Ravenbound

57%
Game Brain Score Based on 943 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
Ravenbound Game Cover
Ravenbound presents an intriguing world that simply doesn't live up to its potential. It's a decent enough adventure, but lacks the nuance needed to stand out.
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"Ravenbound" is a single-player, open-world fantasy action game with fast-paced, roguelite-style combat and permadeath. As a vessel to the Raven, you must battle corrupted creatures and rebuild the Raven's power to free imprisoned Gods and restore order to the island of Ávalt. Despite stunning visuals and compelling music, the game is reported to be quite grinding and buggy.

  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

57%
Audience ScoreBased on 943 reviews
gameplay95 positive mentions
stability36 negative mentions
  • Great graphics and polished world design with fantastic landscapes.
  • Fun combat mechanics that reward skill and timing.
  • Unique card and mana system that allows for diverse builds.
  • Frequent crashes and bugs that disrupt gameplay.
  • The hatred system punishes exploration and makes progression feel unrewarding.
  • Combat can feel repetitive and lacks depth, with enemies often being health sponges.
  • gameplay369 mentions

    The gameplay of "Ravenbound" features a mix of engaging combat mechanics and a unique progression system, but it suffers from significant balance issues and a frustrating "hatred" mechanic that penalizes exploration and looting. While the combat is generally enjoyable and the flying mechanic adds a fun element, many players find the gameplay loop repetitive and the open world underutilized, leading to a lack of meaningful activities. Overall, the game shows potential but requires further refinement and clearer mechanics to enhance the player experience.

    • “Great gameplay and fun mechanics!”
    • “The mechanics are robust, offering challenges worthy of a warrior's skill.”
    • “Gameplay offers a unique blend of soulslike battles, roguelite progression, a deckbuilding equipment system, and an open-world environment.”
    • “The gameplay itself is very combat-centric and doesn't focus on much else besides.”
    • “Making things worse, the game mechanics discourage exploration: the more you loot slain enemies, the stronger mobs become.”
    • “The gameplay loop is super repetitive and gets old quick.”
  • story147 mentions

    The story of "Ravenbound" draws heavily from Norse mythology, creating an atmospheric world that feels rich in lore, yet it suffers from a lack of engaging quests and character interactions, often relegating players to repetitive fetch and kill missions. While the overarching narrative provides a basic motivation for exploration, many players find the execution lacking, with numerous bugs and a restrictive quest system that diminishes immersion and exploration. Overall, the game presents a compelling setting but fails to deliver a satisfying narrative experience due to its limitations in quest variety and world-building.

    • “The lands are vast, and each vista tells a story, etched in the artistry of the ancients.”
    • “"Ravenbound" is a saga that captures the essence of Norse mythology and wraps it in a cloak of solid gameplay and storytelling.”
    • “Still, the story is compelling and the motivation for the player makes sense, which is more than most roguelites can say.”
    • “The story is like written by a 10-year-old who had a homework to do for his literature class, and this is what he came up with before the class started.”
    • “The game world is interesting and beautiful, but there is no incentive for you to go out and explore, leaving all the environmental storytelling to waste.”
    • “There's not much interaction between NPCs besides buying things and getting one side quest per defeating a boss, so the world feels less alive.”
  • graphics123 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive a mixed but generally positive reception, with many praising the stunning visuals, vibrant landscapes, and effective art style that captures the essence of its Norse theme. However, some users report performance issues, including frame drops and graphical bugs, which detract from the overall experience. While the graphics are often described as beautiful and atmospheric, concerns about optimization and execution persist.

    • “The graphics, while not at the forefront of modern sorcery, capture the essence of the Norse world in a way that would make Odin nod in approval.”
    • “The graphics are stunning, with barely any frame drops.”
    • “The graphics are beautiful and super vibrant; the world is quite expansive, so there is a lot to explore.”
    • “Graphics are mediocre at best.”
    • “Graphical bugs are an issue.”
    • “Entering into the game, it feels very unpolished in its art, graphics, and world.”
  • optimization75 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, particularly at higher resolutions like 4K, leading to frame drops and unresponsiveness during gameplay. While some users with mid-range PCs have experienced smooth performance, others have encountered crashes and memory leaks, indicating a lack of consistency in optimization across different systems. Overall, there is a strong consensus that the game requires further optimization and updates to address these issues.

    • “Performance with everything on high has been great.”
    • “I haven't had any crashes yet and performance seems great.”
    • “Game is well optimized running 100+ frames day one.”
    • “I just can't say it's ready to be played with how poorly optimized it is.”
    • “The performance seems to be atrocious (I go in depth on weird things like memory leak issues in the video in this review).”
    • “This product's optimization caused not one, but two external hard drives that I tried installing it on to become corrupted.”
  • music58 mentions

    The music in "Ravenbound" is generally praised for its haunting melodies and ability to enhance the game's atmosphere, earning a solid 8/10 from some reviewers. However, there are criticisms regarding inconsistent audio design, with reports of music and sound effects occasionally cutting out or becoming cluttered. Overall, while the soundtrack is appreciated, improvements in audio management and contextual cues are suggested for a better experience.

