Ravenbound Review

thesixthaxis.com:

The Roguelike genre is now, unequivocally, a major part on the gaming landscape. The cyclical loop of progress and death wrapping its way around and around itself for hours on end seems to have captured all but the most stalwart of gaming hearts. The barrage of new releases that utilise the formula also seems unlikely to stop anytime soon. Ravenbound, the latest release from Systemic Reaction, aims to blend the sensibilities of a Roguelike with the exploration of an open world, all the while mixing in a dose of deckbuilding for good measure – this aspect another key tenet of modern games. This Nordic fantasy is hoping to blend those components into a new whole, and it’s combination that often works pleasingly well.

Ravenbound is set in the land of Ávalt, a kingdom that’s been corrupted at the hands of The Betrayer, an elder God who turned on their brethren. Originally, six gods watched over the land, providing peace and prosperity, at least, they did until the sixth of their number became twisted and evil, leaving behind the way of virtue and swapping it for the more seductive path of villainy and destruction.

The remaining Gods created a weapon that took the shape of an aven, designed to undo the malice of their lost sibling. However, in doing so they left themselves open to attack, and the Betrayer fell upon them, destroying them and casting the land into ruin. Since then, the Raven has been biding its time, waiting for a warrior who can draw upon its power.

That’s where you come in. And come in again. And then once or twice more. The Raven is searching for vessels to channel their power, each one of which comes with randomised attributes, the three different races offering a range of different skills and a host of