Songs of Glimmerwick is a brand new narrative RPG set in a magic academy, where lessons alternate with daily life, exploration, and tending to one’s own garden.
Developed by Eastshade Studios, the game focuses primarily on atmosphere, characters and school routine, offering a relaxing experience that also hides a few narrative surprises. The central idea of the game, in fact, is to place music at the heart of learning magic.
Magic passes through music
The most original element of Songs of Glimmerwick is its musical magic system. Spells are learned through songs played on a flute, which accompanies the protagonist during her adventure.
Building your own instrument is one of the earliest moments of true success. At first, it might seem necessary to manually recall and play each note sequence to cast a spell, but after learning a song, you can quickly recall it from the dedicated bar.
A smart choice that allows you to preserve the charm of learning magic through music without making each individual action repetitive or complicated. The flute, moreover, is not merely an alternative menu for spells, but remains precisely an instrument to carry with you, contributing to the experience’s identity.
A relaxed school life
The academy’s routine forms the heart of the adventure. Amid lessons, conversations, exploration, and small events, the game builds a daily rhythm that allows curiosity to thrive without turning every day into a checklist of objectives to complete.
The lessons give daily routines a certain structure, while free time allows you to discover hidden corners of the village and get to know its inhabitants better. The characters’ stories are told with warmth, thanks also to a particularly convincing and well-crafted voice acting, which makes the conversations enjoyable to follow.
There are also more specific events, such as a night dedicated to paper and pen, which demonstrate how the game knows how to exploit its school setting to propose original situations. The plot also reserves a few surprises, introducing elements more unexpected than what the initial atmosphere might suggest.
A garden to cultivate and customise
Beyond school life, gardening offers another activity to get involved in during the days, and personally, my favourite. You can grow various plants, arrange the spaces, and personalise your garden through decorations and pathways.
The system is intuitive and rewarding: as the seasons change, new seeds appear, encouraging players to return to the garden and experiment with new crops. Not everything, however, runs smoothly, as certain parasites can ruin harvests, much like those damned crows in titles such as Strade Valley.
To complete the offer, we also find the preparation of potions and various mini-games, which add variety to daily activities. These small activities offer a certain variety, to encourage many different types of players.
A thoughtfully crafted world, but with a slow pace
One of the greatest strengths of Songs of Glimmerwick is its welcoming atmosphere. The village is pleasant to explore, the music perfectly accompanies walks, and the voice acting — an unexpected touch, as every single NPC has been voiced — adds credibility to even the simplest interactions.
You can also notice a particular attention to detail: even the camera movements adapt in certain parts of the path, accompanying the player through bridges and tighter spaces. These are small touches that don’t revolutionise the game, but help make the world feel more natural to traverse.
The main issue concerns the pace of the adventure. The slowness is integral to the experience, but in some cases it can become frustrating. When an event is available only during a specific time window, you may find yourself waiting longer than necessary before proceeding.
The direction isn’t always immediate, especially in the early hours, and you might find yourself unsure whether to wait or look for an activity you’ve missed. Those who enjoy exploring slowly are likely to appreciate this setting, while those who prefer a more direct pace may find its limitations more apparent.
Final thoughts
Songs of Glimmerwick is a narrative RPG that finds its identity in the combination of musical magic, school life, and relaxing activities. The spell system is original, the garden offers a pleasant pastime, and the game world captivates you thanks to the quality of the voice acting and the attention to atmosphere.
The main limitation is a pace that, at certain moments, slows the experience too much, especially when waiting for an event or navigating among available activities. These are aspects that don’t undermine its strengths but can test the patience of those who prefer a more dynamic adventure.
For those who dream of attending a magic academy and appreciate games where small moments matter as much as progression, Songs of Glimmerwick is a title worth keeping an eye on, despite its price of €25.49. An experience that invites you to take your time, even when reaching the desired event requires a bit of patience.
