R.A.W. Realms of Ancient War

52%
Game Brain Score Based on 159 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
R.A.W. Realms of Ancient War Game Cover
A game that has good base going but lacks a lot of polish and is filled with poor design choices, hopefully a patch can save the game or a sequel if there will ever be one
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R.A.W. Realms of Ancient War is a hack-and-slash action RPG that lets you play as a Warrior, Wizard, or Rogue. Battle hordes of enemies, level up, and collect better weapons and armor as you progress. A unique feature of the game is the ability to take control of your most powerful enemies and wreak havoc on your foes. Play solo or in co-op mode.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

52%
Audience ScoreBased on 159 reviews
graphics11 positive mentions
grinding7 negative mentions
  • The game offers a nostalgic hack-and-slash experience reminiscent of classic dungeon crawlers like Diablo.
  • It's an affordable option for casual gamers looking for a simple and fun co-op experience.
  • The graphics and sound effects are decent for a game of its age, providing an enjoyable atmosphere.
  • The game suffers from a lack of quality of life features, such as no map, poor controls, and a clunky interface.
  • Character progression and skill trees are overly simplistic, leading to repetitive gameplay.
  • Technical issues, including crashes and bugs, significantly detract from the overall experience.
  • story43 mentions

    The game's story is widely criticized for being weak, generic, and uninspired, often described as a simple betrayal narrative with little depth or motivation. Many players found the lore and quest design lacking, with repetitive and trivial side quests that fail to engage. Overall, while some appreciated minor twists and character potential, the consensus is that the story does not significantly enhance the gameplay experience.

    • “The story also improves over the course of the game with an interesting twist at the mid-point.”
    • “It has an okay story and good pacing, but most of the gameplay aspects feel too simplistic.”
    • “The story was rather weak and provided little to no motivation.”
    • “The story is pretty weak and didn’t really hold me or make me want to pay attention much.”
    • “The plot is poor and I didn't even get invested in it, but it's okay for games of this type.”
  • graphics35 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally described as decent but outdated, with some players appreciating the art style and atmospheric visuals reminiscent of older titles. While the game features nice landscapes and character designs, it suffers from low resolution and occasional glitches, leading to mixed opinions on its overall visual quality. Despite its age, many find the graphics satisfactory for casual gameplay, though comparisons to more modern titles like Diablo and Path of Exile highlight its limitations.

    • “I really enjoyed the art style in this game.”
    • “The graphics are quite flashy; they remind me of Van Helsing, another hack and slash. I mean, they're great for a game that's been out for quite some time now.”
    • “Great game, tons of action, slick graphics, good 5.1 sound, lots of gore.”
    • “The graphics are quite old fashioned, low resolution, but still quite immersive.”
    • “Can't adjust any graphics options and can't make full screen; this game is horrible.”
    • “Graphics, control, general gameplay all were severely lacking even for 4 years ago.”
  • gameplay26 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized as solid yet simplistic, with a repetitive "click on enemies" mechanic and limited customization options. While some players appreciate the soulstone mechanic and the game's accessibility for casual play, others criticize its sluggish pace, lack of challenge, and basic mechanics that lead to a less engaging experience. Overall, it offers decent graphics and controls but feels more like an arcade game than a traditional RPG, making it suitable for short sessions rather than deep gameplay.

    • “I also loved the soulstone mechanic; how instead of dying you consume one soulstone (gems you find throughout levels, think of them as one-ups) and if you're out of soulstones, your hero permanently dies!”
    • “+ simple and dynamic gameplay, which allows you to play short sessions.”
    • “Its gameplay feels very arcadey and repetitious but there is some tactical value in positioning, and repositioning your character and choosing the right ability at the right time.”
    • “The gameplay itself is very slow and sluggish.”
    • “The gameplay itself is basically 'click on enemies until they die' and instead of a reasonable number of hotkeys for all skills, some of them have to be activated via 'key + shift', which doesn't make sense for mouse-focused gameplay.”
    • “Graphics, control, and general gameplay all were severely lacking even for 4 years ago.”
  • grinding7 mentions

    Players appreciate the option to purchase legendary items from NPCs, which alleviates some of the grind, but feel that the stats of these items need improvement to reduce the overall grindiness of the game. Achieving 100% completion can be tedious due to limited achievements and bugs, and the trader interface lacks convenience features, making item management cumbersome. While replaying levels offers a way to grind for resources, the overall experience can become monotonous.

