# Ravenlok

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2023 video game

Ravenlok Official Poster Developer Cococucumber Publisher Cococucumber Director Vanessa Chia Producer Vanessa Chia Programmers Martin Gauvreau (Lead) Justin San Juan Artists Edgar Abrego (Animator) Danielle Magpayo Simone Heath Vicky Liang Leona Wu Writer Vanessa Chia Composers Mike Lizola Rocha Eggplant Music and Sound Platforms Microsoft Windows Xbox One Xbox Series X/S Release May 4, 2023 Genre Action role-playing Mode Single-player

***Ravenlok*** is an [indie](/source/Indie_game) [action role-playing game](/source/Action_role-playing_game) developed and published by Canadian studio Cococucumber and released for [Windows](/source/Windows), [Xbox One](/source/Xbox_One), and [Xbox Series X/S](/source/Xbox_Series_X%2FS) on May 4, 2023.[1] The game follows a young girl named Ravenlok, who finds herself pulled away from reality and into a fantasy land cursed by an evil Caterpillar queen.

## Gameplay

*Ravenlok* is an [action role-playing game](/source/Action_role-playing_game) that combines voxel tech with [pixel art](/source/Pixel_art).[2] The game features a [third-person perspective](/source/Third-person_perspective), in which players battle enemies using a sword and shield combo.[3]

Weeping-Fungi Boss from *Ravenlok*

Gameplay features include arena-based boss fights, a leveling system where players can hunt for new weapons and items to level up their skills, and quests where players can interact with secondary characters and uncover their stories.[4]

## Plot

*Ravenlok* is a fairytale reimagining a young girl and her quest to fulfill a dangerous prophecy.[2] The game follows Kira, whose family has moved into a new home in the countryside, after inheriting the estate from a missing relative. While investigating her new home, Kira falls through a mirror into a magical realm called Dunia, where she takes up the mantle of Ravenlok and embarks on a journey.[1] The developers have disclosed that the real-world home of *Ravenlok* is set in an unspecified place in rural Canada.[5]

Screenshot from *Ravenlok*

The game draws inspiration from *[Alice's Adventures in Wonderland](/source/Alice's_Adventures_in_Wonderland)*, with the protagonist being pulled through a mirror into a fantasy world. But unlike modern adaptations of the novel, the story does not appear to include its heavy subject material, such as mental illness.[6] Secondary characters and enemies include knights made of cards, a [Queen of Hearts](/source/Queen_of_Hearts_(Alice's_Adventures_in_Wonderland)), a [white rabbit](/source/White_Rabbit), court jesters, playing-card guardsmen, and robotic versions of [Tweedledum and Tweedledee](/source/Tweedledum_and_Tweedledee).[7][8]

## Development

*Ravenlok* was announced and a trailer was revealed at the [Xbox](/source/Xbox) and [Bethesda Games](/source/Bethesda_Games) Showcase in 2022.[9] The initial trailer earned praise for its unique art style, which blends voxel-based character designs and non-voxel 3D assets.[10] The trailer references classic elements of [Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland](/source/Alice's_Adventures_in_Wonderland), with both the storyline and character designs reminiscent of Carroll's famous works.[11] Ravenlok's early footage has also drawn comparisons to 2000's [American McGee's Alice](/source/American_McGee's_Alice), another third-person action-adventure game and modern retelling of Alice in Wonderland.[12]

*Ravenlok* is the third and final installment in Cococucumber's Voxel Trilogy, following the releases of Riverbond and Echo Generation.[13][6] *Ravenlok* has been described as the culmination of their studio's exploration into the 3D pixel aesthetic.[14] Prior to *Ravenlok*'s partnerships with Microsoft and Xbox, Echo Generation received positive online attention from both Microsoft Gaming CEO, [Phil Spencer](/source/Phil_Spencer_(business_executive)), and [Xbox](/source/Xbox) corporate Vice President, Sarah Bond, on [Twitter](/source/Twitter).[5]

The Cococucumber team has spoken of leaning into themes of family, and identity and finding your home in the structure of a coming-of-age story, while incorporating elements of different fantasy stories. Additional inspiration was found in exploring the idea of Asian identity.[11] While not explicitly mentioned, the protagonist comes from an Asian family.[5]

*Ravenlok* game director Vanessa Chia told [Epic Games](/source/Epic_Games) Store that "the works of [Studio Ghibli](/source/Studio_Ghibli) are a wonderful source of inspiration, especially *[My Neighbor Totoro](/source/My_Neighbor_Totoro)*, *[Kiki's Delivery Service](/source/Kiki's_Delivery_Service)* and *[Spirited Away](/source/Spirited_Away)*".[11] The Cococucumber team have expressed that the game references a number of fantasy stories, such as *[Labyrinth](/source/Labyrinth_(1986_film))*, *[The Lord of the Rings](/source/The_Lord_of_the_Rings_(film_series))* series, *[The Neverending Story](/source/The_Neverending_Story)*, and *[Over the Garden Wall](/source/Over_the_Garden_Wall)*.[5] Chia said that while the comparison to American McGee's take on Alice in Wonderland is interesting, *[American McGee's Alice](/source/American_McGee's_Alice)*, it is more of a reflection for the appetite for a new game from the auteur developer.[11]

