Ravenswatch Review: A Roguelike With a Lot Under the Hood

As a seasoned gamer with over three decades of experience under my belt, I’ve played my fair share of action roguelikes, from the legendary ” binding of Isaac” to the more recent “Hades”. So when I stumbled upon “Ravenswatch“, I was intrigued by its unique premise and captivating art style.

As a dedicated gamer diving deep into the world of roguelike games, I’ve witnessed an influx of fresh titles in recent years, some hitting the mark while others miss it slightly. The perfect roguelike for me has got to have engaging progression, intriguing moment-to-moment gameplay that harmonizes with lasting upgrades, and a hook so strong it keeps me coming back for “one more run.

First introduced to Early Access on PC in April 2023, the game Ravenswatch garnered generally positive reviews on Steam, eventually leading to its full release in September of this year. After nearly 18 months of refinement during its Early Access phase (including numerous updates and new characters), and a successful PC debut, Ravenswatch is now coming to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, marking what seems to be its best version yet. The game’s distinctive and diverse cast of heroes make each playthrough an exhilarating journey through the surreal world of Reverie. Although it may not rival the heights of its most apparent inspiration in Hades (or the currently Early Access version of Hades 2), Ravenswatch is a satisfying co-op roguelike with an engaging fairy tale atmosphere.

Ravenswatch’s Strongest Asset Is Its Cast of Playable Characters

As a seasoned gamer, I can’t help but be drawn to the captivating world of Ravenswatch. This game takes me into the surreal realm of Reverie, home to characters from countless stories, much like Morpheus’ domain in Neil Gaiman’s Sandman. But now, this realm is under siege by Lovecraftian horrors known as Nightmares.

In this game by Passtech Games, you’ll find a dynamic setup that encourages an explosion of creativity in character development, and they certainly deliver! At the start, you’ll have access to four distinct heroes: Scarlet, who combines elements of Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf; the legendary Beowulf; the Snow Queen; and the Pied Piper. Each hero offers a unique combat style, with their own special moves and rhythm that players must master in order to activate abilities and powers effectively (similar to Diablo). Aside from regular attacks and dashes, managing cooldowns is also crucial. Over the past 18 months, five more heroes have been added to the roster, all of whom you can unlock with relative ease (usually by completing a chapter with another hero). Experimenting with each character to find the one that suits your playstyle is part of the excitement, even if some don’t initially feel right – they all possess clear value.

Regardless of which hero players choose for a run, though, each character has the same basic suite of abilities. In addition to a standard attack, there are 4 actions to regularly call upon in battle: a Defense move, a Special, a Power, and a Trait. Each of these abilities has different buffs and enhancements that players can earn through either leveling up or purchasing them from The Sandman using Ravenswatch‘s currency, Dream Shards. What’s nice about Ravenswatch, and what helps set it apart from Curse of the Dead Gods, is that the heroes all get to keep their upgrades throughout the entirety of a run, meaning players skilled (or lucky) enough to make it to the third and final stage and challenge the boss will be significantly more powerful than they are the beginning of stage 1.

As a diehard fan, I can’t help but be captivated by the exhilarating gameplay in Ravenswatch, where the main focus is on vanquishing foes and amplifying heroes. What sets Ravenswatch apart, though, is the immense replayability it offers, thanks to each hero’s distinct set of skills. Now, I must admit that not all heroes are created equal, and players will inevitably gravitate towards their preferred champions. Among these, Scarlet stands out with her transformation into the Big Bad Wolf during Ravenswatch’s Day/Night cycle, offering a fresh array of abilities. Another hero who catches my eye is Sun Wukong, whose capacity to toggle between a defensive and offensive Yin-Yang of boosting power or weakening foes is simply astounding, especially when the game’s Random Number Generator (RNG) shines favorably on you.

In essence, Ravenswatch provides numerous incentives for gamers to revisit it frequently. Despite mastering the game and finding a character whose abilities align with your playstyle, you’re consistently amazed by Passtech Games’ ability to keep each of the other characters engaging. What makes this even more intriguing is that Ravenswatch can be played solo or cooperatively, enhancing the variety in a game run as players uncover how certain heroes’ abilities synergize with one another.

A Satisfying Progression and Power Curve Smooth Over Ravenswatch’s Balancing

It’s advantageous that Ravenswatch provides multiple engaging and innovative methods for players to tackle each game session since the game sometimes faces challenges in terms of balance and difficulty. The essence of roguelike games lies in their difficulty, as the objective is to play, fail, become slightly stronger, play again, fail again, and so on endlessly. Regrettably, one aspect that disrupts this equilibrium in Ravenswatch is its implementation of cooperative gameplay.

In Ravenswatch, whether you’re playing alone or with others, you’ll find a shared reserve of 6 Raven Feathers that can help bring you back to life when needed. This is not common in roguelikes where progression after death is rare, so the Raven Feather mechanic stands out. However, the privilege of resurrecting six times during a game comes at a price. The incorporation of Raven Feathers affects the game’s balance, making enemies more resilient to damage and able to withstand multiple hits. One might think this would make the game more enjoyable in cooperative mode, but it becomes a challenge when playing with others. Enemies are more numerous and have higher health levels, leading to the same balancing issues, but even more pronounced when playing as a team.

During ordinary gameplay, Ravenswatch seems balanced, but the Nightmare bosses at the end of each stage pose significant issues. In single-player mode, a single misstep against these bosses can easily disrupt an entire run, either due to bad luck or careless mistakes. Fortunately, there are numerous upgrades that can be unlocked to provide engaging progression in the meta game, helping players gradually become more resilient against Ravenswatch’s various dangers. However, this progression may feel gradual at times.

Variety is the Spice of Life in Ravenswatch

In the game called Ravenswatch, you’ll find 9 playable characters, each boasting over 10 unique talents that accumulate for potential upgrades during each new gameplay session. Add to this over 50 diverse magical artifacts, which can be discovered throughout your adventure, and the possibility of consumables offering significant in-game advantages, and it’s evident why Ravenswatch is among the most replayable action roguelikes launched this year. The exhilarating combat variety and power are what truly make Ravenswatch stand out, ensuring that players will continue to return to this game.

As a fan who’s been captivated by games like Hades, I can say that Ravenswatch might not hold the same narrative allure, but where it truly shines is in its combat. Just like Passtech’s previous roguelike, Curse of the Dead Gods, the gameplay moment-by-moment and an expansive collection of upgrades and run modifiers are what made it a standout hit within the genre. What makes Ravenswatch even more impressive is that it refines this formula while maintaining Passtech’s signature style for stunning cel-shaded visuals and captivating animations. There are areas where it could use some polish, particularly in terms of balance and difficulty, but overall, Ravenswatch is a robust action roguelike and a commendable addition to the growing genre.

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2024-11-27 04:44