Raji: An Ancient Epic is the highly enjoyable, deeply impressive first project by India-based developer Nodding Heads Games. It’s a rare thing for a game to grab my interest as swiftly and completely as Raji has. In fact, I might just have to go start a new save after I’m done writing here to really appreciate any details I missed the first time around.

The first thing I noticed was Raji‘s visual style. Its graphics, inspired by Pahari paintings — a style of artwork mostly comprised of miniature forms, originating in the Himalayas of north India — are beautifully crafted and evocative. The in-game architecture, modelled after that of medieval Rajasthan (also in north India) immediately situates the player in an immersive sense of time and place — even if, like me, you know very little of what that means at first.

This choice of graphic style also grants the game an awestruck sense of scale. It’s fitting, as you hear the gods of the Hindu faith watch and comment on the protagonist’s actions in voiceover, while the buildings and sculptures nearby tower dizzyingly above her.

On the note of our protagonist, there is little better to say than this: I’m charmed. I’d love to spend even more time getting to know Raji. She feels lively and curious, heartfelt and tender, fiery and earnest. She is a full-fledged person in the hands of a very talented voice actor. I wish I could find her name to credit her properly, but until I do, suffice it to say she is an integral part of what got me falling in love with both the game and the character after which it’s named.

Indeed, the voice acting across the board here is of very high caliber, bringing forth clear and compelling personalities even for deific figures that we only see in murals or floor paintings. Helped along by an excellent soundtrack from sound designer and composer Linos Tzelos, settling into Raji‘s atmosphere, cultural setting, and spiritual resonance took me no time at all.

The narrative that weaves throughout the game seems simple at first. A young girl’s little brother is abducted by demons, and she goes on a perilous adventure to rescue him. However, it doesn’t take Raji long to bring some fascinating novelty to the table. The Hindu and Balinese legends and traditions that permeate the game are rarely seen in this kind of media, and I was deeply happy for players who would see themselves, their stories and heritage represented here. Additionally, I was highly intrigued by the many opportunities to learn.

My hope is that Raji‘s positive reception will encourage developers (and publishers) to take on and invest in more similar stories. Hopefully Raji can take its place as the beginning of an enthralling sentence, and not the period at its end.

I do have to admit, unfortunately, that the story’s end felt rather abrupt and jarring against how well-crafted the rest of the narrative was. However, I’m hopeful that there might be a sequel in Raji‘s future to expand on that plot shift in the final moments of the game.

When it comes to mechanics, I feel overall very positive, too. The combat may take a moment to get used to — and, if you’re like me, you might forget most of the special moves the game offers you when you’re in the heat of battle. However, it flows smoothly, its precision element is satisfying, and so is the variety of enemies you’ll face as you progress throughout the game.

As far as movement is concerned, the game also feels very fluid the vast majority of the time. Despite that, I might encourage playing with a controller over using a mouse and keyboard if you want a more responsive feel. I only feel compelled to warn that the platforming can be finicky at times. In some places, it required very sensitive timing or some directional placement that didn’t seem terribly intuitive.

The game does autosave quite frequently, so thankfully failing a jump and having to repeat multiple attempts until I got it right didn’t feel overly punishing. Nonetheless, it still stood out that the platforming was at least twice as likely to kill me as the various demons and monsters trying to impede my progress. That said, having to slow down and be patient is hardly the worst outcome here — far from it — if it means more time to really appreciate all the other very competently crafted moving parts that Raji has to offer. In the meantime, hey, Nodding Heads Games: if that sequel’s in the works some time, don’t hesitate to drop us a hint. I just think you’re neat.

A PC Review Copy of Raji: An Ancient Epic was provided by Super.com for this Review.

Phenixx Gaming is everywhere you are. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

Also, if you’d like to join the Phenixx Gaming team, check out our recruitment article for details on working with us.

Phenixx Gaming is proud to be a Humble Partner! Purchases made through our affiliate links support our writers and charity!

Raji: An Ancient Epic

$24.99

9

Score

9.0/10

Pros

• Beautiful graphic style
• Compelling voice acting
• Intriguing story
• Stunning soundtrack
• Enjoyable combat

Cons

• Platforming is a little finicky
• Ending feels a bit abrupt