for a slow evening.