Waiting For The Raven

About

Waiting For The Raven is a single player strategy game. It was developed by Musclebird and was released on December 22, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Waiting for the Raven" is a hybrid first-person/top-down game where you become a master of spies, controlling the underworld and taking over the city. Use various tools such as treachery, espionage, abduction, and bribes to eliminate opponents, negotiate with characters, and solve puzzles. With multiple approaches available, players can choose their own path to become a cruel boss, cult leader, or secretive spymaster.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+11

Skip User Reviews

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 55 reviews

story6 positive mentions

atmosphere3 negative mentions

The game has a unique and engaging premise that combines espionage with management simulation, offering a mix of strategy and storytelling.
There are interesting puzzles and choices that impact the outcome of the story, providing a good level of replayability.
The atmosphere and voice acting are well done, immersing players in the game's dark and mysterious tone.

The user interface is cumbersome and poorly designed, making it difficult to manage multiple agents and navigate the game effectively.
The game is plagued by bugs and feels unfinished, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
Many players find the pacing slow and the gameplay shallow, with a lack of depth in the espionage mechanics.

story
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
65%
12%
The game's story is praised for its immersive and well-crafted narrative, with choices that significantly impact outcomes, enhancing player engagement. However, some players find the espionage elements overly simplified and the pacing slow, making it challenging to fully appreciate the plot on subsequent playthroughs. Overall, while the storytelling and atmosphere are commendable, the execution may leave some players feeling disconnected from the main narrative.
- “There are choices you can make that impact the outcome of the story, so anyone saying the gameplay is shallow likely hasn't even completed the first few missions.”
- “The narration makes it feel very immersive and the gloomy atmosphere really sets the mood for the period-accurate storyline.”
- “I love the story and the overall tone of the environment.”
- “It's supposed to be a story about espionage, but a lot of the time the 'espionage' is simplified to nothing more than a few values and button presses.”
- “As it is now, it's so story heavy I can't really get into it a second time, as every decision quickly forms a meta.”
- “Maybe I'm just not good at it, but I never figured out what the actual story was or who my character was when I had already become the city's largest drug dealer, smuggler, and casino magnate and was figuring out how to conquer everything I didn't own when I lost all enthusiasm.”
gameplay
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The gameplay is characterized by impactful choices that influence the story, alongside engaging mechanics and puzzle-solving elements that enhance the experience of running a spy ring. While some players find the interface clunky and the gameplay shallow, others appreciate the unique deciphering mechanics and the integration of story and gameplay. Overall, the game offers a mix of intriguing concepts and addictive elements, despite some bugs and a need for UI improvements.
- “There are choices you can make that impact the outcome of the story, so anyone saying the gameplay is shallow likely hasn't even completed the first few missions.”
- “Good spymaster game, with some very interesting mechanics and good puzzle solving that give you the feeling of running a spy ring.”
- “I am especially fond of the game's deciphering mechanic; I haven't seen something like that in recent games.”
- “The actual gameplay is very board-game-like where most of the action takes place conceptually through images and text prompts over a map.”
- “This is a horribly unpolished game with a clunky UI and shallow gameplay.”
- “The game makes no sense as a mystery or intrigue challenge; you're a thug taking over a city with a gang, and everything else is pretense that adds nothing to the gameplay.”
graphics
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
20%
30%
Overall, the graphics of the game received mixed reviews, with some players initially underestimating its visual quality due to its indie status. While some noted that the graphics are decent and even impressive for a solo developer, others felt that the gameplay and narrative elements overshadowed the visual aspect. Despite the varying opinions, many appreciated the art style and voice acting, suggesting that the game's strengths lie beyond its graphics.
- “Also of note is the quality of the narration and art style which I didn't expect in an indie game, let alone an early access one.”
- “Impressive game considering this comes from a solo dev, graphics are not bad at all, nice touch with the voice actors!”
- “Well done, story well written and the graphics are amazing.”
- “I thought this was another one of those cheap indie games, but what it lacks in graphics, it more than makes up for in gameplay.”
- “Forget the graphics, forget the price point, forget the audio, forget everything else.”
- “The graphics, screenshots, and the trailer didn't make me interested in this game, although the premise of the game made me a little curious.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive qualities, effectively enhancing the espionage theme with a dark and mysterious tone. Players appreciate the anticipation of jump scares and the engaging elements like reading letters and solving puzzles, all of which contribute to a period-accurate and gloomy ambiance that captivates the player. Overall, the minimal yet impactful atmosphere successfully draws players into its eerie world.
- “Even though it is rather minimal, the atmosphere managed to successfully immerse me in the dark and mysterious tone of the game.”
- “Prepare to dwell in the gloomy and misty atmosphere.”
- “The general atmosphere of the game fits so well with the espionage theme.”
- “The atmosphere is very well done, and I found myself anticipating jump scares with just how on edge some things can get you, and how immersed you can be as you read letters, decipher coded puzzles, and contemplate the next steps you'll take.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game exhibits noticeable stability issues, with users reporting frequent bugs and a sense of being unfinished. However, the developer is actively engaged with the community, addressing concerns and suggestions, which may enhance the experience for those willing to overlook the rough edges. Overall, while the game can be clunky and outdated, it still offers enjoyable gameplay for some players.
- “Game looks like an unfinished project; it's clunky, buggy, and outdated, making it hard to get any information about anything.”
- “It's buggy and feels unfinished, but it can be fun if you don't mind some very rough edges.”
- “The problems in the first session included some buggy UI display and issues with the strategy management part.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews on grinding in the game are mixed; while some players find the empire management tedious and overly grindy due to a poor user interface, others appreciate the progression system that keeps the experience engaging and offers continuous opportunities for research and investment.
- “But the terrible UI makes empire management tedious and boring.”
- “Most of the 'grand strategy' in this game consists of grinding.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
50%
The music in the game is widely praised for its impressive and engaging soundtrack, contributing to a unique auditory experience. While the sound design is well-received, some players note that the user interface could use improvement, which may require patience to fully appreciate the game's mechanics.
- “The sound and music are great; the 3D has its unique style.”
- “The music really enhances the overall experience of the game.”
- “The soundtrack is immersive and perfectly complements the gameplay.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
The game offers significant replayability, featuring various scenarios that encourage players to revisit and experience different outcomes.
- “There is a lot of replayability here, as well as different scenarios you can play.”
- “The game offers multiple paths and endings, making each playthrough feel unique.”
- “With various character choices and strategies, I find myself coming back for more.”
- “The game lacks meaningful choices, making replayability feel pointless.”
- “Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to play again.”
- “The limited variety in gameplay mechanics really diminishes the replay value.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game effectively balances humor and horror, creating a unique atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
- “Balances nicely between humor and horror.”