Ravenswatch

87%
Game Brain Score Based on 5,951 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
Ravenswatch Game Cover
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
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"Ravenswatch is a co-op roguelike action game where players take on the roles of legendary heroes, such as Little Red Riding Hood and Sun Wukong, to defeat nightmarish creatures and save the world of dreams. With 9 unique characters, each with their own abilities and playstyles, players can team up with friends for an addictive, replayable game experience. The Nightmare threatens to corrupt the world, and it's up to the Ravenswatch to restore balance."

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

87%
Audience ScoreBased on 5,951 reviews
gameplay631 positive mentions
grinding66 negative mentions
  • Fluid and crisp combat that rewards skill expression.
  • Unique characters with diverse playstyles and interesting abilities.
  • Challenging gameplay that encourages teamwork and strategy.
  • Lack of content with only three maps and limited enemy variety.
  • Multiplayer scaling makes the game significantly harder, often leading to frustrating experiences.
  • Progression feels slow and grindy, with little meta progression to keep players engaged.
  • gameplay1,356 mentions

    The gameplay of Ravenswatch has received a mix of praise and criticism, highlighting its engaging mechanics, unique character abilities, and smooth controls. Players appreciate the variety in gameplay styles across different characters and the strategic elements introduced by the time limit and day/night cycle, which add depth to the experience. However, many reviews also point out the current lack of content, repetitive gameplay, and some frustrating mechanics, suggesting that while the foundation is solid, the game needs more variety and polish to fully realize its potential.

    • “The gameplay is tight, the characters are interesting, and the build variety is great fun.”
    • “Mastering optimal map pathing, execution-intensive combat, surprisingly nuanced character skills, and lots of experimenting with item/talent synergies creates a challenging and engaging gameplay loop.”
    • “The gameplay is smooth and responsive, and the variety in characters and skills is pretty solid.”
    • “Mid gameplay, same 3 levels, same 3 bosses, character progression sucks abysmally, items are bad, talents are bad.”
    • “The gameplay feels skillful with tons of variety between the characters, who have some of the most creative movesets and mechanics I've ever seen.”
    • “The gameplay loop is just comprised of running from objective to objective and there aren't a lot of factors that make each run feel very different from each other.”
  • graphics522 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their beautiful and unique art style, which effectively captures a dark fairy-tale aesthetic. Players appreciate the stunning visuals, fluid animations, and immersive atmosphere that enhance the overall gameplay experience. While some critiques mention a lack of variety in environments, the overall presentation is considered top-notch, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.

    • “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 stunning, featuring beautifully designed environments and character designs that bring the world to life.”
    • “The art style is fantastic and charming, the animations are unique and flashy, and the characters are varied and fun.”
    • “A lot of people seem to like the art style, but to me it looks like a flash game.”
    • “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.”
    • “The aesthetic is cheap and ugly; I understand it is intentional, but it's really just cheap.”
  • story342 mentions

    The game's story is a blend of dark, twisted fairy tales featuring unique characters, each with their own backstories that unfold gradually. While the art style and voice acting are praised, many players feel the narrative lacks depth and cohesion, with repetitive quests and limited variety in bosses and locations. Overall, while the storytelling elements are engaging, there is a strong desire for more content and a more interconnected narrative to enhance the experience.

    • “Each hero’s backstory is tied to the larger story of the nightmare’s invasion, and uncovering these tales as you progress adds an extra layer of immersion.”
    • “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.”
    • “An amazing co-op ARPG game, with beautiful storybook-inspired artistry, with amazing gritty takes on well-known and some not-so-well-known fairy tales and fables.”
    • “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.”
    • “Each individual character has a story that you learn more about as you progress through the game and some of them are really interesting, but none of it comes together in any meaningful way.”
    • “The game is mechanically far along, but missing some UI tweaks, story, tooltips, skill unlocks, map variation, boss variation, less grinding, better difficulty modifiers, and more that will make the game feel much fuller.”
  • replayability242 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players praising the variety of characters and unique playstyles that enhance replay value, while others criticize the limited content and repetitive gameplay after multiple runs. Overall, it offers a solid foundation for replayability, particularly in co-op mode, but many reviewers express a desire for more content and variety to sustain long-term engagement. As it stands, the game has potential for high replayability, especially with future updates planned to expand its offerings.

