Ravenswatch

Ravenswatch is an absolute blast. Gorgeous to look at, smooth and responsive to play, and peppered with the kind of variety that encourages you to keep going back

86%Game Brain Score

gameplay, graphics

grinding, stability

86% User Score Based on 8,533 reviews

Critic Score 74%Based on 7 reviews

Platforms

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About

Ravenswatch is a single player and multiplayer role playing game. It was developed by Passtech Games and was released on September 26, 2024. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

Discover Ravenswatch in its most complete version yet, bringing together the base title and all the content published during the first year. Battle the Nightmare with 3 new playable heroes — Merlin, Romeo and Juliet — customize your runs with 6 skin packs, and dive behind the scenes, with the digital artbook and official soundtrack. Edition contents: * Ravenswatch * Fairytales Skin Pack * Ravens …

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86%

Audience ScoreBased on 8,533 reviews

gameplay828 positive mentions

grinding103 negative mentions

Unique and diverse character designs with distinct abilities and playstyles.
Engaging and challenging gameplay that rewards strategic thinking and teamwork.
Beautiful art style and immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.

Limited content with only three levels and a lack of variety in enemies and bosses.
Multiplayer experience suffers from frequent disconnects and no reconnect option.
Difficulty spikes can feel unfair, especially in co-op mode, leading to frustrating gameplay.

