Raji: An Ancient Epic Reviews
What Raji: An Ancient Epic’s most notable point to take in is the limited personnel. Of course this debut title has a few cracks in the pavement, given the circumstance, but so was my audition tape to play guitar in a garage rock band. It’s exciting to see India make moves in hopes to secure relevancy in a growing global market. Support the artists here and purchase this game, so we can hopefully experience what Nodding Heads Games can accomplish under a full-scale operation.
Verdict: Good Raji: An Ancient Epic proves it is worthy of its title. It is often easy to think of an indie title as good looking; or with masterful platforming segments in levels that make sense given the story. However, it is extremely rare for an indie title to have all those facets combined in a single package. At its core, gameplay may be uninteresting, but this entire facet allows for something way more important: world building. Raji also finds an incredible boon in its excellent voice over work and sound design, which is especially true for supporting characters like Durgu. Where Raji absolutely shines, however, is in its exceptional narrative. It combines level design and storytelling in beautiful ways that not only teaches, but also moves the plot forward. Raji: An Ancient Epic may not be a big triple-A hit, but it most certainly is a title that deserves to be experienced.
Raji: An Ancient Epic can offer you some scenic locations, plenty of platforming, and a rather boring combat system. The main selling point here is not Raji herself, but the godlike beings, telling the tales of the Indian mythology, heavily intertwined with with the game's overall storyline.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Nodding Head Games clearly have a lot of passion for the subject material, and you can see that they definitely put a lot of heart and soul into Raji. With more experience and a better budget, they could probably make a game that is every bit as fun to actually play as it is to immerse yourself in. The abrupt ending teases at a potential sequel, so hopefully they’ll have another chance to improve upon what they have created thus far.
However, the gameplay is outdated, its worlds although impressive, they quickly prove to be uninspired and the story never reaches a satisfying ending.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Hot on the trail of the demons who kidnapped her little brother, brave Raji finds herself drawn into an adventure where the fate of the world hangs in the balance. Can you help her and her divine patrons thwart the plans of the evil Mahabalasura in this beautiful celebration of Indian culture and mythology?
Despite the clunky combat, I can say without a doubt you can easily lose track of time while immersed in Raji: An Ancient Epic‘s pleasing aesthetics. As you explore its vibrant world, the spectacle and the splashes of Hindu legends and lore more than make up for the slightly sub-par skirmishes.
The appeal of a beautiful environment and unique theme saves Raji: An Ancient Epic from being little more than a latent bore.
aji: An Ancient Epic is a casual at the core of the game, with simplistic gameplay mechanisms, which in no way can support the "epic" adventure promised by its title.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Raji was a decent experience. While it never stood out from the combat focused platformer crowd, it never buried itself in the crowd either. It’s fine game that I think fans of this style of game will enjoy even with the issues I had. If only the loading screen wasn’t so long, I wouldn’t have had as many issues with failing at my jumps and at the combat with several enemies. In the end, this is a different take on a familiar style of game that is just fine, but doesn’t stand out.
Raji tells us a lovely tale embellished with Indian mythology; a tale that I enjoy listening to, watching and being a part of, except for a few flaws that leave a bitter taste in the mouth.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Overall, while I do wish the ending hadn’t disappointed me as much as it did, my time with Vishnu and Durga was full of character and charm, and my issues with the controls were minuscule. I learned about Hinduism and ancient India through a fictionalized, interactive tribute to the country’s culture and history, which was such a unique experience in an industry dominated by the United States, Western Europe, and Japan.
It is truly exceptional that a small team has been able to develop a game like Raji, Nodding Head Games can be very proud of what they accomplished. Learning more about the Indian culture while playing a gorgeous game is rare and time well spent.
Raji: An Ancient Epic is an incredible experience delivered through a short and vibrant story. You can feel the passion and the talent from the developers come through in each moment of the game. Though it may not be as polished around the edges as I'd like, the issues do not outweigh the high points.
Considering this is Nodding Heads Games first outing, I’m thoroughly impressed with the results. The combat is fun, the environments are gorgeous, and the mythos is a refreshing plunge into new territory.
Raji: An Ancient Epic is a game that aims to make known and disseminate Hindu and Balinese culture and mythology, and it does so with a story of struggles between gods and demons, and among them Raji, a young woman who only wants to save her brothers from the clutches of evil. Simple but enough to immerse ourselves in these stories of deities with beautiful art, and a soundtrack that knows how to accompany. India as we had not imagined it, the rest? Some simple platforms, some easy puzzles, and a correct hack & slash.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Raji: An Ancient Epic delivers a fascinating depiction of Indian art and culture, but it disappoints due to unrefined and sometimes frustrating gameplay and to a bit too many bugs and performance problems.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Unparalleled presentation and atmosphere spoiled by unwieldly combat and clumsy level design. The most memorable moments happen when your hands are off the controls.
Despite an unsatisfying conclusion, Raji: An Ancient Epic is a fun action-adventure game well worth looking into for anyone who wants an enjoyable story told alongside fast-paced combat or is interested in learning more about Hindu mythology.
While certainly rough around the edges, Raji: An Ancient Epic is an earnest swing that shows a ton of heart and some great ideas.