VORON: Raven’s Story Review (PC)

VORON: Raven Story’s ruffled feathers may be a little matted and with the added weight of a few charcoal-coated knots, but its spiritual significance is second to none. It’s a short indie game that, although a far cry from perfect, conveys a memorable message that is both pulpy and befitting of the All-Father of aviation. It’s of multiple breeds; it’s Flowers with ravens; it’s Bee Simulator with hereditary traits that proceed the tall tales of old. It is, if anything at all, a journey that meshes the traditional coming-of-age tropes with the power of flight and Norse mythology.

Truth be told, there isn’t too much for us to unpack here. In short, Raven’s Story unravels over a short two-hour campaign—a quest in which you, the curator of wings and vacant caws, travel to the far reaches of a Norse diorama to discover the meaning of life, and how ravens, of all creatures, bow to the so-called All-Father and play a role in the famed World of Gods. There is a little more to the plot than that; naturally, it is also about a small raven who yearns to take flight. Moreover, it’s about one small raven’s desperate quest to find their place during the final hours of humanity. But, more on all of that later.

It begins with a caw—a frail echo, a few small steps, and a message from Dad. From here, the world bends to the weight of the All-Father, and before long, that raven of yours is given the chance to openly embark on an expedition. The world is on its knees, yet, there is still so much more left to do. The ending, however, is in your hands.

A Raven, Bound for the All-Father

Raven’s Story puts you in control of a youngling who, in an attempt to flutter the nest, sets out to explore a Norse-oriented world where lost souls travel to the all-important World of Gods, and ravens serve as their spiritual companions en route to the front door. Amidst all of this idles another thread—a plot that forces you to tackle great heights, not just for the sake of the universe itself, but for your family and the so-called All-Father who, according to your Dad, plays a crucial role in the shaping of the world, both during life and after.

The game itself allows you to spread your wings and explore a series of liminal locations in a cartoon-ish world. There are various puzzles to solve, characters to converse with, and hidden secrets to unlock. To add, there are elemental powers, beaming hoops that provide curious advantages, and a lot of areas to curb your aviation skills and master the art of flying.

On the subject of flying, the game more or less adopts a lot of the same basic mechanics as you would expect from such a game. It’s easy to learn, but difficult to master. It’s difficult, not because it fosters various elemental hoops for you to glide through, but because it also tasks you with learning to frequent aerobatics in order to complete certain environmental trials and world challenges. It isn’t always mind-bogglingly tough, though it does present something of a learning curve when you least expect it. A small gripe, though nothing that’s really worth prodding with a sharp knife.

A Raven’s Oath

The good news is that, for a game that centers its entire existence around flight and exploration, the game certainly captures the beating heart of its USP incredibly well. It’s still a little barebones and without the added complexity of a mechanic-heavy control system, true. Having said that, it does make the art of soaring aimlessly through the Norse archipelago feel like a great deal of fun. That’s something that, frankly, a bunch of other flight-centric world hoppers have often failed to implement.

The dialogue and in-game encounters here are, well, they’re passable, to say the least, and the puzzles are about as textbook as they come, with little to no major innovations to pad out its appeal. But, that isn’t what propels this adventure; it’s the frequent bursts of joy that come with a fleeting flight pattern, and not to mention the ambient soundtrack that accompanies you as you course through the winds and gradually connect the dots of the game’s underlying themes. It’s still a short experience that leaves quite a lot out of the pot, but, to give credit where credit is due, it does make a commendable effort to instill a casket of mix-and-match emotions into its roots.

Verdict

While VORON: Raven’s Story tells a simple coming-of-age tale that feels awfully dignified and palpable, it does bear just a handful of blotchy feathers and bugs. For the most part, it plays incredibly well; the flight mechanics, for example, are adaptive and pleasantly satisfying to learn. But there are other, smaller issues that dampen several of the game’s core elements, like its barebones environment, for example. But then, even with a minimalist palette and a lack of intricate detail, it isn’t really anything to complain about. Why? Well, mainly due to the fact that Raven’s Story isn’t so much about presenting a striking masterpiece, but capturing the fleeting moments through a conduit of elegant soundscapes and touching beats. And frankly, it captures all of that in its relatively short lifespan.

Let it be said that, if you enjoy games like Flowers or Journey, or perhaps any of other contextless affair that actively chooses to spin a yarn through emotional storytelling and audio cues, then chances are you will enjoy embarking on VORON: Raven Story’s slim but emotionally charged fleeting adventure. All in all, it’s a well-crafted experience that emits all of the pure and unadulterated goodness of a wholehearted indie. Is it perfect? Not at all, no. And yet, for what it’s worth, it’s still a game that deserves to be given some credit. For the relatively low asking price, especially, I’d say that it’s worth taking the opportunity to unbuckle your wings for.