gameplay
1,830 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
51%
4%
The gameplay of Ravenswatch has received mixed feedback, highlighting both its strengths and weaknesses. Players appreciate the fun and engaging core gameplay loop, unique character mechanics, and the strategic depth that comes from the time limit and day/night cycle, which adds a layer of urgency to each run. However, many reviewers express concerns about the game's repetitiveness, lack of content, and insufficient explanations of mechanics, which can lead to frustration, especially for new players. Overall, while the gameplay is praised for its fluidity and potential, it is suggested that more content and refinement are needed to enhance the experience further.
- “Fun gameplay loop, good variation of build synergies to account for the RNG. Characters all feel unique, each has their own pros and cons, and they all work off each other in fun ways.”
- “Ravenswatch does a great job with gameplay expression and giving players many ways to play the same characters.”
- “The gameplay is fun; the character concepts are interesting; the overarching story is engaging.”
- “There's a huge lack of explaining about game mechanics.”
- “Characters get stuck in unskippable attack animations that move them into the line of fire, the number of enemies has increased substantially and now there is an elite with nearly every group, a new mechanic punishes you for not reaching the boss arena in time.”
- “The gameplay is repetitive and boring.”
graphics
708 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
35%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning art style, which effectively combines dark fairy tale themes with vibrant visuals. Players appreciate the beautiful character designs, smooth animations, and immersive atmosphere that enhance the overall gameplay experience. While some mention minor issues with hitboxes and visual clarity, the majority find the graphics to be a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
- “The art style is gorgeous, and the soundtrack perfectly complements the dark fantasy vibe.”
- “The atmosphere is enhanced by hauntingly beautiful visuals and a moody soundtrack that perfectly complements the grim tone of the narrative, drawing players into the somber and perilous realm they must navigate.”
- “Ravenswatch features a rich, hand-drawn art style that gives the world a dark and mystical vibe, perfectly suited to its mythological setting.”
- “The graphics are okay for the genre.”
- “Even though the visuals change a bit as you go between levels, each of them have the same feel: grayish, dusty, and largely uninteresting backdrops for the fighting.”
- “The maps are procedural but the art style doesn't change, nor do the biomes, so the maps just feel the same despite being procedural.”
story
517 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
73%
7%
The game's story is described as minimal and often lacking depth, with many players expressing a desire for more narrative content and variety in quests. While the character backstories and the dark fairy tale aesthetic are appreciated, the repetitive nature of quests and the limited number of maps detract from the overall experience. Many reviewers hope for future updates to expand the story and introduce new quests, bosses, and environments to enhance engagement.
- “The story unfolds gradually through immersive dialogue, environmental storytelling, and mysterious quests that encourage exploration and discovery.”
- “The game is a refreshing new take on a 'hack and slash' genre where the story, the characters, and the style merge into a great experience of gameplay.”
- “The story and flavor are really nice, grimdark fairytale reimaginings with a really nice art style.”
- “The game looks good, plays good, has a good soundtrack and good level design... but the developers spent (and apparently keep spending) too much time on characters rather than making an actual story for the game.”
- “There's almost no story involved with this game.”
- “The story could be more fleshed out and generally more existent and the grimoire as well as the side-quests are way too hard and mostly unbeatable.”
replayability
347 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
54%
4%
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players praising the variety of characters, builds, and the challenge they provide, which keeps runs feeling fresh. However, some reviewers express concerns about the limited content and repetitive nature of the maps and bosses, suggesting that while there is potential for high replay value, it may not be fully realized without additional content updates. Many players enjoy the game for its engaging mechanics and co-op experience, indicating that it can be highly replayable, especially with friends.
- “The diverse cast of characters, each with unique builds and mechanics, adds strong replayability and delivers a deeply strategic combat experience.”
- “Ravenswatch is a gorgeous, high-energy roguelike that is difficult, punishing, and endlessly replayable.”
- “With its high replay value, you'll find yourself playing Ravenswatch over and over again, discovering new strategies and unlocking new content with each playthrough.”
- “The gameplay is pretty solid with a decent gameplay loop, but that loop is finished within a couple of hours at absolute most, and then you're just repeating the exact same thing over and over with different characters that offer minimal replay value.”
- “There's not very much replayability in my opinion because there's no 'roguelite' progression.”
- “The game just has very little changing between runs, which just doesn't give you the replayability you would expect from a roguelike.”
music
303 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
36%
2%
The music in "Ravenswatch" has received widespread acclaim for its exceptional quality and ability to enhance the game's atmosphere, with many reviewers praising its haunting melodies and dynamic compositions that adapt to gameplay events. The soundtrack is described as immersive and fitting, contributing significantly to the dark fantasy theme, while some players express a desire for a standalone release of the soundtrack due to its memorable nature. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, elevating the gaming experience and complementing the visuals and gameplay effectively.
- “The music is spectacular, as well.”
- “The art style is gorgeous, and the soundtrack perfectly complements the dark fantasy vibe.”
- “The soundtrack further enhances the game’s atmosphere, with an epic score that complements the intensity of the battles.”
- “The music will drive you mad with its telegraphed ostinatos all over.”
- “I'm taking off one star because I feel the music should pick up pace, or become more tense, as the fights get more chaotic or drastic.”
- “The music is alright but nothing I'd pay for to get the soundtrack, but it fits the dreary dark atmosphere.”
character development
132 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
41%
2%
The character development in the game is widely praised for its exceptional and diverse designs, which are both visually striking and thematically rich, often drawing inspiration from folklore and fairy tales. Players appreciate the unique playstyles and abilities associated with each character, contributing to a satisfying combat experience and high replayability. However, some reviews note a lack of long-term progression typical of roguelites, as character development primarily revolves around unlocking new traits and skins rather than significant power growth.
- “The character designs are definitely this game's strength; each is unique in design, theme, and play style, and learning each character and how to best chain their abilities makes for extremely fun combat.”
- “My personal favorite aspect of the game has to be the character designs, as they look interesting, are animated well, have unique and interesting voices/lines, and all complement their abilities perfectly.”
- “The character design is unique (even within the genre) and very good.”
- “The character designs and amount of variables and customizations are very limited.”
- “The single player game works well and seems to be fairly bug-free (single player), the downside is this just doesn't have the long-term character development of something like Hades; you level up long-term but only to unlock new trait options and skins, you never actually get more powerful in any noticeable permanent way, so it is very much a roguelike and not a roguelite.”
