Developer: Cococucumber Publisher: Cococucumber Release: 05/04/23 Genre: Action RPG
The indie game movement has done wonders in bringing under served genres to the forefront. I love the Legend of Zelda but for the longest time there were not many games like it. However in recent years there has been an explosion of action adventure titles of all sizes leaving me spoiled for choice. Not every game is good of course but even the flawed ones have something to offer. Ravenlok is a simple and accessible hack and slash that is short but fun while it lasts.
Young Kira is not thrilled to move to the countryside with her parents after inheriting a house from a late relative. While exploring her new home Kira stumbles into a magical mirror that transports her to a fairy realm called Dunla. The citizens of Dunla are under attack by the Dreda the Caterpillar Queen and they need her help. The story in Ravenlok takes heavy inspiration from Alice in Wonderland without directly adapting it verbatim. Inspiration aside Ravenlok is a beautifully crafted world with fun characters and while the story is paper thin it is at least enjoyable.
Ravenlok is an action RPG although its mechanics are simplified. Combat is simple as you mash the attack button and can stun lock nearly every enemy to death. You have a shield to block attacks although that is rarely if ever necessary as the evasive dash maneuver works better. As you progress you will earn four special attacks with brief cool downs that spice up the action. These moves nearly break an already easy game as they are powerful and have invincibility frames. You do not learn any other attacks, new weapons, or even have armor. Experience builds up quickly allowing you to level up several times at once for fixed stat boosts.
Even though the action is simple it has a few flaws. Enemies are damage sponges and it grows tedious. Because the combat has no depth the game tries to make it interesting by throwing repetitive waves of enemies in your path but it only serves to highlight the problem. The bosses are also gluttons for punishment and overstay their welcome. These fights are mechanically the best in the game as they telegraph their moves, have diverse attacks and have recognizable patterns. Because boss fights are in enclosed arenas they are the few times the limited camera control gets in the way. Too often either some background object obscured my vision or the boss would move off screen with no way to adjust the angle to follow their movement. A lock on system would have alleviated this problem. You can work around it but it is annoying.
Your primary goal is to find three relics to enter the Queen’s castle. However the majority of your time is spent completing multiple fetch quests on the way to that goal. There is no overworld per se and each of the game’s locations is only slightly connected. Ravenlok provides little guidance even though the world is small and it can be a little frustrating. For instance once you work through the Mask Mansion you need a lever to enter the Clocktower. But there is no hint where it is. In fact you will not find it until late in the game. Granted because the world is small you will stumble on to the solution eventually. But a little hint would not hurt. The plot connecting these areas is thin leaving the game’s few attempts at melodrama to fall flat. The breakneck pacing hurts the quality of the adventure.
The campaign’s brevity is disappointing because you can see the potential it had. Each of Ravenlok’s locations is only a few screens long and practically begging for exploration. The Clocktower is presented as one of your main goals but amounts to two boss battles before completion. Considering the number of sub-quests you complete to access it that is extremely disappointing. You get to see the Labyrinth from afar and it looks inviting. But once there it is a straightforward path with none of the twists and turns the view suggests. For all the fanfare in accessing the Queen’s castle it feels like they ran out of time. It amounts to a courtyard, two prison rooms, and the hall. The final stretch consists of four repetitive waves of new enemies before the final battle. While the final battle is cool one cannot help but expect more for the finale.
The one area that Ravenlok suffers is in its difficulty. Ravenlok clearly targets younger gamers as it does not ask much of the player. The world is small and impossible to lose your way in. Combat is simple with few options and encounters are quick and to the point. There is no grinding necessary for progress; any money and experience I earned came naturally through working through the story. Healing items are easy to come by and bombs can cheese most bosses. Speaking of bosses outside of one I never died and that was more a failing on my part to use the environment. The lacking challenge makes Ravenlok accessible but also means you will blow through it quickly.
In Closing
I enjoyed Ravenlok. While I wish there was more depth the game is fun despite its brevity. What is here is great but you cannot shake the feeling the budget ran out. The art direction is fantastic and the game has many picturesque vistas that you only can only look at and think what could have been. That being said even though I enjoyed the time I spent with it I also know I will never replay it. That makes it a tough recommendation. Ravenlok is short but sweet but will leave you wanting more.
