VORON: Raven's Story Review, Gliding Through Norse Myths

For all these years we have played as the most disparate heroes: figures from distant eras, adorable small animals, and characters of all kinds. Well, this is the first time we find ourselves impersonating a raven, and it was quite interesting. VORON: Raven’s Story is an adventure as simple as it is enchanting and, despite its immaturity, even on the technical front, it hints at potential that could positively influence the indie video game landscape. We are still very far from what can be defined as a masterful work, but the commitment and dedication of a single developer have made their presence felt. Here is our review.

The Story of VORON: Raven’s Story

The story of this game revolves around a raven. It starts from the very first moments of life, emotional, as it awkwardly waddles to reach its family. A loop between exploration and growth: day after day the protagonist grows more and more, until becoming an adult. Breaking that delicate balance is an ancient evil force that with extreme violence separates the family, once united and - apparently - indivisible. You find yourself alone, forced to pick yourself up and rely on your own strength. Extraordinary, visceral, intrinsic strengths, which are sometimes ignored, giving way to a suffocating and chaotic darkness, that of despair.

This raven's journey unfolds between the exploration of particularly evocative scenarios and actual puzzles, all while learning the art of flight. Enriching the narrative, although it is not so complex but linear and smooth without too many frills, is the inspiration from the Norse world. Legends, lost souls who must reach the World of the Gods, and ancient truths to decipher: this is the context around which the game revolves. It is a rather short adventure, just under 3 hours if you follow the plot without exploring the surrounding environment, but it is well structured.

The Gameplay

As we anticipated, the gameplay is mainly based on flying our raven, through ascents, dives, glides, and turns. Initially, it was not easy to master these techniques; in fact, we encountered some difficulty. Very often we struggled to understand how to proceed in a certain direction, while other times (perhaps more often than we wanted) we had a series of violent headbutts. With a bit of practice, you can play more smoothly and truly experience the game. However, be aware that the raven cannot die, but can get up every single time, allowing you to try again and again.

However, we noticed on several occasions that, despite our inputs, the protagonist did not fly at all or did not go in the direction we intended. This aspect caused frustration on several occasions, especially with certain puzzles that required almost impeccable timing management.

The Puzzles

The puzzles proved to be quite convincing: not extremely difficult, but not too easy either. In short, a fair balance that allows you to play without feeling frustrated. Those who are impatient, however, should know that in certain situations, stamina management can prove to be a real impediment, requiring a more strategic approach. Overall, our impression is that we are facing a good project, but one that in some places has flaws that impact the overall experience.

The camera also had an impact, as it exclusively follows the raven's direction, so precision suffers and in some hectic moments we would have preferred greater freedom of control. In short, it's as if – in addition to the lack of stamina – our raven was truly bound by invisible chains. In any case, during these puzzles you will occasionally have to collect weights to place on platforms to unlock doors, or glide through a series of rings within a set time, paying attention to both obstacles and the lack of stamina, the latter rechargeable by passing through white spheres.

To access subsequent areas, it is essential to find and save lost souls; each will allow you to open a portal and thus advance. It was very pleasant to soar in flight and caw, hoping that other ravens or souls would respond and indicate their position.

The Technical Aspect

Graphically, we are dealing with a rather simple and genuine game, so don't expect particularly complex environments. However, the scenarios remain evocative, although they need improvements in both textures and lighting: some objects had such bright colors (especially green or yellow) that they were really annoying to our eyes. Unfortunately, the game is not translated into Italian, but the English subtitles are easily understandable and do not compromise the overall experience, which remains intuitive.

The musical score is equally engaging and serves as an excellent accompaniment to the gameplay. However, although the game proved to be very fluid from a technical point of view, it would have benefited from further optimizations, starting from the raven's control to some graphical aspects that could have further enhanced the adventure.

VORON: Raven’s Story Review, Conclusions

The fact that this game was created practically by a single person is already a reason for great recognition. The premises are excellent and hint at the potential of Merk Games, but it is inevitable to emphasize how unripe the product still is. Overall, if you love flight-based mechanics, puzzles, and stories that are not too long or intricate, this game is worth trying. Moreover, its cost is quite low, as it costs less than €10 and you can currently find it on sale on Steam.

Our experience was, all in all, pleasant. The story is linear and authentic, but there are emotional moments that increase its dynamism. Enriching the gameplay, on the other hand, are the flight-based mechanics: these require a bit of practice and can cause frustration at first, but once you get the hang of it, everything will be smoother and simpler. The technical aspect would have needed some improvements, but overall it is a game recommended for anyone who wants to try new experiences without expecting too much.

With its protagonist, its puzzles, and its evocative scenarios, the game gives us a taste of Merk Games' potential, leaving us curious to discover what comes next. It is not a masterpiece, but it certainly represents an excellent springboard for future projects.