A Deeply Complex Roguelike Adventure

Roguelike games have been on a roll lately, and that’s led to a surge of new titles trying to carve out a spot in this popular genre. Players know what makes a stellar roguelike: it’s about smooth character growth, engaging gameplay that keeps you on your toes, and upgrades that truly make a difference, all of which contribute to that relentless urge to play ‘just one more run’. But the magical mix that makes the best roguelikes shine isn’t easily achieved. Passtech Games captured this balance remarkably well in their earlier game, Curse of the Dead Gods, and now they’re trying their hand again with Ravenswatch. Despite a few balance issues, Ravenswatch turns out to be one of the standout roguelikes this year, and it’s finally available beyond just PC.

Ravenswatch initially entered the gaming world through Early Access on PC in April 2023, receiving a warm welcome on Steam. After about 18 months of steady updates and growth, the full version rolled out in September. Following its success on PC, Ravenswatch is now making its way to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, showcasing its best version yet. The game invites players into the mesmerizing dreamscape of Reverie with a diverse lineup of heroes, each offering its adventure. While it might not entirely match the brilliance of Hades or its upcoming sequel, Hades 2, Ravenswatch brings a fresh take on co-op roguelikes within an enchanting fairy tale universe.

Ravenswatch owes much of its charm to its pool of playable characters. Much like the best roguelikes, it has a narrative framework that enriches its core gameplay loop. In the ethereal realm of Reverie, where fiction’s iconic figures reside, Lovecraftian “Nightmares” have started to corrupt this once-peaceful land. In response, the Ravenswatch—a band of legendary heroes from across fictional universes—rises to defend Reverie against this nightmarish takeover.

This premise opens the door for Passtech Games to unleash their creativity in designing compelling heroes. Players start with an intriguing lineup: Scarlet, a unique fusion of Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf, Beowulf, the Snow Queen, and the Pied Piper. Each hero comes with distinct combat mechanics and abilities reminiscent of Diablo, where attacks, dodges, and cooldown management demand strategic mastery. As you progress, five more heroes become available, each introduced during the game’s Early Access phase. Unlocking them is generally straightforward, often requiring players to complete the first chapter with another hero. Experimenting with different heroes is part of the excitement, as even the less intuitive options can surprise you with their strengths.

No matter which hero you choose for a particular run, they all come with a basic set of abilities. Besides your standard attack, you have four key actions to utilize: Defense, Special, Power, and Trait. These abilities can get buffs and enhancements through leveling up or buying upgrades using Ravenswatch’s Dream Shards. A significant element that sets Ravenswatch apart from Curse of the Dead Gods is that these upgrades stick for the entirety of a run. Therefore, skilled or fortunate players who reach the final stage and face the boss do so with a markedly stronger character than they started with.

The gameplay in Ravenswatch revolves around defeating foes and enhancing your heroes. Yet, it’s each hero’s unique abilities that make the game endlessly replayable. Naturally, not all heroes are equal, and players will gravitate toward their favorites. Scarlet shines as a standout hero with her night-time transformation into the Big Bad Wolf, unlocking new abilities. Another favorite is Sun Wukong, whose shifting Yin and Yang abilities can significantly enhance defense or attack, depending on the game’s random rolls.

Ravenswatch offers countless hours of play, even if you think you’ve mastered it with a hero that fits your style perfectly. Passtech Games excels at ensuring every hero has the potential to keep surprising you. Playing in both solo and co-op modes expands the possibilities in each run, particularly as players uncover how certain heroes can synergize with others.

While Ravenswatch provides many avenues to tackle each run creatively, the game does hit a bump regarding balance and difficulty. Roguelikes are meant to be challenging, encouraging players to die, grow stronger, and try again. However, Ravenswatch’s cooperative play adds another layer of complexity.

Whether you’re flying solo or teaming up with friends, Ravenswatch provides a shared pool of 6 Raven Feathers to revive yourself when needed. It’s uncommon for roguelikes to allow progression after death, so having resurrection available in solo mode is a pleasant surprise. Yet, these resurrections come at a price. To balance this mechanic, Ravenswatch features enemies that are quite sturdy and can endure a significant amount of damage, counterbalancing the player’s advantage. Curiously, this balance doesn’t improve much in co-op play. The game’s enemies increase in both number and toughness, presenting similar challenges, often exacerbated in a group setting.

Regular foes aside, it’s the stage-ending Nightmare bosses where Ravenswatch’s balance issues become glaringly clear. Solo players might find their progress thwarted by a single unfortunate boss encounter, suffering from a mix of poor luck or minor errors. Despite this, the game offers an impressive array of upgrades that add a layer of meta progression, gradually empowering players to face Ravenswatch’s challenges, albeit slowly at times.

Ravenswatch presents nine unique heroes, each with over 10 unlockable talents that enhance the strategic depth of each run. Coupled with more than 50 Magical Objects with varying rarities and game-changing consumables, Ravenswatch emerges as one of this year’s most replayable action roguelikes. This sheer variety, along with its dynamic combat, is likely what’s going to keep players hooked.

During my review time on the PS5, I logged around 25 hours trying different strategies and getting a feel for each character. I managed to unlock every hero and reach Rank 4 with them, even if the final boss remains unconquered—for now. There’s still a wealth of Magical Objects to discover and numerous hero talents to unlock, proving Ravenswatch’s considerable replay value.

While its storytelling isn’t as gripping as some, like Hades, Ravenswatch firmly centers its appeal on intense combat. The game shines in the moment-to-moment gameplay and the wide array of upgrades and modifiers. This was the unexpected success of Passtech’s previous title, Curse of the Dead Gods, and Ravenswatch builds upon that, enhanced by Passtech’s signature cel-shaded visuals and vibrant animations. Though balance and difficulty might need tweaking, Ravenswatch stands as a solid offering in the ever-expanding realm of action roguelikes.