Ravenmark: Scourge of Estellion
- September 9, 2015
- Witching Hour Studios
Get on Steam"Ravenmark: Scourge of Estellion" is a turn-based strategy game set in a fantasy world inspired by the Renaissance era. Assemble your army, employ tactical formations, and master the unique "Sync Kill" system to outsmart and overwhelm your opponents. Immerse yourself in a deep and engaging story with multiple endings, where every decision you make has a lasting impact on the world.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a solid turn-based tactical combat system with unique mechanics that require careful planning and strategy.
- The story is engaging and well-written, with a variety of missions that keep the gameplay interesting.
- The visuals and soundtrack are appealing, contributing to an enjoyable atmosphere despite the game's mobile origins.
- The game lacks strategic depth, as there are no RPG elements or meaningful choices outside of battles, making it feel linear and repetitive.
- The AI has an unfair advantage, as it can issue unlimited commands while the player is limited to a set number, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- The dialogue and character interactions can be tedious and poorly written, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the story.
- story65 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its depth and character-driven narrative, while others find it convoluted and tedious, often bogged down by excessive dialogue and a lack of interactivity. While the plot features intriguing elements like different factions and political intrigue, many reviewers noted that the storytelling can feel repetitive and overly verbose, detracting from the overall experience. Ultimately, the game appeals to those who enjoy a linear, story-driven format, but may frustrate players seeking more engaging or interactive storytelling.
“I personally think the plot is thrilling and sufficiently motivating for me to see through each battle, in order to find out how things develop.”
“The story is solid and you get the feeling the devs put their heart into it.”
“But overall the story has depth and some interesting developments, believable character interaction as well as some serious meaning to ponder about.”
“But a convoluted and oftentimes confusing story coupled with repetitiveness and a fairly frustrating system makes this ultimately a pass.”
“The writing and story are some of the cruelest atrocities you'll have to suffer through, with near endless, completely incomprehensible text, 1000 boring, empty characters introduced as soon as the game begins, and character arcs which are straight off of the absolute worst anime children shows.”
“The story is a railroad slideshow without any interaction or possibility to make choices by the player.”
- gameplay16 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this tactical game features a mix of unique mechanics, such as formations and command points, which contribute to a balanced experience overall. However, some players criticize the order of actions and lack of progression, leading to a less satisfying experience for some. Despite these issues, many find the turn-based mechanics engaging, with a substantial amount of content and strategic depth that can provide hours of enjoyment.
“For a tactical game that involves so many unique mechanics - formations/flanking, standing orders/command points, turn order, nuanced unit abilities, etc. - it's balanced surprisingly well.”
“It's a good turn-based tactics game with some unique mechanics where turns are resolved all at once, so you need to carefully plan your moves factoring in both your own units' action speed and enemy movements; otherwise, you'll get in your own way.”
“Gameplay is finely balanced and is really fun to play.”
“Idiotic gameplay decisions: the order of actions is horrible - spearmen act before cavalry?”
“With no progression to speak of, no unique units... just a mishmash of a boring story with dull gameplay... not worth your time at all... no skirmish mode!”
“More to it, it's a mobile port, which means Ravenmark is kind of simplified in gameplay when compared to some obvious PC strategy top-sellers such as Total War.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as basic but aesthetically pleasing, particularly for fans of retro gaming. While some players appreciate the polished visuals suitable for a turn-based tactics game, others note that the game shows signs of being an iOS port, with less detail and oversized icons. Overall, the visuals are considered adequate for the genre, though some feel that the charm of the original mobile version has been diminished.
“The visual presentation is, of course, very basic, but as someone who's played video games since the Atari days, I'm really not concerned so much with the graphics and find it aesthetically pleasing.”
“Well polished, good graphics for a turn-based tactics game.”
“The lore and story background are very well done and the visuals are really clean and well done.”
“It's painfully obvious that it's an iOS port, with graphics, sound, UI, and tutorial you'll recognize from iPad games.”
“No, but as someone that has played both versions, I feel that this version has lost some of the aesthetic charm that made the mobile version great.”
“One of the coolest features was in battles when two units fought; you would get a neat cut-in of both units' artwork (kind of like Advance Wars). However, in this version, rather than giving an option to turn it off, they opted to take it out completely.”
- music6 mentions
- 83 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the epic tracks during battles and cutscenes, despite it not being an orchestral score. However, some users noted a repetitive trumpeting soundtrack that detracted from the overall experience. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's atmosphere, though opinions vary on its execution.
“For a game that was originally on mobile, the soundtrack is very nice.”
“It's not an orchestral masterwork score, but I really enjoyed the epic songs playing during the battles and during the many cutscenes.”
“Other than that, I very much enjoyed the design, the art, and the music.”
“This coupled with an awful, repetitive trumpeting soundtrack, and constantly questionable spawn points for your units, just makes the experience more work than fun.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is heavily influenced by its medieval/fantasy theme, with character designs and dialogue reflecting this aesthetic. Players appreciate the immersive world-building that enhances the depth of the characters.
“The character development is rich and immersive, allowing players to truly connect with each character's journey.”
“Each character evolves in a meaningful way, making their personal stories compelling and engaging.”
“The depth of the characters and their interactions adds layers to the gameplay, enhancing the overall experience.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with anyone in the story.”
“I was disappointed by how predictable the character arcs were; they didn't evolve in any meaningful way.”
“The dialogue is often clichéd, which detracts from the potential for rich character development.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by beautifully hand-drawn battle environments and intermission scenes, which effectively immerse players in the experience.
“The beautifully hand-drawn battle environments and intermission scenes truly enhance the atmosphere.”
“The game's sound design and ambient music create an immersive atmosphere that pulls you into its world.”
“The rich, detailed environments and dynamic lighting contribute to an incredibly captivating atmosphere.”
“The beautifully hand-drawn battle environments and intermission scenes sure do their part to create an atmosphere.”
“The game lacks a cohesive atmosphere, making it feel disjointed and uninspired.”
“Despite the potential, the atmosphere feels flat and fails to immerse the player in the game world.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game demonstrates excellent stability, with users reporting no crashes, glitches, or errors, indicating a smooth and reliable performance.
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is often perceived as dull and unoriginal, reminiscent of the less engaging comedic elements found in Nintendo DS RPGs, leading to a lack of genuine amusement for players.
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game offers little to no replayability, with players expressing that once completed, there is minimal incentive to revisit the experience.
“There is little to no replayability.”
“The game lacks any significant replay value.”
“Once you've completed it, there's no real incentive to play again.”
