Ritual of Raven

About

Ritual of Raven is a single player casual simulation game. It was developed by Spellgarden Games and was released on August 7, 2025. It received very positive reviews from players.

Ritual of Raven is a cozy, story-driven farming sim where you enchant Arcana Constructs to grow a magical herb garden instead of farming directly. After falling through a chaotic portal, you apprentice under a witch to find her missing Familiar and stabilize unstable portals. With your clever Familiar Raven, you perform rituals to restore balance in a world of intertwined magics.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 158 reviews

story58 positive mentions

grinding84 negative mentions

The game features a unique and engaging programming mechanic for farming, allowing players to automate tasks in a fun and creative way.
The art style is beautiful and charming, contributing to a cozy atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
The story is well-written and engaging, with interesting characters and a whimsical setting that keeps players invested.

The user interface can be cumbersome and unintuitive, leading to frustration when navigating menus and managing inventory.
There are several quality-of-life issues, such as the inability to save mid-day and the lack of clear instructions for complex tasks, which can detract from the gameplay experience.
Some players have reported bugs and glitches that can disrupt progress, including issues with saving and quest tracking.

story
141 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
56%
3%
The game's story is generally well-received, characterized as engaging, cute, and rich with character development, though some players find it occasionally tedious due to lengthy quests and dialogue. The unique blend of farming mechanics with a narrative focus adds depth, but some feel that the quest structure can lead to frustration when progress is hindered by multi-step requirements. Overall, players appreciate the charming art style and the heartfelt themes of friendship and self-expression woven throughout the storyline.
- “The story is actually interesting and worth taking note of, unlike other games where you don't care for it.”
- “The story is very rich and the art style is gorgeous.”
- “I adored the story and every NPC has a character arc.”
- “I understand that there's only so much content the developers can make, it's just that being left with only one main quest feels bad when the quest is tedious.”
- “The quests and story also lagged a bit, so sometimes there wasn't much to do but wait around for things to complete.”
- “If you are a very organized person and/or have OCD tendencies, are looking for more mature and layered storytelling, or expect seamless gameplay and quality of life, I would give this one a pass.”
grinding
84 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews highlight a unique blend of farming and automation in this cozy game, where players program constructs to handle farming tasks, which can alleviate some of the traditional grind associated with farming sims. However, many players found the gameplay to become tedious over time, particularly due to the lack of depth and quality-of-life improvements, leading to a grindy experience with minimal rewards. While the game's charm and aesthetic are praised, those seeking a more engaging farming experience may find it lacking.
- “This game really needs a lot of quality of life improvements to make it less tedious; if you're going to find yourself super frustrated with that, I don't recommend.”
- “I think this game has a ton of charm, but a severe lack of quality of life turns what should be a relaxed-paced game into a tedious slog much of the time.”
- “It got very grindy at the end - I was doing program-sleep-program-sleep cycles to move it faster.”
gameplay
66 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
53%
5%
The gameplay is characterized by a unique blend of farming mechanics, programming constructs, and engaging quests, offering a cozy and charming experience. While many players appreciate the innovative mechanics and character development, some express concerns about the heavy focus on farming and the need for clearer tutorials. Overall, the game is recommended for fans of the genre seeking a fresh take on familiar gameplay elements, though it may not appeal to those looking for a purely gameplay-driven experience.
- “This game is an incredibly cute and goofy not-quite-farming sim with several entirely unique mechanics and a gorgeous vibrant art style.”
- “The actual gameplay portion is great, super unique and fun to puzzle through and iterate with.”
- “Its incredible optimization and gameplay mechanics—relaxing yet entertaining, where you can program your arcane robots to help you with the farm—impressed me, especially compared to other games where every action feels like solving a puzzle.”
- “This process makes up at least 90% of the gameplay.”
- “If you are a very organized person and/or have OCD tendencies, are looking for more mature and layered storytelling, or expect seamless gameplay and quality of life, I would give this one a pass.”
- “Even with all the tutorials, some mechanics of the game, like certain plants having multiple stages of growth, are not explained at all.”
graphics
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
24%
8%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their vibrant, adorable art style and charming pixel graphics, which enhance the overall aesthetic and immersion. Many players appreciate the unique and cozy visuals, although some have noted issues with color choices that can hinder visibility. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's appeal, complementing its rich story and engaging gameplay.
- “The graphics are extremely adorable and it is very story rich; it’s the first time I’ve really enjoyed reading dialogue and getting immersed into a story, and the characters are so unique and extremely cute!”
- “This game combines everything I love: cute, bright hand-drawn pixel graphics, farming, programming, and witchy stuff!”
- “The art style is so gorgeous; I love the tarot card/farming mechanic, and the personalized gifts for each character were so cute.”
- “Cards to move... nope... boring and a shame because I really like the graphics and storyline it states in the description. I knew about the cards but did not think it would be an issue. I like some card mixtures in games like these, but to use cards repetitively seems super annoying and just pointless. Sorry, just do not like that part at all.”
