A Dark Fairy-Tale Roguelike That'll Have You Dying to Try Again (and Again)

When it comes to roguelike games, there's a lot of competition out there. From the brutal punishment of Hades to the sheer absurdity of Risk of Rain 2, it's hard for new entrants to carve out their niche. Enter Ravenswatch, a dark fantasy roguelike developed by Passtech Games (of Curse of the Dead Gods fame), which recently hit its full release on Steam with Version 1.0. But does it fly high, or crash into the nearest gothic turret?

Gameplay and Mechanics: Fairy Tales with a Roguelike Twist

Ravenswatch offers a unique setting that feels like someone took your favourite childhood fairy tales, tossed them into a cauldron, and sprinkled in a hefty dose of Lovecraftian nightmare fuel. You’ll be playing as classic literary characters like Beowulf, Aladdin, and Little Red Riding Hood, who’ve swapped moral lessons for devastating, rogue-slashing abilities.

Each character has a distinct playstyle that reflects their folklore origins. Red Hood is fast and agile, perfect for darting in and out of combat, while Beowulf is a hulking tank with a sword big enough to slice through an army. There's something weirdly satisfying about blowing up enemies as the Pied Piper with an army of cursed rats, which really feels like the dream job nobody knew they wanted.

At its core, Ravenswatch keeps the tried-and-true roguelike formula: you’ll battle through procedurally generated environments, die (a lot), upgrade your character's abilities, and try again. The addition of co-op play for up to four players adds a chaotic, yet deeply strategic layer to the gameplay. Coordinating attacks and planning character synergies with your mates might turn a losing battle into a heroic victory, or, more likely, it’ll devolve into absolute bedlam as your team gets wiped by a hoard of nightmare creatures.

Difficulty: Not for the Faint of Heart

This game doesn't mess around. Even on the easier settings, Ravenswatch will repeatedly remind you that it’s a roguelike. The combat is punishing, and the bosses are gargantuan in both size and difficulty, making them feel like genuine forces of nature. If you’re not dodging, parrying, and timing your abilities perfectly, you’ll quickly find yourself sent back to the start, tail between your legs. However, the difficulty is rarely unfair—just relentless.

You'll find yourself gripping your controller or mouse with white knuckles as you narrowly dodge death time and again. It's intense, it’s sweaty-palms-inducing, but it's also why you'll keep hitting that "restart" button after yet another crushing defeat.

Graphics and Atmosphere: A Dark Fairy Tale Aesthetic

Visually, Ravenswatch leans hard into its dark fantasy aesthetic. The character designs are imaginative, taking well-known fairy tale figures and giving them grim, gothic makeovers. Red Riding Hood looks like she’s spent the last decade hunting wolves for sport, while Aladdin looks less like a street rat and more like a cutthroat thief with some serious trust issues.

The environments feel appropriately menacing, with creepy forests, ominous castles, and other grim locales that could have been pulled from a Brothers Grimm fever dream. Despite the dark tones, there’s a certain level of vibrancy in the colour palette that keeps the game from feeling too drab, even when you’re staring down a boss that looks like it stepped straight out of your childhood nightmares.

Sound Design: Immersive but Repetitive

The audio work in Ravenswatch is solid, though not groundbreaking. The soundtrack is eerie, the combat effects are satisfying, and the voice acting—while minimal—does a good job of setting the tone. That said, after a few hours, you might start noticing some repetition in both the music and the character sound bites. While this doesn’t detract from the gameplay, a bit more variety in the audio department wouldn’t hurt.

Replayability: A Roguelike's Bread and Butter

As with any roguelike, Ravenswatch thrives on replayability. Every run feels different thanks to the procedurally generated maps and the variety of heroes to choose from. The various builds and upgrade paths for each character ensure that no two playthroughs will be exactly the same. There’s also a ton of unlockables, from new abilities to difficulty modifiers that’ll keep you coming back for more punishment.

Co-op mode adds an additional layer of replay value, allowing you to team up with friends for some delightfully chaotic runs. However, while solo play is challenging and rewarding, the game truly shines when played with others. The shared tension of a near-death experience in co-op is what multiplayer roguelike dreams are made of.

Value for Money: Worth the Gamble?

At £24.99, Ravenswatch offers a lot of content for its price. Between its multiple characters, endless replayability, and the potential for co-op madness, there’s plenty of bang for your buck here. However, if you’re not a fan of roguelikes or brutal difficulty, this game may feel like a slog rather than a fun challenge. For those who love testing their reflexes and tactical prowess, though, it’s a steal.

Conclusion: A Grim Delight with Sharp Claws

Ravenswatch takes the roguelike formula and injects it with a heavy dose of fairy-tale weirdness. Its character variety, challenging gameplay, and co-op possibilities make it stand out in the genre. While it won’t win over those who despise roguelikes, for fans of the genre, this is a dark gem worth diving into.

It’s difficult, it’s dark, and it’s downright addicting. Just be ready to scream at your screen when the Big Bad Wolf tears through your health bar... again.

Score: 8.5/10

For:

• Fantastic character designs with distinct playstyles

• Deeply rewarding and challenging combat

• High replayability, especially with co-op

• Rich, dark fairy-tale atmosphere

Against:

• The difficulty curve might frustrate some players

• Audio design can get repetitive

• Solo play feels slightly less dynamic compared to co-op