A Roguelike Packed with Hidden Depths

The roguelike genre has seen a surge in popularity over the past few years, bringing with it a slew of new games—some better than others. The key ingredients to a successful roguelike are elements like rewarding progression, engaging gameplay, meaningful upgrades, and that addictive “just one more run” pull. Perfecting this formula isn’t easy, but when done right, it can create a standout experience. Passtech Games seemed to have hit the mark with their previous effort, Curse of the Dead Gods, and they’re back at it with Ravenswatch. Despite a few tweaks needed in balancing, Ravenswatch emerges as one of this year’s top offerings in the genre, now accessible beyond just PC.

Ravenswatch made its debut on PC via Early Access back in April 2023 and was met positively on Steam. By September, the game had reached its full release, having benefited from almost 18 months of refinement, including numerous updates and the addition of new characters. Now, it’s stepping onto the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S stage, arguably in its finest form yet. This transition brings players an exciting journey through the imaginative world of Reverie, driven by a diverse and intriguing cast of characters. Although Ravenswatch may not quite rival Hades—its apparent muse—it offers a fairy tale setting with enough allure to keep co-op roguelike enthusiasts thoroughly entertained.

The heart of a great roguelike often lies in a captivating story that underpins its gameplay loops, and Ravenswatch delivers in this regard. Set in the ethereal realm of Reverie, where fictional characters coexist, the story unfolds as Lovecraftian Nightmares threaten this mythical land. These monstrous entities twist and warp Reverie, demanding the intervention of the legendary Ravenswatch heroes to stave off utter annihilation.

With this setup, Passtech Games unfolds their creative prowess by presenting an array of heroes, each complete with a unique skillset. Initially, players can dive into the game with four initial champions: Scarlet, a twist on Red Riding Hood mixed with the Big Bad Wolf; Beowulf; the Snow Queen; and the Pied Piper. Each character offers a distinctive combat experience, akin to games like Diablo, where timing and maneuvering through cooldowns become critical. Over the months, five additional heroes joined the roster, offering even more variety. Unlocking these characters typically involves completing the first chapter with another hero, and the process of discovering each one’s talents and matching them to your playstyle is part of the enjoyment, even if not every choice resonates completely with every player.

Each hero begins with a foundational set of abilities: a regular attack alongside four special actions—Defense, Special, Power, and Trait. As players progress, they can enhance these abilities by leveling up or purchasing upgrades using Dream Shards. Unlike Passtech’s previous title, Curse of the Dead Gods, upgrades in Ravenswatch are retained throughout each session’s entirety. This mechanic ensures that as you reach the final stages and face the boss, your character is significantly more formidable than at the venture’s start.

Ravenswatch emphasizes defeating foes and bolstering your heroes, but it’s the distinct abilities of each hero that drive the game’s replayability. Players will naturally gravitate towards favorites; for instance, Scarlet stands out for her ability to morph into the Big Bad Wolf at night, wielding an entirely different set of skills. Sun Wukong is another fascinating choice, offering a balance between defense and attack that can lead to potent combinations if you navigate the game’s RNG well.

Ravenswatch consistently offers new incentives for returning fans, whether you’ve found your ideal hero or relish the challenge of mastering others. Its availability for solo and co-op play only adds layers to the strategic combinations available, as players discover synergies between different heroes’ abilities.

However, while Ravenswatch provides a refreshing approach to each gameplay session, its balance and difficulty can feel off at times. Roguelikes are meant to challenge players by offering incremental strength gains across repeated failed attempts. Yet, the introduction of co-op play presents balance hurdles that Ravenswatch struggles to overcome.

Players can tap into a shared pool of six Raven Feathers, allowing resurrection during runs. While this feature is usually absent in roguelikes, enabling progress even after death is a welcomed change. However, it causes a shift in balance—enemies become overly durable to counterbalance the resurrection mechanic. In solo mode, bosses become particularly troublesome, exacerbating these issues, especially when one misstep can unravel a promising run.

Thankfully, Ravenswatch compensates with robust meta progression, encouraging players to keep pushing through its challenges. The meta is filled with enticing upgrades, gradually making each playthrough slightly more survivable, even if this improvement sometimes feels slow.

With nine heroes, each boasting ten or more unlockable talents and over fifty different Magical Objects to collect, Ravenswatch stands as one of the most replayable action roguelikes currently available. Its diversity and engaging combat elevate the game, enticing players to return time and again. Every run offers potential for unique experiences and combinations, keeping the gameplay fresh.

I devoted about 25 hours to playing Ravenswatch on PlayStation 5 as part of this review. During that time, I unlocked all the playable heroes and reached Rank 4 with each, though I’ve yet to conquer the final boss. Several Magical Objects remain undiscovered, along with talents for various heroes, promising many more hours of gameplay to fully explore its depths.

While Ravenswatch might not hook players with a story as compelling as others in its genre, like Hades, it highlights its combat mechanics. Its engaging gameplay and extensive upgrade options attracted genre fans to Passtech’s previous title and apparently remain a draw in this offering. Ravenswatch improves on its predecessor’s formula with stunning cel-shaded graphics and vibrant animations. Some balance tweaks are still needed, but overall, Ravenswatch is a noteworthy addition to the roguelike genre’s ever-expanding landscape.