So far, indie developer Cococucumber has released four games, including last year’s Echo Generation. Early on, Cococucumber’s games boasted simple, inviting 2D art styles. But starting with 2019’s Riverbond, the developer has chosen to inject all of its recent games with a voxel aesthetic that immediately catches the player’s attention. Ravenlok, Cococucumber’s latest project, looks to continue this trend, with the developer even labeling it as the third and final game in its “Voxel Trilogy.” Shown off during yesterday’s Xbox & Bethesda showcase, Ravenlok appears to have perfected this aesthetic, as the trailer depicts a staggeringly detailed fantasy world that makes Cococucumber’s previous output almost look tame by comparison.
According to the Epic Games Store page, Ravenlok stars a young girl with the same name who “finds herself pulled away from reality and into a land shrouded in darkness.” This fantasy world has succumbed to the rule and corruption of a villain known as the Caterpillar Queen. Thankfully, Ravenlok has stepped up to the challenge of defeating this fearsome foe and restoring the land to its former glory.
An action RPG through and through
As for the gameplay, Ravenlok boasts a real-time action RPG combat system that allows the titular protagonist to take on all sorts of massive creatures with sword swipes and magic spells. Much like any other action RPG, players can acquire a variety of weapons and level up their skills to make these combat encounters more manageable. Additionally, Ravenlok can take on various quests given by “curious creatures.” By completing them, players can learn a bit about these creatures’ “secret stories.”
Even if the overall gameplay loop ends up not being too impressive, Ravenlok looks like a game worth playing just for the aesthetic alone. As of right now, Cococucumber has not provided a definitive release date for Ravenlok, only saying that it will arrive sometime during early 2023.
