Waiting For The Raven
- December 22, 2020
- Musclebird
Get on Steam"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.
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Reviews
- The game offers a unique blend of espionage and business management, providing an intriguing story and engaging gameplay mechanics.
- The atmosphere is immersive, with well-designed puzzles and a compelling narrative that keeps players invested.
- Despite its flaws, the game has a dedicated developer who is responsive to feedback and has made improvements over time.
- The user interface is cumbersome and poorly designed, making it difficult to manage agents and navigate the game effectively.
- The game is plagued by bugs and technical issues, which can significantly hinder the overall experience.
- Many players feel that the game lacks polish and depth, with some mechanics feeling unfinished or overly simplistic.
- story41 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as unique and engaging, blending elements of espionage and business management, though some players find it overly complex or slow to develop. While choices impact the narrative, many feel that character depth and memorability are lacking, and the gameplay can overshadow the story. Overall, the storytelling is praised for its immersive presentation and atmosphere, with strong narration enhancing the experience.
“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.”
“The story progresses into interesting places.”
“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.”
- gameplay34 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its complex mechanics and strategic depth, allowing player choices to significantly impact the story. However, many users find the user experience convoluted and the interface clunky, which can detract from enjoyment and make the game feel unpolished. Despite these issues, the game offers intriguing puzzle-solving elements and a unique deciphering mechanic that keeps players engaged, though it may require patience to fully grasp its intricacies.
“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.”
“The game’s mechanics are complex but fun - if you can figure them out.”
“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.”
“For a game that is so complex mechanically, the gameplay experience is hindered by the overall game design not being particularly intuitive and sometimes failing to provide adequate instructions on how to play.”
- graphics17 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players finding them acceptable and appreciating the art style, particularly in conveying a medieval ambiance. However, others feel that the visuals are not standout or impressive, suggesting that the gameplay and narrative quality outweigh the graphical shortcomings. Overall, while the graphics may not be the game's strongest aspect, they are deemed sufficient for an indie title, with some players expressing surprise at the quality given the game's development context.
“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.”
- music7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with users praising the soundtrack as "badass" and "fitting," though some find it not particularly memorable. Players appreciate the ability to adjust music intensity through wardrobe choices, and while the sound quality is good, there are suggestions for improving the user interface. Overall, the music enhances the gaming experience, despite some calls for more polish.
“The sound and music are great; 3D has its unique style.”
“+ fitting music”
“Similar to the art and graphics, the musical tracks are pleasing but not particularly noteworthy or memorable.”
“It is interesting though that you can change the music’s intensity by selecting different clothes in the wardrobe.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive qualities, effectively capturing a dark and mysterious tone that complements its espionage theme. Players appreciate the anticipation of jump scares and the engaging elements like deciphering puzzles, which enhance the overall experience. The minimal yet impactful atmosphere, combined with period-accurate narration, draws players into the game's 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.”
- replayability5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability through various scenarios, appealing to players who enjoy exploring different outcomes. However, it lacks some key features typical of grand strategy games that enhance replay value, making its overall replayability somewhat dependent on player achievements.
“Depending on that, the game could potentially gain or lose replay value.”
“For some players, achievements can create replay value.”
“There is a lot of replayability here, as well as different scenarios you can play.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game exhibits noticeable stability issues, with frequent bugs and a clunky feel that suggest it may be unfinished. However, the developer is responsive to feedback, which may help improve the experience over time. Players who can overlook these rough edges may still find enjoyment in the gameplay.
“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.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews on grinding in the game are mixed; while some players find the empire management tedious and overly grind-heavy, 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.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game effectively balances humor and horror, creating a unique atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
“Balances nicely between humor and horror.”
“The witty dialogue had me laughing out loud at unexpected moments.”
“The game's quirky characters and absurd situations kept the humor fresh and entertaining.”
