Created by Deck13, the same team that released Crosscode and Chained Echoes, have released Drova, a 6-year passion project, to modern consoles and PC.
To summarize, Drova is an atmospheric open-world action RPG set in a brutally dark Celtic, magic-filled world. It doesn’t take much to see this is a role-playing game made by enthusiastic role-playing game fans. This is exactly the type of game the developers want to play themselves.
After making a character from a humorous avatar maker, the player is left to navigate an increasingly hostile environment. Wild animals, ravenous monsters, and feuding factions won’t think twice about one-hit striking you. Like any good RPG, there are plenty of levels to gain, equipment to upgrade, and materials to scavenge. On top of there, numerous dialog choices deepen the narrative, mystery, and suspense of the plot, adding variation to the story.
This is a game where you need to look after yourself. Since enemies do not scale, it is very possible you are going to be viciously killed on numerous occasions. However, getting murdered without mercy actually guides the player. You see, there are no quest markers and the interface doesn’t tell the player where to go or what to do. Instead, Drova adopts an old school approach by giving the player clues after talking to NPCs and reading the environment. Despite it being open world, venturing more than thirty seconds off the suggested path will usually result in your death, forcing the player to restart in a “don’t go there, dummy, you are not strong enough yet” style guidance. This might sound tedious on paper but found this style of progression to the satisfying. Admittingly, it isn’t for everyone because the lack of handholding can be upsetting. As a good example, because I am a working adult, I loaded my save file after several days of not playing and completely forgot what I was supposed to do or where to go. This forced me to retrace my steps and talk with NPCs again to put me on the right track.
The pixelated visuals are also nicely done and provide a vibe that isn’t possible with high res polygons. Everything here is handcrafted and it shows. From the environment to the animations, this experience oozes personality even though it is a grim and gothic RPG. I personally love this style of pixel art, especially when combined with its fluid animation and high level of reaction. The ambient soundtrack also paints a dramatic picture, constantly reminding the player that this is a cold, heartless world.
There is also a lot of meat on this bone, plenty in which teeth can be deeply sank. The world is vast. There are tons of abilities to unlock and upgrade. Even the UI is complicated yet elegant. Meaning, there isn’t much on screen during the majority of the gameplay but the menu screen is littered with an overwhelming amount of information. RPG fans will thoroughly enjoy observing every stat, option, and feature while it is easy to get intimated. Do not let the pixel presentation fool you. This is very much an involved RPG designed for dedicated RPG fans.
As deep and impressive as this passion project is, I have just a couple minor annoyances. First, is the text size. Since this game was designed for PC first, the default text size is impossibly small. Thankfully, there is an option to increase the size and recommended setting it to max. It is a shame though, since there is so much emphasis placed on talking to NPCs and choosing dialog options that is indistinguishable selecting menu choices. Meaning, the player might be given three dialog options but none of them are highlighted so you don’t know which one is selected; the highlighted text needs to be a different color or something. This is something that can hopefully be easily fixed in a patch because not knowing which option is selected is annoyingly unplayable. Finally, the control scheme is unconventional and takes time to understand. For example, “Y” draws the weapon, then “RB” attacks, it uses twin-stick controls, but “B” advances text. Thankfully though, there is an option to view the controller map in the menu. It is bad, it just takes time.
Drova is a quality, lengthy quest but one that targets a specific audience. If you are anything less than a hardcore ARPG fan, this $25 digital download can easily overwhelm with its depth, openness, and options. However, the otherside of that coin is exactly for dedicated players as these gameplay elements can be satisfying for those who enjoy this style of play. Either way, there is no denying this is an impressively deep ARPG experience, one that strikes surprisingly deep with this gripping visual style.
Also Play: Baldur’s Gate 2
Also Try: classic Morrowind
Wait For It: Limited Run to compile the SNES Quintet trilogy
By: Zachary Gasiorowski, Editor in Chief myGamer.com
X/Twitter: @ZackGaz
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RATING
SCORE - 8
8
SCORE
An impressively deep ARPG that is purposely designed to not show mercy and created for RPG fans by RPG fans.
Editor in Chief - been writing for mygamer,com for 20+ years. Gaming enthusiast. Hater of pants. Publisher of obscure gaming content on my YT channel.
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