GRAVEN is a first-person action RPG adventure set in a dark fantasy world. Players take on the role of a disgraced priest navigating treacherous swamps, ruined settlements, and eldritch-infested regions while wielding medieval weapons and spells against monstrous foes.
Gameplay
The core loop centers on exploration across three expansive, interconnected hub areas. Movement follows classic first-person shooter controls with added platforming elements such as jumping between ledges and navigating vertical spaces. Progress involves completing main quests and optional side tasks gathered from non-player characters in towns and outposts. These objectives lead players into dungeons, swamps, and fortified structures filled with enemies.
Combat mixes melee strikes with a club or other close-range tools and ranged options that unlock over time. Spells provide additional offensive and utility functions, though early access limits players to basic fire magic. An inventory system restricts equipped items to a small number of slots, forcing careful selection of weapons and tools for each excursion. Upgrades come through a coin-based system that rewards exploration and combat success, though death returns players to checkpoints without full recovery of progress.
Puzzles appear throughout the environments, often requiring interaction with switches, levers, or environmental objects to open paths. The world encourages backtracking between hubs as new abilities become available, creating a nonlinear structure within each major region.
Game Modes
The primary experience is the single-player campaign, which unfolds through quests across the three hub worlds. Players advance the story while uncovering side content at their own pace.
Cooperative options expand the experience for groups. Split-screen local co-op allows two players to share a screen on the same system. Online multiplayer supports up to four participants who can join the same campaign session and tackle objectives together.
World and Progression
The setting draws from grim medieval themes with layers of mystery and supernatural threats. Townsfolk offer dialogue that reveals lore and provides quest hooks, while hostile creatures range from human-like bandits to otherworldly horrors. Progression ties directly to quest completion and resource collection rather than linear level advancement. New weapons and spells integrate into the existing arsenal, altering how players approach familiar areas on return visits.
Is It Worth Playing?
Reception highlights strong atmosphere and faithful retro shooter influences alongside criticisms of uneven combat balance, limited inventory management, and occasional unclear quest tracking. The game suits players who enjoy deliberate exploration and puzzle-solving mixed with direct combat in a single-player or small-group setting. Those seeking fast-paced modern shooters or extensive multiplayer features may find the pace and scope less engaging. Full release arrived in early 2024 with the complete campaign and co-op features intact, making it available for those drawn to its specific blend of action and adventure elements.
