More and more we are witnessing the use of various mythologies and cultures to tell stories in video game form, almost always through local independent productions. Many times these are titles that are on the edge of educational software, that focus so much on the message that they lose sight of their game structure a little. In rarer cases, these productions manage to find a balance between historical and cultural recreation and a real video game offering, creating functional gameplay in a setting full of traditions, civilization and history, as we see in this review of Raji: An Ancient Epic. The work of Nodding Head Games, a development team from Pune, India, exploits the magic of Indian legends and philosophies to build an interactive story that is also a good action adventure.
In this case, the charm of the background is fundamental in the construction of the game, but it is not the only element that characterizes its identity. The setting, which derives elements from ancient Indian mythologies and makes clear its adherence to these images, is omnipresent and characteristic, but not overwhelming compared to a game structure that nevertheless works independently of the search for the exotic.
In this sense, the idea of Nodding Head has been well developed, managing to create a title that not only pays tribute to local traditions and can also function as a way to promote them in the world, but does so without forgetting to be First and foremost. a good video game. The title was launched two and a half years ago for PC and console, it also went through Xbox Game Pass and similar services, but now it also reaches mobile platforms within the Netflix catalog, which is another excellent choice of the service, which is clearly shown well kept.
Raji's great adventure
Young Raji is, as is often the case in these types of stories, humanity's last hope against overwhelming evil. There history by Raji: An Ancient Epic is ancient in nature and is not ashamed of being so, as it is a kind of narrative archetype connected to mythological and Indian traditions. The fight between demons and gods is a kind of immortal topos that always works optimally to act as the premise of a great adventure: in this case, the demons have decided to invade the Earth, threatening the very existence of humans to take revenge on them. . the deities who had defeated them centuries ago. In a civilization now too accustomed to peace, which has abandoned the paths of alchemy and combat, all hopes are focused on Raji, the only one who seems still capable of mastering magic and special abilities.
In a magical context, reminiscent of ancient texts such as the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, we find ourselves controlling Raji in a Classic third-person action adventure., in which cross-platform ability is key, but so are combat and puzzle-solving skills. There is something of classic Tomb Raider and platforming in the interaction with the settings, which forces us to jump between handholds and platforms to advance between wonders of nature and ancient architecture inspired by Rajasthan.
Il game It is composed and changing, also modifying the framing when it comes to focusing on tactical combats that require careful use of different magics, or when the puzzles to be solved come to the fore.
The problem is that, precisely by virtue of this mixture of styles, the game fails to stand out in any of its components and especially in combat. Despite a lackluster level design, moving around the stages is still pleasant thanks to the beauty of the settings, facilitated by the mystical sources of inspiration. However, the confrontation with enemies is probably the element that can easily be clumsy and less developed with respect to the components more linked to the platforms and the interaction with the environment, also in terms of the puzzles. These flaws are amplified by the virtual stick control system in the mobile platforms, although the response to commands is still of a good level, compared to the standards of this solution.
Conclusions
Tested version Android, iPad 2.0 digital delivery app store, Google Play Holygamerz.com 7.5 audience ND your voteThere is no doubt that much of the charm of Raji: An Ancient Epic comes from its setting, which has its roots in the classical mythology of India, staging a wonderful journey through atmospheres of great impact. However, it would be unfair to reduce everything to a mere question of searching for the exotic, because there are also interesting ideas on the gameplay level, especially when it comes to crossings in these scenarios and some more inspired puzzles. It's a shame that there are some glitches in the combat and a level design that isn't always able to offer challenges worthy of the excellent scenarios, as well as a decidedly short duration, but overall this is a precious little gem that shouldn't be be overlooked.
PRO
- Truly wonderful landscape and atmosphere.
- Composite gameplay that has intense moments.
- Simple but fun story to follow.
AGAINST
- Various inconsistencies between combat and level design.
- Quite short and with little replayability
