Raji: An Ancient Epic Reviews
Raji: An Ancient Epic is an incredible adventure that carries the soul of the famed Prince of Persia. Although there are some technical issues, its intriguing narrative, immense world and core gameplay will keep you hooked.
It's worth noting the developer announced a bugfix update is in the works, but tread with caution if you decide to buy-in beforehand. But all that said, those demerits weren't enough to sour my experience with Raji: An Ancient Epic. The well-worn game structure is adorned with a decorative style that's wholly unique in video games; a striking soundtrack with heavy sitar notes and an ancient Hindu history lesson compel you to see this personal story of sister and brother to its conclusion. Even with performance caveats in mind, there's a lot of beauty to uncover here if you give it a chance.
A confident first game from Indian studio Nodding Heads Games. Raji: An Ancient Epic features a thematically appropriate player viewpoint, which unfortunately hampers some of the platforming elements, but a simple and surprisingly versatile combat system keeps things interesting.
While not without its flaws, Raji: An Ancient Epic is a competent and enjoyable debut from Nodding Head Games that leans on some video game classics for its mechanics and combat but blends them with Hindu iconography and Balinese mythology to give it oodles of character.
Raji: An Ancient Epic is an action, adventure platforming puzzler that draws you in with its deep storyline built upon the foundation of Hindu and Balinese mythology. The action elements are diverse, challenging, and fun. While there are slower story focused interspaced between the action it's in these lulls that players can enjoy the beautiful aesthetics. With light exploration features and jumping/platforming mechanics that pay homage to the early Prince Of Persia games, you'll find a lot to like in this cultural gem!
Overall, Raji: An Ancient Epic offers plenty of action and an interesting story in a sublimely beautiful world enriched by Indian and Balinese culture. It’s too bad the combat can be a bit repetitive and the camera gets in the way so much. Still, it is an enjoyable experience, even if it might not stand the test of time.
While certainly rough around the edges, Raji: An Ancient Epic is an earnest swing that shows a ton of heart and some great ideas.
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.
Unparalleled presentation and atmosphere spoiled by unwieldly combat and clumsy level design. The most memorable moments happen when your hands are off the controls.
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
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
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 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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
The appeal of a beautiful environment and unique theme saves Raji: An Ancient Epic from being little more than a latent bore.
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.