The first thing that catches your eye when you step into the whimsical world of Ravenlok is its spectacular locations, fascinating forests and stupendous structures brought to life in vivid voxels. The second thing you’ll notice is just how approachable this magical landscape is, from the very first swing of your sword.
Ravenlok is brought to you by Cococumber, makers of Riverbond and Echo Generation. The game sees our young protagonist moving into a new house in the countryside with their parents. After discovering a mysterious old mirror nestled away in a barn, we’re transported to a fairytale world in turmoil. In this realm, you’re known as the titular hero Ravenlok, and it’s your job to save the world’s inhabitants from the clutches of an evil queen. But what’s truly lovely about Ravenlok’s adventure is that there’s plenty to do and beautiful areas to explore, but it can be done at a pace that suits every kind of player.
You can take challenging fights head-on with the skills you have available, or you can take your time and grind out some monsters in order to level up your strength. You can challenge bosses with just your trusty sword and shield, or you can explore the gorgeous locations to pick up gold and collectables to exchange for magic bombs that’ll aid you in battle.
Ravenlok’s joy is in its approachability. It’s not here to test your limits and have you button-mashing your controller into dust, but rather present an exciting fairytale journey that’ll be familiar to seasoned adventurers, but accessible to those who may be unfamiliar. It almost serves as a gateway adventure game, a welcoming intro to a classic genre – the Alice in Wonderland -inspired setting is reminiscent of a story you’ve heard before, but there are plenty of unique characters and monsters to make it feel like a brand-new quest.
Light puzzles will stand in your way occasionally, but much like the combat, they don’t seek to overwhelm you. You’ll need to keep your eyes peeled for clues to solve them. Some avenues of progression are less obvious than others, so ensure you’re exploring every possible nook for secrets and objects relating to other quests.
You’ll explore the dense, neon-soaked Mushroom Forest, before adventuring into the whimsical Masked Mansion and the vibrant Greenhouse, among plenty of other dazzling environments full of secrets to discover. Ravenlok’s voxel art makes for a unique, stylised landscape without limitations. These wonderful, hand-crafted environments are truly a joy to spend time in, and none of them outstay their welcome.
Ravenlok is a tightly packaged, approachable adventure that is filled with whimsy and charm at every turn, built for both genre fans and those making their very first jump into a fantasy action–RPG. Get ready to take on the queen and save the kingdom from uncertainty when Ravenlok launches on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Xbox Game Pass on May 4th.