Image: Emberstorm Entertainment & Fireshine Games

Few games feel as perfectly positioned for a Halloween release, and cashing in on the 'creepy-cute' cozycore craze as Reka. Making its early access debut two years ago, this witchy life-sim has had some ups and downs, but is finally ready to stretch its giant chicken legs and stride off into the sunset.

Based on traditional Slavic myth and legend, the game casts you as Reka, a customizable apprentice to the legendary witch Baba Yaga (spelt here as Baba Jaga, which is apparently equally valid), and potential inheritor of her famous chicken-legged cottage. But to earn the title of legendary witch, there's a lot of work to be done, and a lot of lessons to be learnt. So begins an open-world, quest-driven sandbox. Not quite a gritty survival game, but with enough shared elements to feel like a close cousin.

While Baba Yaga is often portrayed as a menacing, villainous figure, this game is all about learning the gentler side of witchcraft. Speaking with ghosts, communing with forest spirits, and brewing potions with ingredients found in the wilds. No combat here, and definitely no pitchfork-waving mobs threatening to burn down your house either. There's a whole raft of full-on horror farming games for that now. It's nice to see a sandbox game fully about exploring witchcraft in its historical, mythological form.

The house is, of course, a vital part of Baba Yaga's mythology. And oh, what a house it can be. Turns out the chicken legs are just the foundation, and you're free to design your house piece by piece in full 3D. From a rustic hovel to an ornate multi-floor mini-mansion, you're allowed to construct largely however you want, decorating the interiors and having garden plots arranged around the edges.

The v1.0 update today adds the final chapter of the main story, concluding the story of young apprentice Reka and Baba Jaga. There's a bunch more side-quests, shrines, and collectibles scattered through the world, and the house-building interface has seen an update. New materials to build with, better roofing options, and a bunch of interface tune-ups.

The launch update also adds achievements (which you can then decorate your house with as commemorative plaques) and a tune-up to the general environment art, including a swarm of autumnal particle effects, like warm breath visible in cold air, footprints, moths gathering around lights, and other such autumnal things. Plus, developers Emberstorm Entertainment promise that they've done a big round of optimization work, so despite the visual improvements, it should run better for everyone.

Reka is out now for £16/$20, with a hefty 35% discount running until November 7th, and further discounts if you own the more combat-heavy witch 'em up Witchspire or the significantly less witchy Tiny Bookshop.