Ravenbound is the latest adventure from Systemic Reaction: a beautiful roguelite-style open-world game that draws on Norse mythology to weave together a series of challenging and addictive missions. Set in Avalt, players control an avatar who must gather enough power from the buried race of gods (Ellri) to challenge the Traitor, an Ellri who has turned her back on her kind and spread hatred across the world.
The best thing about Ravenbound, in my opinion, is the story about which you can learn more details thanks to the monuments that the player reads as he progresses and the dialogue that shows us that this avatar isn’t the first he’s seen trying to defeat . to the traitor (and probably not the last either).
The Land of Avalt is very beautiful, although it can feel a bit repetitive at times as you glide around the map in your raven form. It takes some getting used to handling this type of flight, but it is a very efficient form of travel. The problem is that there aren’t enough Raven Towers on the map and you need them to be able to take to the skies. They also give you the Crow’s Claw for extra mobility. It’s a very handy whip-like tool that allows your avatar to swing around like a Viking Spider-Man.
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Combat is fast-paced and frantic, and there’s a wide variety of enemies to pit yourself against. Some groups of corrupt people allow the player to be some kind of force of nature and fight the attackers to the death. Other larger and more significant foes will challenge the player with hit-and-run tactics that will bring a quick and lasting end to the carefully crafted avatar.
As for the roguelite-style elements, the game is based on getting a set of cards that affect character creation, avatar stats, combat effectiveness, as well as adding some passive skills. The development between games may seem small, but it exists, especially as you discover Ávalt’s challenges and rewards in a more direct and effective way. Because of these characteristics, Ravenbound is a game where each attempt (or even each completed game) is completely different from the previous one and really fun. Especially before defeating the Traitor when your main goal is finding the ideal build for your playstyle, and the painful attempt to get it over and over again when your best avatar has been defeated is equal parts fun and frustrating.
A standout element is the use of mana, the currency to be able to use the cards. On some unfortunate builds the mana seems extremely low and can leave the player with a very interesting build planned but with no way to finish it. Some character options before you start playing are far better than others. This pushes players into rash combat encounters to open chests full of hate (thereby increasing their own hate bar) in order to advance. That can be a double-edged sword.
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I have to say that I hate the hate mechanic, although it’s very appropriate in relation to the game’s theme. Hate grows as you open full chests, which should be a reward for successfully completing battles, and persists until cleared through actions like completing a tomb. Thing is, it’s ridiculously hard to get rid of. Hate worsens the hands of the cards you receive and strengthens enemies – creativity’s nightmare. I think it’s done this way to encourage the player to plan everything carefully and create a specific build to avoid hate, but it’s difficult to do in a game where the dropped gear is random . There should be more opportunities to scout for better cards as it’s very rare that you get penalized for doing so.
And with that comes an even bigger problem: The world of Ravenbound is too open and free. Aside from the main story, the player can decide how to go through the missions and defeat the enemies to gain more power. This might seem tempting at first, but the universe of Avalt can get chaotic and overwhelming when you’re fighting for better items but your avatar’s hatred is completely out of control.
Overall, Ravenbound is an enjoyable game and an innovative (but not extreme) approach to the action genre. Chop and reduce. Its open world is beautiful with a huge universe and story, combat is lightning fast, and its roguelite-style elements, while not perfect, have a lot of potential.
