Ravenbound throws the roguelite into a Nordic-inspired open world

Systemic Reaction has for years been fusing the unbounded freedom of open worlds with the gripping gunplay of online shooters. Born as a creative division within Swedish Avalanche Studios Group, they've learned from the studio's past successes like Just Cause and Mad Max to deliver some of that trademark playfulness to the online realm. In 2019, they released 80s-set co-op mech shooter Generation Zero, and followed this up with co-op dino shooter Second Extinction in 2020.

But now, they're shooting for something completely different, taking that open-world expertise to a sprawling Nordic-inspired fantasy open world, and merging it with roguelite mechanics. In Ravenbound every death matters, not just setting you back, but providing you with the skills and experience to get that bit closer to victory on your next attempt.

Every time you die, you take control of a new 'Vessel,' each of which is guided by the titular Raven. The Vessels are separate characters in the world (so yep, when they die they die), but each of them helps grow the Raven's power, which is then transferred onto the new Vessel you take over after death.

And, this being a roguelike, you'll be dying a lot. 

But it's not all in vain, as on each run you'll be picking up new cards, loot, weapons, and armour that your new Vessel can potentially use. Early unlocks will be fairly standard fare, but eventually you'll be wielding cards that trigger explosions, emit shockwaves that freeze your enemies, and even halt the day-night cycle of the world. These, and dozens more, fascinating status effects will become available to you to combine, stack, and synergise.

The open-world island of Àvalt is vast, but you don't need to explore it all on foot. You can glide over its rugged fjords, piercing mountains, and mist-carpeted fields in the form of the titular Raven. Whether you want to quickly get to a distant mountain with strange rocks hovering above it and a gate built into the side, or flee a fight that was too tough for your Vessel at that point, returning to a Raven Tower to regather yourself, your avine protector is there for you. In a world where death really matters, self-preservation is critical, so use it wisely.

True to the studio's past work, Ravenbound is a world of action rather than elaborate questlines and NPCs asking you to herd up their sheep for them. Wander into a village, and you're far more likely to find a horde of goblin-like Tufftir or fae-inspired Vittra circling around a treasure chest than peasants and merchants.

There is no linear story to follow here either. To keep up that swift roguelite pace, there are encounters in the world that you need to complete in order to progress. Track down and conquer several of these, and you'll unlock the boss for that section of the world, with the promise of great rewards (at great risk, of course). Where many roguelikes tend to be relatively linear however, in Ravenbound you don't need to push for those bosses, and can instead explore the world, powering up your character and mastering your unique build in that run before pursuing greater spoils.

Ravenbound is swooping to Steam some time in 2023. You can already check out and wishlist the game on Steam, and join its growing community on the official Discord server.