- “This game feels like playing Hades except with 90% less content and no story or character development.”
grinding
109 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
4%
94%
The grinding aspect of the game has received largely negative feedback, with players finding it excessively tedious and repetitive. Many reviewers expressed frustration over the slow character progression, limited map variety, and the need to repeatedly play the same levels to unlock abilities and upgrades, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. While some players appreciate the depth and potential for skill-based gameplay, the overwhelming consensus is that the grind feels more like a chore than a rewarding experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “Having to start from the same level every time you start a game just gets really tedious.”
- “I was hoping I would maybe unlock the ability to skip directly to the second or third level, as I find the first boss fight tedious, but no.”
- “The gameplay gets very repetitive if you're grinding out nightmare mode on a specific character.”
atmosphere
104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
72%
25%
3%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and beautifully crafted design, featuring a dark fairy tale aesthetic that enhances the narrative and gameplay experience. Players appreciate the haunting visuals, moody soundtrack, and engaging character interactions, although some express a desire for more variability in environments and enemies. Overall, the combination of art, sound, and storytelling creates a captivating and memorable atmosphere that draws players into its grim and enchanting world.
- “The atmosphere is enhanced by hauntingly beautiful visuals and a moody soundtrack that perfectly complements the grim tone of the narrative, drawing players into the somber and perilous realm they must navigate.”
- “The game's story and atmosphere are dark and engaging, and I loved the way the developers incorporated folk tales and legends into the game's world.”
- “The art style and animations are very reminiscent of 'Curse of the Dead Gods', featuring a moody yet warm and colorful atmosphere brought to life through cel-shading.”
- “I, like others, wish there was a bit more variability in atmosphere/enemies of the game.”
- “You can't enjoy the entourage and gameplay design, the atmosphere of a dark fairy tale, because the game is equipped with an unnecessary timer, which constantly forces you to grind instead of exploring.”
- “Map design reminded me a bit of D4 beta, it is grim, creepy and conveys a thrilling atmosphere.”
optimization
59 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
47%
14%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its smooth performance and solid frame rates, particularly on high-end systems and during multiplayer sessions. However, others have reported significant issues, especially in online modes and with larger parties, citing long load times and performance drops in high enemy count scenarios. Overall, while many find the game well-optimized, there are notable areas for improvement, particularly in multiplayer stability and solo play performance.
- “Extremely well optimized, rock solid 60 fps basically 100% of the time.”
- “Very good optimization, even when there's tons of enemies on screen.”
- “The game is technically quite light performance-wise, and has an interesting asymmetric balance between heroes, all of which are genuinely unique not only in appearances, but also in skills and gameplay.”
- “Like this game, but optimization should be improved, especially in online mode.”
- “Very poorly optimized, runs abhorrently poorly despite having low poly characters running in an ugly looking environment.”
- “This game is fraught with gameplay optimization issues.”
stability
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
73%
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many users reporting minor bugs and technical issues, particularly in multiplayer modes, such as matchmaking problems, frame drops, and occasional disconnects. While single-player experiences tend to run smoothly, the online co-op features are often described as buggy and prone to glitches, detracting from the overall enjoyment. Despite these issues, some players find the game fun and well-optimized, especially in offline modes.
- “Basically bug free early access that is fit to be a full game.”
- “What is available right now is of great quality and performs almost bug free.”
- “No crashes experienced, performance is great and no glitches.”
- “The matchmaking system is the worst: AFK players cancel game launches, buggy servers randomly remove you from the party, and there's an infinite starting screen.”
- “Multiplayer is a buggy mess.”
- “Still a buggy mess... don't waste your money.”
humor
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
97%
9%
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players enjoying the funny character interactions, witty dialogues, and amusing in-game barks that enhance the cooperative experience. Many find the humor particularly effective when playing with friends, leading to hilarious moments during gameplay, despite some criticism regarding the game's balance and difficulty. Overall, the blend of dark fairytale themes and comedic elements creates a uniquely entertaining atmosphere.
- “They're talking mid runs when you're playing with your friends, so it's fun to listen to some dialogues that are actually funny.”
- “Even things like the in-game barks at each other's characters are tailored to who they are interacting with, have a good amount of content written that isn't boring to hear or listen to and quite hilarious at times.”
- “Me and my friend were dodging and weaving and getting last second heals off while screaming/laughing our heads off in the final boss on the 2nd easiest difficulty.”
- “Don't get me wrong, I love difficult and challenging games, but this is to a point where it's unfunny and just suffering.”
- “The attempts at humor feel forced and often fall flat, making the experience more cringeworthy than entertaining.”
- “I expected some lighthearted moments, but the jokes are so stale that they detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
monetization
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
22%
57%
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn mixed reviews, with many players feeling misled by its advertising and criticizing the reliance on microtransactions and grinding to progress. While some appreciate the absence of annoying in-game purchases, others view the limited content and high price tag as indicative of a cash grab strategy, leading to concerns about the game's long-term value and updates. Overall, players express frustration over the balance between enjoyment and the perceived exploitation of their time and money.
- “No annoying microtransactions or in-game store.”
- “No microtransactions.”
- “There are no bs microtransactions.”
- “As much as I enjoy the genre and the general idea of the game, the trend of 'hey, here are a few stages that are almost impossible to clear unless you spend hours grinding and raising your stats' is starting to feel more and more like microtransactions and a way to keep players playing.”
- “The very limited amount of content doesn't warrant the game's current price tag of $25 plus a swathe of microtransactions.”
- “Shame because it plays well and looks great, but now it just comes off as a shallow cash grab that will have people grow bored immediately and move on to the next game.”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a mix of emotions regarding the game, highlighting its beautiful art style and heartwarming audio that evoke nostalgia and fond memories of childhood characters. While some moments resonate deeply, the overall gameplay lacks impactful milestones and character growth, leaving players feeling less powerful and engaged in their achievements. Despite these critiques, the emotional connection to the story and characters remains a strong point, with many recommending the game for its creative use of lore and wholesome moments.
- “This game really made me feel like incarnating these special characters from my childhood memories.”
- “Made me cry 10,000/10 would recommend :)”
- “I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the developers for creating such an incredible experience!”