- “The graphics are cute, but the gameplay mechanics detract from the overall experience.”
- “While the art style is charming, the performance issues and lack of detail in certain areas make it hard to fully appreciate.”
emotional
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heartfelt story, charming characters, and cozy atmosphere, which evoke feelings of warmth and satisfaction. Players appreciate the blend of engaging gameplay mechanics with a wholesome narrative, often feeling a sense of relief and joy throughout their experience. Overall, the game successfully combines emotional depth with enjoyable gameplay, making it a delightful and memorable journey.
- “A heartfelt story meets thoughtful game design, resulting in 40 hours of fun.”
- “This felt super wholesome and charming!”
- “The automation is satisfying and the story absolutely wholesome.”
music
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
78%
22%
The music in the game is consistently praised for its calming and pleasant qualities, enhancing the overall cozy atmosphere. Reviewers highlight its ability to create a relaxing experience without becoming monotonous, complementing the game's charming art, engaging characters, and interesting mechanics. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a significant asset that contributes to the game's feel-good vibe.
- “The art is amazing, the music is calming, and it's just an all-around feel-good game.”
- “The music is really nice too, it’s calm and balanced enough to make the experience relaxing without ever feeling boring.”
- “And the music throughout this game has been a blessing to my ears; I've always preferred games that help me relax, so Ritual of Raven was perfect!”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
Overall, the game's optimization is highly praised, with smooth performance on both Steam Deck and desktop, minimal loading screens, and effective gameplay mechanics. However, some users noted challenges with the UI on the Steam Deck, and while the game isn't specifically designed for optimization, it still offers a satisfying experience.
- “The story is interesting, I like the graphics, and it runs smoothly on both my deck and my desktop.”
- “It's also very well optimized; there's practically no loading screens.”
- “Its incredible optimization and gameplay mechanics—relaxing yet entertaining, where you can program your arcane robots to help you with the farm—impressed me, especially compared to other games where every action feels like solving a puzzle.”
- “I found the UI a little challenging to efficiently use on the Steam Deck, but performance-wise, there are no issues.”
- “I got really into experimenting with the farming system, even though the game isn't really set up for optimization.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is marred by various bugs, including glitchy cutscenes, random freezes upon startup, and issues with item visibility tied to quest progression. Players also report controller glitches on PC, although the game performs better on the Steam Deck. Overall, these stability issues can hinder gameplay and progress.
- “When I boot up the game, I'm taken to a random cutscene that glitches out and freezes.”
- “Some strange controller glitches on PC, but it works well on Steam Deck - I assume this will be fixed soon though.”
- “Never mind, it still is buggy in the pause menu and when shopping.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The game's humor is well-received, featuring decent jokes and pop culture references that strike a balance between being funny and not overly cringey. Players appreciate the combination of amusing yet touching dialogue, alongside quirky characters and engaging gameplay, contributing to an overall charming experience.
- “Beautiful game with great music and ambient sounds, easy controls, funny but at times touching dialogue, and an actually interesting core mechanic!”
- “A very cute game with funky characters, fun gameplay, and a dash of humor.”
- “Decent humor and pop culture references.”
- “It's funny, while never being cringey or too much.”
- “The humor falls flat and often feels forced.”
- “I expected more laughs, but the jokes just didn't land.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the game is praised for its flexibility, allowing for rich backstories and motivations, complemented by well-written dialogue. Players appreciate the gradual unveiling of new features that enhance character growth, set against visually stunning environments.
- “The plot gave the characters real flexibility in terms of backstories, motivations, character designs, etc., which I found refreshing.”
- “Well-written dialogues and great character development.”
- “It's got great character development, with a constant slow drip of new exciting features that unlock gradually as you play, set against gorgeous, vivid environments.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
100%
Players note that the game has limited replayability after achieving 100%, with one reviewer completing it in under 32 hours. Despite this, there is a strong desire to relive the initial experience, suggesting that the game's charm may encourage players to revisit it for speedruns or personal challenges.
- “Despite its arguable 'un-replayability,' I would love nothing more than to experience the game for the first time again. I might even see how fast I can complete it this time, haha.”
- “I'd say my only complaints are that there are some very minor bugs still, and that there is little to no replayability after 100%-ing the game, which took me under 32 hours but I decorated a lot.”
- “Despite its arguable 'un-replayability', I would love nothing more than to experience the game for the first time again; I might even see how fast I can complete it this time, haha.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is praised for its cozy witch theme, vibrant colors, and engaging storyline, creating a wholesome and immersive experience. Players appreciate the well-designed characters, art, and music, contributing to an overall enchanting ambiance.
- “I love the cozy witch atmosphere and the vibrant colors, the wholesome storyline, the unexpected programming, and the clear objectives.”
- “Almost 4 hours in and I absolutely love the atmosphere, characters, art, and music.”