Minecraft has a new neighbor on the list of building games compared to Mojang's blocks. On October 26, 2026, the full version 1.0 of REKA, a Slavic adventure game about a witch's apprentice who travels the world in a hut on chicken legs, left Steam Early Access. Comic Book Resources described the launch as a meeting of Minecraft with Howl's Moving Castle, and LevelUp called the game "an alluring Minecraft for your inner witch".

What REKA has in common with Minecraft

REKA isn't a voxel game and doesn't have the blocky graphics known from Minecraft. The comparisons come from the building mechanics: the player gathers resources in the forest and then expands their home, adding more rooms, furniture, and decorations, much like the building core of Mojang's game. In version 1.0, the developers at Emberstorm Entertainment added new building materials: spruce, birch, beech, and pine, and also improved the tools for placing objects.

Developer Tobias Hermann explained to LevelUp that the game's world draws from Slavic folklore: "We based Reka's world on Slavic mythology, especially that of the East Germans' Slavs." He added that the player takes on the role of Baba Yaga's apprentice and inherits her house on chicken legs, traveling the world as a wandering witch. It's this image of a walking hut that brings to reviewers' minds the Studio Ghibli comparison with Howl's Moving Castle.

What's new in version 1.0

The 1.0 launch concludes Reka and Baba Yaga's storyline after more than two years of development in early access, which began in September 2024. The developers summarized the key changes:

  • Concluded storyline of Reka and Baba Yaga
  • New building materials: spruce, birch, beech, pine
  • Expanded exploration with additional side quests, shrines, and collectible items
  • Atmospheric effects: visible breath in the cold, wet clothes after rain
  • 21 Steam achievements and Japanese localization

Rhianna Pratchett, known for her work on the Tomb Raider series, is responsible for the game's screenplay. The game is published by Fireshine Games and Shochiku, while the developer itself, the Berlin-based team Emberstorm Entertainment, treats REKA as its debut project.

How the game is doing after launch

According to Gamerant, REKA currently has 90% positive reviews on Steam, although different sources report figures between 83% and 90% depending on whether they count all reviews or only the most recent ones. To mark the launch, the developers discounted the game by 35%, bringing the price down from 69.99 PLN to about 45.49 PLN; the promotion runs until November 7, 2026.

Gamerant particularly praises the moral choice system: the player decides whether their witch will be "sweet and good, or something more sinister," and these decisions affect how the spells impact the NPCs and creatures they encounter. According to the outlet, this is one of the most distinctive elements of the game alongside the home-building itself.

A wave of Slavic games compared to Minecraft

REKA is another Slavic production that media outlets are linking to Minecraft's blocky aesthetic despite having completely different graphics. The phenomenon isn't new: building game developers increasingly reference the building freedom known from Minecraft Java Edition and Bedrock Edition as a reference point for players looking for similar experiences. For Polish fans of building and exploration in the world of Minecraft, REKA could be an interesting alternative for when they want to take a break from survival and focus on decorating their own little corner, similar to Creative mode or popular building servers.

The game is available exclusively on PC via Steam, with no console versions announced. Anyone interested in trying out the chicken-legged house building mechanics can start with the free demo that Emberstorm Entertainment made available during the early access phase.

Sources