    • “The melodies of 'Ravenbound' are as haunting as a skald's song under the moonlit sky.”
    • “The soundtrack, infused with the spirit of the north, complements the saga perfectly.”
    • “I really love the music in this game; it sets the mood and ambiance.”
    • “Turn off the music.”
    • “If the game had a proper soundtrack, I think people would be more interested.”
    • “Can't even change the volume of the music while I'm stuck here not playing the game.”
  • stability46 mentions

    The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many players reporting frequent crashes, random freezes, and various glitches that disrupt gameplay. While some users experience smooth performance without issues, others face significant bugs that can lead to lost progress and frustrating gameplay moments. Overall, the game feels more like an early access title, with a recommendation to wait for further updates before diving in.

    • “Game runs great for me.”
    • “No freezes, stutters, or crashes.”
    • “It runs great on a normal PC; mine is far from good.”
    • “The game is buggy; town NPCs will just vanish, music and other sounds stop at random times, game settings not sticking, items in the world won't be interactable, and most frustratingly of all, the game will randomly crash (this happened to me 4 times in the first 1.2 hours of playing, I lost count after that).”
    • “I also had quite a few crashes and some weird glitches here and there, making it feel more like an early access title than a full game.”
    • “In its current state, the game has a lot of glitches and gameplay issues - it can be fun, but I would recommend waiting until the next Steam sale.”
  • grinding40 mentions

    The grinding in Ravenbound is a mixed experience; while some players find it enjoyable to experiment with different builds and learn boss mechanics, many criticize it for being overly repetitive and tedious. The game's "hatred" system limits grinding opportunities, making progression feel punishing rather than rewarding, and the world design contributes to a sense of emptiness that detracts from the overall enjoyment. Overall, players express frustration with the grind, describing it as a chore rather than a fun aspect of gameplay.

    • “These points are tedious to reach and the whole concept is pointless and made to do nothing but pad out game length.”
    • “It doesn't make the boss difficult, it makes it wildly tedious and boring.”
    • “The hatred system is what is holding you back from farming, exploring, looting and, if I'm being dramatic, enjoying the game.”
  • atmosphere18 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its stunning visuals and cinematic quality, effectively reflecting the story and enhancing the overall experience. While the open world may feel underutilized in terms of gameplay, it contributes to a sense of scale and immersion, complemented by impressive music that aligns with the game's tone. Overall, the atmosphere is described as fun, challenging, and well-executed, making it a standout feature of the game.

    • “Very atmospheric game with stunning visuals.”
    • “The story is easy to overlook, but the game's setting and atmosphere are impressive.”
    • “The open world doesn't add much to the gameplay directly and feels underexploited, but it does give the game atmosphere and a sense of scale, as well as some gorgeous visuals.”
    • “The music is equally impressive and really complements the game's tone and atmosphere.”
    • “The story is easy to overlook, but the atmosphere and setting are well done.”
  • replayability16 mentions

    The game offers decent replayability, primarily due to its varied item pool and enjoyable combat mechanics, with players potentially logging over 30 hours of playtime. However, some reviewers noted that limited end-game builds and certain mechanics may hinder its long-term replay value. Overall, recent updates have significantly improved the game's playability and enjoyment, enhancing its replayability potential.

    • “Worth mentioning the game is pretty short too, took me 14 hours to complete and from there it's just more of the same, although I feel like the game has a lot of replayability since it has a pretty decent item pool and the combat is good and fun.”
    • “🔲 Infinitely replayable”
    • “Ravenbound has decent replayability, but the limited end game builds and certain mechanics might hold it back.”
    • “Although a little steep, I think with the replayability factor, players could easily get 30 hours and well more out of this game.”
    • “Worth mentioning the game is pretty short too; it took me 14 hours to complete, and from there it's just more of the same.”
  • emotional10 mentions

    Players express a mix of frustration and resilience regarding the emotional impact of "Ravenbound." While some find the game's difficulty challenging yet manageable, others report feeling disheartened and self-critical due to repeated failures. Overall, the emotional experience is shaped by the game's mechanics and the player's expectations.

    • “It is a little difficult, but I'm used to playing roguelike games and dying multiple times, so I don't get too upset and emotional about it.”
    • “Instead, it felt frustrating and made me feel bad about myself as a player.”
  • humor8 mentions

    The humor in the game is derived from its absurdities, particularly the ironic commentary on its combat system and controller support, which players find both frustrating and amusing. The crash reporter's message adds a layer of unintentional comedy, highlighting the game's shortcomings in a way that some players find entertaining. Overall, while the game has serious flaws, the ridiculousness of certain elements provides a source of humor for some users.

  • character development4 mentions

    Character development in Ravenbound is criticized for its lack of depth, as players can only earn legacy points and unlock starting bonuses for new characters without significant growth or narrative progression. While the game features stunning environments and detailed character designs, this visual appeal does not compensate for the minimal character development offered.

    • “Lack of character development: yes, you can earn legacy and unlock starting bonuses for your next character, but that's it.”
    • “Lack of character development: yes, you can earn legacy and unlock starting bonuses for your next character, but that's it.”
  • monetization4 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized as unpolished and unbalanced, with many users labeling it a cash grab. However, there is hope that players will recognize the game's potential as a living creation rather than just a money-making scheme, which could improve its reception over time.

    • “Unpolished... unbalanced... unfinished... cash grab!”
    • “Unpolished... unbalanced... unfinished... cash grab!”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

59% average critic score

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Play time

9hMedian play time
9hAverage play time
3-10hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 24 analyzed playthroughs

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