    • “The skills and talents of each character, along with the RNG, make the game extremely replayable.”
    • “The beautiful art design, immersive atmosphere, and variety of heroes add depth and replayability to the game, ensuring that each playthrough feels unique.”
    • “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 game just has very little changing between runs, which just doesn't give you the replayability you would expect from a roguelike.”
    • “- no replay value; if you beat the game once, there is no reason to go back, no builds to try out, no new enemies, nothing.”
    • “Currently only 1 level available; while it does have some replayability, doing the same level/boss over and over might cut the fun for most people.”
  • music230 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its immersive and dynamic qualities, enhancing the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, with compositions that range from epic battle themes to haunting melodies, effectively complementing the game's dark fairy tale aesthetic. Many players express a desire for the soundtrack to be released separately, indicating its memorable and engaging nature.

    • “The soundtrack is also fantastic, and the dynamic music really adds to the gameplay.”
    • “The music stands out as atmospheric and fitting for the setting.”
    • “The atmosphere is simply mesmerizing, and the soundtrack is something special.”
    • “The music is alright but nothing I'd pay for to get the soundtrack, but it fits the dreary dark atmosphere.”
    • “The music is quite subtle, nothing too crazy as the game seems to focus more on gameplay sound.”
    • “Soundtrack could use some work too.”
  • character development97 mentions

    Character development in the game is highlighted by its exceptional character design, with each hero uniquely embodying their mythological backgrounds and offering diverse playstyles. While the character designs are praised for their creativity and detail, some reviews note a lack of long-term progression, as players primarily unlock new traits and skins without significant power growth. Overall, the character design is considered a standout feature, contributing to the game's replayability and engaging combat, despite some critiques regarding the depth of character development compared to other titles in the genre.

    • “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 designs are fantastic, very evocative of the fairy tales they represent and extremely varied.”
    • “The single player game works well and seems to be fairly bug-free, but 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 rogue-like and not a rogue-lite.”
    • “This game feels like playing Hades except with 90% less content and no story or character development.”
    • “But for now, Ravenswatch is missing the spiraling rabbit hole of random, complex character development that roguelike staples have given us.”
  • atmosphere83 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and beautifully crafted environments, enhanced by a fitting soundtrack that complements the gameplay. Players appreciate the unique art style, which draws inspiration from folk tales and dark fantasy, creating a captivating and eerie ambiance. Overall, the combination of visuals, sound, and design contributes to a rich and engaging atmosphere that keeps players invested.

    • “The environments are beautifully crafted, from ancient ruins to eerie forests, each area is meticulously designed to create an immersive atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere of the game is mesmerizing.”
    • “The sound design is also top-notch, with a hauntingly beautiful score that enhances the game's atmosphere and immerses the player even further into the game's world.”
    • “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.”
    • “The music is alright but nothing I'd pay for to get the soundtrack, but it fits the dreary dark atmosphere.”
  • grinding71 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it excessively tedious and repetitive due to limited content and slow character progression. While some appreciate the variety of builds and talents available, the overall experience is marred by long run times and a lack of meaningful rewards, leading to frustration rather than enjoyment. Players suggest that faster rewards and more engaging content could alleviate the grind, but currently, it detracts from the overall gameplay experience.

    • “It can be a bit grindy sometimes, but the rewards make it worth it.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding, but the sense of achievement is incredible.”
    • “The grinding aspect can feel overwhelming at times, yet it adds depth to the gameplay.”
    • “This wouldn't be so bad if the gameplay wasn't so tedious because of the lack of content.”
    • “The rest is grinding for unlocks that may somewhat change the replay experience, but won't fundamentally alter the feel of the game that you get from the beginning.”
    • “It's a decent title to add to the genre, but the relatively low variety, few stages, and excessively grindy unlocks (given the short game) keep it from being top-notch.”
  • optimization48 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while many players report smooth performance and good stability across various hardware, particularly on mid-range systems and the Steam Deck, others experience significant issues, especially in co-op play with high enemy counts. Some users appreciate the game's potential for optimization in gameplay and routing, but there are notable complaints about long loading times and performance drops in certain scenarios. Despite these inconsistencies, many find the combat and character uniqueness rewarding, suggesting that optimization remains a key area for improvement.