The Cococucumber team have spoken about aiming to make an action role-playing game that builds upon their previous works' gameplay elements, specifically the [turn-based combat](/source/Turn-based_combat) in *Echo Generation* and *Riverbond*'s [dungeon crawling](/source/Dungeon_crawling) and [arcade](/source/Arcade_game) elements.[5]

## Release

*Ravenlok* was released for [Windows](/source/Windows), [Xbox One](/source/Xbox_One), and [Xbox Series X/S](/source/Xbox_Series_X%2FS) on May 4, 2023.[1]

## Reception

*Ravenlok* received "mixed to generally favorable reviews" for [Xbox Series X/S](/source/Xbox_Series_X_and_Series_S) upon release, according to [review aggregator](/source/Review_aggregator) [Metacritic](/source/Metacritic).[15] The game has been particularly praised for its art direction and atmosphere, pacing, and the incorporated [Alice in Wonderland](/source/Alice's_Adventures_in_Wonderland) iconography.[16] *[PC Gamer](/source/PC_Gamer)* described it as an "absolute treat", with every environment being "packed with detail rendered in unfiltered textures" and "packed full of voxelized decoration and lit impeccably".[17]

*[Game Rant](/source/Game_Rant)'s* Dalton Cooper rated the game 4/5 stars, stating that, while Ravenlok may not be for players looking to "invest hundreds of hours into their games", it's a "short, sweet, easy game" that is "perfect to pick up and play", or as a "good starter game for kids". He praised the story for "never losing momentum" and being "consistently entertaining from start to finish", but stated that a hindrance is that the "camera can be overly restrictive at times."[18]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:7_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:7_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:7_1-2) Romano, Sal (2023-04-12). ["Ravenlok launches May 4"](https://www.gematsu.com/2023/04/ravenlok-launches-may-4). *Gematsu*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230429010530/https://www.gematsu.com/2023/04/ravenlok-launches-may-4) from the original on 2023-04-29. Retrieved 2023-04-27.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_2-1) Van Allen, Eric (2022-06-12). ["Ravenlok is a new adventure from the makers of Echo Generation, arriving in 2023"](https://www.destructoid.com/ravenlok-trailer-reveal-xbox-pc-action-rpg-2023/). *Destructoid*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230429010536/https://www.destructoid.com/ravenlok-trailer-reveal-xbox-pc-action-rpg-2023/) from the original on 2023-04-29. Retrieved 2023-04-12.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Pinheiro, Daniel (2022-06-13). ["Voxel fantasy game Ravenlok announced with a new trailer during Xbox & Bethesda show"](https://www.pcinvasion.com/voxel-fantasy-game-ravenlok-reveal-trailer/). *PC Invasion*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230429010533/https://www.pcinvasion.com/voxel-fantasy-game-ravenlok-reveal-trailer/) from the original on 2023-04-29. Retrieved 2023-04-27.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Romano, Sal (2022-06-12). ["Fairytale action RPG Ravenlok announced for Xbox Series, Xbox One, and PC"](https://www.gematsu.com/2022/06/fairytale-action-rpg-ravenlok-announced-for-xbox-series-xbox-one-and-pc/). *Gematsu*. Retrieved 2024-04-04.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:5_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:5_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:5_5-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:5_5-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:5_5-4) Shankar, Bradly (2022-08-19). ["Toronto-based Ravenlok developer on the team's growth and shaking things up with each game"](https://mobilesyrup.com/2022/08/19/toronto-cococucumber-vanessa-chia-ravenlok-xbox-pc-game-interview/). *MobileSyrup*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230414064408/https://mobilesyrup.com/2022/08/19/toronto-cococucumber-vanessa-chia-ravenlok-xbox-pc-game-interview/) from the original on 2023-04-14. Retrieved 2023-04-14.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_6-1) Wood, Martin (2022-06-14). ["Ravenlok Looks Like Another Bizarre Take on the Alice in Wonderland Story"](https://gamerant.com/ravenlok-alice-in-wonderland-story-similar-bizarre-tone/). *Game Rant*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230429010532/https://gamerant.com/ravenlok-alice-in-wonderland-story-similar-bizarre-tone/) from the original on 2023-04-29. Retrieved 2023-04-12.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Ramée, Jordan (2022-06-12). ["Ravenlok Revealed At Xbox & Bethesda Showcase With Colorful Fairytale Trailer"](https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ravenlok-revealed-at-xbox-bethesda-showcase-with-colorful-fairytale-trailer/1100-6504508/). *GameSpot*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230220040809/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ravenlok-revealed-at-xbox-bethesda-showcase-with-colorful-fairytale-trailer/1100-6504508/) from the original on 2023-02-20. Retrieved 2023-04-12.