Röki Reviews
Röki is, at heart, an adventure game heavily inspired by Scandinavian folklore that also includes elements of point & click games and a heck of a narrative. A tale of journey, loss and family, Röki is a totally non-violent, emotional experience – and what an experience it is. Players assume the role of Tove, a young girl living out in the wilderness with her father and younger brother, Lars. Lars has a great imagination and loves his tales of monsters. But, it seems they aren’t just tales anymore. One cold night, a huge, dark creature destroys the family home and leaves Tove and Lars running for their lives. Sadly, this monster captures Lars and drags him through a mystical portal – leaving Tove with only one option – jump into that portal and rescue Lars. This is where your magical journey truly begins.
I first heard about Röki in July 2021 when a fellow Rapid Reviewer recommended it to me. I had just finished (and adored) reviewing Omno, and was looking for something to fill the void it had left. Alas, my backlog was enormous. So, after wistfully eyeing up Röki in the Steam store, it fell to the back of my mind. Fast forward to October. When I realised that there was an opportunity to review the title for Rapid Reviews, I jumped in feet first without a backward glance. Was I right to throw caution to the wind, or was I about to pay for my reckless spontaneity? Keep reading my Rapid Review to find out.
Röki is a modern-day fairy tale with all the makings of a classic. It tells an incredibly complex, emotionally deep story that brought tears to my eyes more than once
Backed by a gorgeous hand-drawn art style and enhanced by incredible sound design, Röki is a magical and touching adventure that will have you captivated until the very end
Röki is a brilliant and emotional adventure that will appeal to all lovers of adventure games and well-told stories in general. The mature themes are handled in such a wonderfully appropriate way that it would make a perfect family game, and I loved the time I spent with Tove. Rather than a flatpack indentikit product, this is a game that has all the hallmarks of true artisanal craft and skill.
With its heartfelt story, loveable characters and unique setting, Röki is a special game. Its adventure will keep you enthralled from start to finish.
If you already played Roki, there's nothing to bring you back in. But if you missed before, then it's absolutely worth getting lost in.
Röki is a trendsetter in the adventure genre, with innovative design and a beautifully crafted world that you'll never want to leave.
As the first showing for Polygon Treehouse, Röki is an incredible first impression. While it doesn’t innovate much within the genre itself, it excels in the areas that matter, and it absolutely delivers the kind of experience you would be looking for from an adventure game.
If you don't normally play adventure games, Roki is not a bad place to start. It's a beautiful world with a beautiful story. There are some challenges when it comes to staying on track but that can lead to cool discoveries.
A debut game that sets a high standard moving forward for Polygon Treehouse. Truly fitting their mission statement of creating "adventures to feed your soul", Röki is excellent.
Röki was one of my most anticipated games of 2020 and it blew me away in every way possible. It might have the look of a living children’s book, but its darker themes proves that this is a fairy tale for grownups. I was already impressed with its premise and art design from the trailer, but I wasn’t expecting just how organic everything felt.
While darkness may reign, there is light at the end of the tunnel that leads to hope and an eventual end to despair, and Roki translates this message with in immense level of character, and lovable charm. Roki is an essential, and a must play in 2020.
Röki blends the mythic with painfully real, the supernatural with the human to tell a story of reconciliation that’s spellbinding for its entire 12 hour length. A few foibles with its point and click roots are the only blemishes on an otherwise exemplary and accessible adventure that’s one of the best you’ll play this year.
I left Röki on my backlog for far too long; don’t make the same mistake I did — play Röki sooner rather than later. A story of loss, love, trauma, and sacrifice told through the beautiful folklore of Scandinavian cultures and the lens of a heroic little girl, Röki will feel like an entirely new experience and is a welcome addition to the point and click genre. Don’t let the forest take another victim — grab Röki and save your family before it’s too late!
Röki certainly sits up there with some of the best point and click adventure games I’ve played thanks to its deep narrative, clever puzzle design and it’s eye catching and beautiful art style. As mentioned in the review, I think Röki will be a game that will be played and talked about for years to come. And with it soon to hit a number of other platforms, I’m excited to see more players get their hands on the game and to see what Polygon Treehouse will come out with next.
If you're a fan of puzzle and adventure titles like the Broken Sword series, as well as more intimate character focused experiences that derive a lot of its influence from cultural folklore, such as the aforementioned Never Alone, then Röki is more than deserving of your time. It's not the longest experience but is engaging throughout and spins a yarn that is honestly one of the more emotionally affecting I've experienced this year.
Röki is a wonderful fairy tale adventure with an affecting story, delicately told. It's a shame that this Switch version doesn't take advantage of the unique console features, but it does nothing to diminish this lovely, warm point and click adventure.
Overall, Roki was a big win in my book. Initially, I found its family-friendly focus to be a detriment to my enjoyment in my first sitting with it. In my second, I began to appreciate more of what it was going for, and in my third sitting, I played for 5 hours without even realizing it. Roki has a lot going for it, including a unique story, well-done but straightforward mechanics, and a simply beautiful art style. Don’t let this one slip past you like a tomte hiding in his hat.
The only downside to this Roki PS5 port is that it fails to use any of the new technology available to it via the DualSense. I would have loved to hear the crunch of snow come via the controller instead of my TV, and maybe let me use the touchpad to select/drag/combine items from Tove's backpack-things that would have enhanced the experience and made it stand out from Roki's other releases. That said, this is a solid puzzle game and one I highly recommend devoting an afternoon or two to.