    • “But it has great combat; knowledge and optimization are heavily rewarded.”
    • “Performance is very well optimized; the Steam Deck runs at 60fps without any problems.”
    • “While the game has limited content, what is present is extremely polished, with very few glitches, incredible optimization, and highly satisfying gameplay that controls really well.”
    • “Very poorly optimized.”
    • “This game is fraught with gameplay optimization issues.”
    • “The performance is a little bumpy at points, mainly in coop where the enemy count scales quite high; even on my high-end machine, the game suddenly seems to tank down from 144 fps to 40/50 fps.”
  • stability29 mentions

    The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many users reporting significant bugs, particularly in multiplayer modes, including issues with matchmaking, desyncing, and connection failures. While the single-player experience is generally stable and well-optimized, the overall multiplayer experience is marred by frequent glitches and performance problems. Some players find the game enjoyable despite these issues, but many express frustration with the current state of the co-op functionality.

    • “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.”
    • “Worst matchmaking system: AFK players cancel game launch, buggy server randomly removes you from party, infinite starting screen.”
    • “Buggy, unfinished mess.”
    • “Still a buggy mess... don't waste your $$.”
  • humor21 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised, with players enjoying its dark, twisted-fairytale art style and comedic elements, especially when playing with friends. Many find the interactions and character quirks, such as the "funny rat man" and "monkey man," to be highlights that enhance the cooperative experience, leading to laughter even amidst challenging gameplay. However, some players note that the humor can be overshadowed by the game's difficulty, which may lead to frustration rather than fun.

    • “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.”
    • “Dark, twisted-fairytale art style sets an interesting mood, so despite the inherently cartoonish-looking graphics, this flowing adventure feels immersive, with all the little funny details - like, when you are doing a quest in the first chapter, it is not that you are saving random peasants from random horrors, you are basically reenacting 'Three Little Pigs', collecting straw or stone for the house, and then defending it (with the house-owning pig being unapologetically eaten by attacking mutated zombie brethren if you fail).”
    • “You're gonna troll each other but it'll be hilarious.”
    • “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 tedious than entertaining.”
    • “I expected some lighthearted moments, but instead, the jokes are cringeworthy and detract from the overall enjoyment.”
  • monetization9 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, with users expressing concerns over the reliance on paid DLC and microtransactions, which detracts from the overall experience. Many reviewers long for a return to games that prioritize player enjoyment without intrusive monetization strategies, highlighting a preference for titles that offer complete experiences without additional costs. Overall, the sentiment suggests disappointment in the game's approach to monetization, leading to a perception of it as shallow and unsatisfying.

    • “No microtransactions.”
    • “I like games like older Diablos, Path of Exile, etc., but I don't want to deal with lots of weird microtransactions or having to watch a video with spreadsheets to make a character.”
    • “There are no BS microtransactions.”
    • “Wait until they get the paid DLC and cash grab out of their system.”
    • “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.”
    • “No content, it's a cash grab.”
  • emotional7 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game has received mixed feedback; while some players found it deeply moving and expressed gratitude for the experience, others felt a lack of significant achievements and character growth diminished their emotional engagement. The game's audio and visuals were praised for their heartwarming qualities, contributing positively to the overall experience.

    • “Made me cry 10,000/10 would recommend :)”
    • “I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the developers for creating such an incredible experience!”
    • “The audio and music is really heartwarming for anyone to listen to, and the struggle to level up makes this game really competitive!”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

74% average critic score

Buy Ravenswatch

Play time

14hMedian play time
42hAverage play time
5-50hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 61 analyzed playthroughs

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