Every so often, taking a step back and playing a game that steps away from the norm is a good thing. It can be a short indie title, a retro game, or, in the case of Ravenlok: Legendary Edition, an action-adventure that feels like something I played a decade ago, but looks like a modern marvel!
The game delivers a very unique experience based on a classic tale. Despite some old-school mechanics, the game still delivers on its premise and has some fun puzzles and combat to tackle. Stepping into the shoes of an unsuspecting hero is a blast!
The Fairytale of Ravenlok: Legendary Edition Comes to Life!
The first thing that caught my eye when I saw Ravenlok during its initial release was its art design. I’m not usually a massive fan of a game built primarily out of chunky, blocky voxels, but it works really well here. I want to mention this right off the top because I do think it went a long way in my enjoyment of Ravenlok: Legendary Edition.
The lighting itself goes a long way in making this game pop with personality and unique detail. Throughout my playthrough, I felt like a kid’s toy set came to life. The locales and characters also contribute to that, with a fun take on the Alice in Wonderland motif.
It all begins after the protagonist moves to a new home with their family and is quickly sucked into a wonderful world of adventure and wonder!
But how about the gameplay? It’s an up-and-down experience at best, but a series of mechanics and a system that still provides a great sense of joy!
Wonderland In Action
Ravenlok: Legendary Edition is a third-person action-adventure game with elements of RPG items and upgrades. It all works competently, but none of it stands out as a wholly unique experience. The entire combat and inventory system is easy to understand and, for the most part, master. This is a major plus as the gameplay itself can feel dated and overly simplistic at times.
Battles consist of various enemies and environmental traps that you need to take into account. With a simple swing of your sword and various active abilities that you’ll unlock, Ravenlok slashes and dashes through whatever gets in the way. It’s pretty fun because it’s so easy to use, and the fights can feel pretty epic. However, I was also looking for more depth as the game progressed. Many fights are repetitive, and most enemy AI is not very smart.
Enemies come at you in a very basic “go get’m” fashion with an almost headfirst approach to fighting. It’s fine, but it doesn’t always feel rewarding. This changes, however, when it’s time to fight the many bosses in Ravenlok: Legendary Edition.
These wild and often creepy creations have several weird motivations and tactics, but it’s all in good fun, and the fights provide a nice sense of scale. Every single boss looks and acts differently from the last one. Like with smaller enemies, the patterns aren’t always that complex, but they are enjoyable.
Exploring Wonderfully Crafted Locations
Along the way, Ravenlok: Legendary Edition will take you to dozens of locations in the Wonderland-like world. Large mansions, fields, fantastical woods, and so many more. This is a true beauty as they’re populated with friendly and well-written NPCs and a nice variety of baddies. This is where some of the RPG elements come into play as well, as you need to either help others escape, and fetch some items to complete a task, just to name a few.
I had a great time helping those around Ravenlok. The protagonist (quickly renamed as Ravenlok by the locales) is kind and willing to help, and the tasks at hand are often fun and unique. Some creatures are being held against their will, feeling trapped by the Queen and other not-so-kind antagonists like Tweedledee and Tweedledum.
Collecting what you need to craft spells or items, or sometimes for a trade, is commonplace and at times requires a little more direction. It’s not a huge issue, but I did find myself wandering more than I expected, leading to a simple task taking far longer than it should have.
Luckily, it’s all back by frequent battles that are always enjoyable, if sometimes repetitive, and an excellent soundtrack that wraps around great sound design. These were two standout elements for me during the 5-6 hours I spent with Ravenlok: Legendary Edition.
Verdict
If you’re in the mood for a joyful, colourful, uniquely designed, and often simplistic title, Ravenlok: Legendary Edition is the place to go. The Legendary Edition adds some new elements worth coming back for, and the story itself is worth exploring.
The mechanics may come across as a little dated at times, but every so often, being able to experience that feeling again can be a breath of fresh air!
[The publisher provided a copy of the game for review purposes.]
Reviewed on: PC/Steam Deck
