Indie studio Cococucumber’s first voxel game wasRiverbond, a co-op action RPG that earned mixed reviews from critics. It followed that up withEcho Generation, anRPG with seriousStranger Thingsvibesthat was decidedly more well-received. The third and final game in Cococucumber’s voxel trilogy is now upon us in the form ofRavenlok, an action-adventure game that is easily the developer’s best work to date.
Ravenlokretains the 3D voxel graphics of Cococucumber’s previous efforts, utilizing the distinct art style to great effect. Every inch of the game looks fantastic, from the brightly-lit farmhouse that players start in to the more fantastical world of Wonderland where the bulk of the adventure takes place.Ravenlokis atwist on the classicAlice in Wonderlandtale, with the titular protagonist chosen to save the bizarre creatures living in Wonderland from the evil queen.
Combat inRavenlokis basic as it gets. Early on, players get their hands on a sword and a shield, though since most enemies stand there and wait to get hit, the shield is fairly pointless. As players progress through the story, they unlock new abilities that expand their combat repertoire. There’s never any real challenge to the fighting, so these special moves exist simply so players can defeat enemies faster.
Ravenlokplayers get feathers for defeating enemies which can then be spent to upgrade one’s stats, making things even easier. Since enemies respawn and the feather payouts are generous, players can cheese the whole game by moving back and forth between screens, farming enemies, and becoming unstoppable as a result. However, the game is so easy as it is that this isn’t necessary in the slightest.
Ravenlokcombatnever really challenges the player, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t fun to be had with it. It works on a power fantasy level, making players feel unstoppable as they smack away the various monsters they come across during the course of their adventure. The boss fights are especially memorable, with eye-popping designs and beefier health bars that make it so players may actually need to stop and use a healing potion now and again.
The inventory system inRavenlokis a bit odd. Instead of assigninghealing potionsto a single button press like many other games in the genre,Ravenlokpauses the action to bring up the potion menu. The same goes for whenever players decide to use bombs, which is a bit cumbersome. If an enemy is slightly out of range when attempting to use a bomb, a big black box pops up on the screen with a message about there being no valid target, and it lingers long enough to become annoying. Since bombs inRavenlokdon’t do that much damage anyway, it’s best to stick with the tried-and-true sword and shield for most battles in the game.
Luckily, combat isn’t the main focus ofRavenlok. The game is mostly about completing quests and finding items that unlock new areas. Completing the quests and solving puzzles in the game is satisfying, even though they too are very easy and straightforward. There is nice variety in the quests, with one having players collecting teacups for theMad Hatter, and another having them craft an acid bomb to break their way deeper into a mysterious laboratory. A couple of stealth sections are thrown into the mix as well, though players have to practically walk into the enemies to actually fail these segments.
Those looking for a stiff challenge aren’t going to find it inRavenlok, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad game. On the contrary,Ravenlokis consistently entertaining from start to finish. The fact thatRavenlokis a day one Xbox Game Pass gameis crucial, though, as not only is it very easy, but it’s also extremely short. Players can get through the main story and mop up almost all the side content in about five hours. Some might take that as bad news, but this wayRavenlokis filler-free and never loses its momentum. It’s short and sweet, the kind of game that’s perfect to pick up and play through in one sitting to knock out an afternoon.
Honestly, the only major complaint about the game is the camera can be overly restrictive at times. For some reason,Ravenlokdoesn’t let players rotate the camera completely around, which can obscure one’s vision during certain sections of the game. This is an annoyance for sure, but otherwiseRavenlokdoesn’t have much in the way of serious flaws. Things like its short length and easy difficulty may be deal-breakers for some, but others might enjoy having a game like this to play in a sea of titles that are ultra-tough or otherwise take hundreds of hours to get through all their content.
Achievement hunters especially will want to giveRavenloka chance.Ravenlokhands out Xbox achievements like candy. In fact, it’s possible to get three achievements within the first few seconds of starting the game. One for naming the character, another for petting the dog, and another for doing an emote. There’s one sequence in the game where players get an achievement for defeating a boss, get another achievement for collecting the item they get after the boss, and then get a third achievement for watching the cutscene that happens after they leave the boss area. It’s almost comical how often achievements pop up inRavenlok, but if nothing else this means that the game is great to farm for theXbox Game Pass achievement quests.
Ravenloklaunches May 4 for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. Game Rant was provided with an Xbox Series X code for this review.
Ravenlok
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Embark on an enchanting journey in Ravenlok, an action-packed fairytale adventure about a young heroine destined to fulfill a perilous prophecy.Upon encountering a mystical mirror, Ravenlok is whisked away to a whimsical world plagued by the sinister darkness of a tyrannical queen. Destiny awaits all in an unforgettable and heartfelt adventure.THRILLING ACTION ADVENTURE: Battles against fearsome beasts and formidable monsters using real-time combat. Wield your sword and shield, and use the magical skills bestowed to you, along with an arsenal of bombs, to vanquish foes in epic boss encounters!ENCHANTED WORLD: Meet curious creatures and help them with their troubles to fight back against the encroaching darkness. Discover the whimsical Mushroom Forest, tackle puzzles in the Mask Mansion and unravel the mysteries of the Labyrinth in a wonderful world turned upside down!GRAND FINALE: By the creators of critically-acclaimed adventure “Echo Generation'', this enchanting fairytale marks the grand finale of the Cococucumber Voxel Trilogy. Immerse in a delightful and captivating indie game filled with heart.