    • “But they should improve the legendary equipment stats so that it can start one-shotting normal monsters; otherwise, it's very grindy and slow-paced.”
    • “Although there are only 12 achievements, it becomes grindy if going for 100%.”
    • “You can play a couple of levels per session because it becomes tedious.”
  • music6 mentions

    The music in the game received mixed reviews, with some players finding it repetitive and lacking vibrancy, while others appreciated the solid background tracks that adapt to gameplay. Overall, it was noted that the music could benefit from more originality and refinement to enhance the gaming experience.

    • “I loved the music, artwork, and frantic gameplay.”
    • “Solid background music track that changes depending on the gameplay taking place.”
    • “The music could've used some work and tuning; simply put, it's inexistent. The level design could've been more original than cloning Diablo and Diablo II to a T. There's also a recurrent problem I've found while playing: the game kept stuttering every 5 seconds, which made it often difficult to aim my huge fireballs at the enemy spider queens.”
    • “Music was not vibrant enough for the areas.”
    • “The background music did not draw my attention, for better or worse.”
  • stability5 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with most users reporting no significant bugs or crashes. However, some players have noted occasional graphical glitches and clunky controls that can affect the gameplay experience. While the game runs well, certain design choices, like the lack of tooltips, detract from its overall polish.

    • “Simple hack-and-slash, no bugs, no glitches.”
    • “Raw delivers that and runs great; still looks fine because these action dungeon crawlers don't really need much.”
    • “It's not buggy or anything; just not well designed in some places (like no tooltips on items; you have to click on the item to have info show up in a section at the bottom).”
    • “Controls are really clunky and buggy; there are also many movement glitches.”
    • “The game offers some pleasant graphics and graphical style, although there are some ugly glitches here and there.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    Overall, the game has mixed reviews regarding replayability. While some players find the linear structure and lack of differing storylines limit replay value, others appreciate the variety of character abilities and the option to replay levels, suggesting that there is some potential for repeated playthroughs.

    • “The game features linear but replayable levels that keep the experience fresh.”
    • “You can move through around 26 replayable levels, battling a variety of animal, humanoid, and ethereal/undead enemy types.”
    • “With a decent range of individual character abilities, there is significant scope for replayability.”
    • “The game was pretty exciting and took a bit to beat, the only issue with it is a serious lack of replayability. Once you beat it, that's it, it's beaten.”
    • “Storylines per character didn't differ at all, so overall no replay value. So why play more than once?”
    • “However, given the decent range of individual character abilities, there is some scope for replayability.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The game's optimization is notably poor, with frequent stuttering and frame drops that hinder gameplay, particularly during combat. While it captures the essence of classic hack-and-slash titles like Diablo, these performance issues detract significantly from the overall experience. Additionally, the lack of original level design and music further diminishes its appeal.

    • “It allows for decision-making without being a hassle for the casual gamer, and it positively impacts the performance of the chosen character.”
    • “The optimization features are intuitive and enhance gameplay without overwhelming new players.”
    • “I appreciate how the game balances complexity and accessibility in its optimization options, making it enjoyable for both casual and hardcore gamers.”
    • “The music could've used some work and tuning (simply put, it's inexistent) and the level design could've been more original than cloning Diablo and Diablo II to a T. There's also a recurrent problem I've found while playing; it's how the game kept stuttering every 5 seconds in-game, which made it often difficult to aim my huge fireballs at the enemy spider queens.”
    • “W is a raw hack and slash experience; it's made with love for Diablo, but the stuttering and horrible frame drops will leave a sour aftertaste in your gaming mouth.”
    • “It provides for some decision making without being a hassle for the casual gamer and does impact the performance of the chosen character.”
  • atmosphere3 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is praised for its atmospheric graphics that evoke a sense of nostalgia for older titles, featuring detailed environments and a well-crafted overall aesthetic. While the levels tend to be linear, the consistent visual design contributes positively to the immersive experience.

    • “The environments are detailed, the atmosphere is well-crafted, and the overall look of the world is consistent.”
    • “Atmospheric graphics give you a vibe of older games.”
    • “The levels are mostly linear, but the atmosphere is good.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development is noted for its impressive main character design, which is complemented by decent environmental world design. However, the enemy character design has received criticism, with some users finding it less appealing compared to the main characters.

  • humor1 mentions

    Players find the humor in the game to be engaging and often situational, as illustrated by amusing interactions like attempting to attack spiders and dwarves from a distance. This blend of absurdity and unexpected scenarios contributes to a lighthearted gaming experience.

    • “Finally, hilariously, I tried to attack spiders and dwarves from the opposite side of a gate from them.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is primarily highlighted by a sense of sadness stemming from the absence of a minimap, which suggests that players may feel lost or disconnected from the game world.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

60% average critic score

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