Ravenswatch is a roguelike fairy tale team-up adventure

Published April 4, 2023 5:00 AM, by Ozzie Mejia

The team at Passtech Games was seen putting out Curse of the Dead Gods, a fabulous (and somewhat overlooked) gem that released in 2021. It was a game that stood out thanks to its roguelike elements and its unique animation style. Passtech isn't about to stray too far from what made Curse of the Dead Gods such a well-received effort. Taking that same art style and venturing into an entirely new world, the studio's next effort is being made in conjunction with publisher Nacon. Passtech is bringing some of the most recognizable storybook legends together with a new cooperative roguelike called Ravenswatch.

Ravenswatch takes players into the realm of Reverie, which is under siege by a dark force called the Nightmare. It's up to six of the greatest legends across all of folklore to come together to save the land. While this game is presented as a roguelike similar to Curse of the Dead Gods, the big difference with Ravenswatch is that up to four players can come together and experience the adventure together online.

Players can select from the following four heroes:

• Scarlet: Better known as Red Riding Hood, Scarlet was bitten by the Big Bad Wolf and stricken with lycanthropy. At night, she'll transform into a werewolf and switch to an entirely different set of powers.
• The Pied Piper: Franz, the Pied Piper of Hamelin, is more of a gimmick character who is aided by his trusty rat friends. He can strike from afar with debilitating notes from his instrument or he can order his furry friends to pounce on enemies.
• Beowulf: The slayer of Grendel is a powerful warrior who carries his massive sword into battle. While he can overpower most foes on his own, he can also be aided by a baby dragon that fights at his side.
• The Snow Queen: Nyss, the Snow Queen, can strike enemies from afar with her icy abilities. Her power over the elements also allows her to turn the ground into ice and glide at faster-than-normal speed.

Two other characters can be unlocked over the course of the game:

• Aladdin: A swift and nimble thief, Aladdin can hold his own and use his scimitar to fight off enemies. However, his main draw is the power of the genie, which can grant him a wish that can turn the tide of battle. Beware, though, because he only gets three wishes for the entire session.
• Melusine: Melusine is more than just the mermaid on the Starbucks logo. (True story, by the way!) She's a legendary siren from French medieval folklore and is fighting for the safety of herself and the child of her fabled lover. She uses ranged water attacks, some of which can be directed manually towards different targets.

Each Ravenswatch session will put players on a procedurally generated map with its own layout, bosses, and secrets. Every game will be comprised of three chapters, which can be completed by defeating a powerful boss. What's interesting is the gameplay loop, which puts players on a timer. After four days of the in-game clock passes, the Nightmare boss will emerge. Whether the players are prepared is ultimately up to them. In the preceding four days, teams must prepare themselves by leveling up and equipping as many perks as possible.

Early playthroughs will make boss preparation a task in itself, as enemies can sometimes overpower novices. As characters level up, increase their maximum stats, and unlock different perks, the minor enemies become easier to dispatch. Of course, players shouldn't feel overconfident just because they're disposing of grunts a lot easier than they could at the start of the session. Bosses are incredibly powerful and while they'll strike with recognizable patterns, those patterns often border on bullet hell and can be difficult to avoid.

This is just the beginning for Passtech Games and its development of Ravenswatch. The team hopes to eventually launch with ten playable characters and have the rest of the game's chapters ready to roll out with different challenges, bosses, and story twists. It's a novel concept and one that should stay on people's radars over the next year. Look for Ravenswatch to come to Steam Early Access later this year. The full game will release on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch sometime in 2024.

This preview is based on a Steam code provided by the publisher.