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-:3_8-0)** Wheeler, CJ (2022-06-12). ["Ravenlok pulls you through a mystical mirror into a beastly storybook kingdom"](https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/ravenlok-pulls-you-through-a-mystical-mirror-into-a-beastly-storybook-kingdom). *Rock, Paper, Shotgun*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230429010530/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/ravenlok-pulls-you-through-a-mystical-mirror-into-a-beastly-storybook-kingdom) from the original on 2023-04-29. Retrieved 2023-04-12.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-:4_9-0)** Nelson, Mike (2022-06-12). ["Fall into the Fantastic World of Ravenlok Next Year with Game Pass"](https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2022/06/12/fall-into-the-fantastic-world-of-ravenlok-next-year-with-game-pass/). *Xbox Wire*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230429010537/https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2022/06/12/fall-into-the-fantastic-world-of-ravenlok-next-year-with-game-pass/) from the original on 2023-04-29. Retrieved 2023-04-11.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-:2_10-0)** Bonelli, John (2023-04-12). ["Xbox Game Pass Confirms Yet Another Day One Game for May 2023"](https://gamerant.com/xbox-game-pass-ravenlok-release-date/). *Game Rant*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230427172253/https://gamerant.com/xbox-game-pass-ravenlok-release-date/) from the original on 2023-04-27. Retrieved 2023-04-27.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:6_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:6_11-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:6_11-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:6_11-3) Crecente, Brian (2022-03-07). ["Ravenlok's wonderful '80s inspirations and voxel evolution"](https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/news/ravenlok-wonderful-80s-inspirations-and-voxel-evolution). *Epic Games*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230429010533/https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/news/ravenlok-wonderful-80s-inspirations-and-voxel-evolution) from the original on 2023-04-29. Retrieved 2023-04-17.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Tibbetts, John (2022-06-14). ["Ravenlok Looks Like We're Finally Getting American McGee's Alice 3"](https://screenrant.com/ravenlok-trailer-reveal-american-mcgees-alice-3-sequel/). *ScreenRant*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230418231707/https://screenrant.com/ravenlok-trailer-reveal-american-mcgees-alice-3-sequel/) from the original on 2023-04-18. Retrieved 2023-04-27.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Silva, João (2022-06-13). ["Ravenlok is an Alice in Wonderland-like adventure game launching next year | KitGuru"](https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/joao-silva/ravenlok-is-an-alice-in-wonderland-like-adventure-game-launching-next-year/). *Kitguru*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230429010534/https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/joao-silva/ravenlok-is-an-alice-in-wonderland-like-adventure-game-launching-next-year/) from the original on 2023-04-29. Retrieved 2023-04-27.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Lorrigan, Matt (2022-06-13). ["Ravenlok is a Voxel Art Action-RPG Set in a Fairytale World"](https://www.xboxachievements.com/news/news-41908-ravenlok-is-a-voxel-art-action-rpg-set-in-a-fairytale-world.html). *Xbox Achievements*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230429010533/https://www.xboxachievements.com/news/news-41908-ravenlok-is-a-voxel-art-action-rpg-set-in-a-fairytale-world.html) from the original on 2023-04-29. Retrieved 2023-04-27.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Ravenlok"](https://www.metacritic.com/game/ravenlok/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-series-x). *Metacritic*. Retrieved 2023-05-08.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** Serin, Kaan (2023-05-03). ["Ravenlok review - haste makes waste in Wonderland"](https://www.eurogamer.net/ravenlok-review-haste-makes-waste-in-wonderland). *Eurogamer*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230509130544/https://www.eurogamer.net/ravenlok-review-haste-makes-waste-in-wonderland) from the original on 2023-05-09. Retrieved 2023-05-09.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** Tarason, Dominic (2023-05-03). ["Ravenlok Review"](https://www.pcgamer.com/ravenlok-review/). *PCGamer*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230509130546/https://www.pcgamer.com/ravenlok-review/) from the original on 2023-05-09. Retrieved 2023-05-08.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** Cooper, Dalton (2023-05-03). ["Ravenlok Review"](https://gamerant.com/ravenlok-review/). *Game Rant*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230508153952/https://gamerant.com/ravenlok-review/) from the original on 2023-05-08. Retrieved 2023-05-08.

## External links

- [Official website](https://cococucumber.co/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ravenlok](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravenlok) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravenlok?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.