Raji: An Ancient Epic, by Nodding Heads Games, is a demo done right. It’s quick, punchy, and from start to finish, it delivers everything you need to know about the type of experience it offers. There is deep, cultural lore with a celestial flow to the storytelling that draws you in and introduces you to worlds and stories you might never otherwise be able to enjoy.
Story
Raji: An Ancient Epic is the story of a sister, Raji, who works as a tumbling circus performer in order to support herself and her younger brother, a puppeteer. Their normal lives are forever changed when an ancient evil awakens. Demons rise from the earth and begin terrorizing their lands. Amid the chaos, these demons kidnap Raji’s brother along with all other children they can find. Raji herself would have died were it not for one of her Gods blessing her with a second chance and a powerful artifact. Now, with the guidance of her celestial watchers, Raji fights to liberate the world of evil and save her brother.
Gameplay & Mechanics
Developer Nodding Heads Games has created an acrobatic fighting game with a variety of puzzles mixed in. Raji’s spear can be used in a number of ways. Mix quick strikes with heavy hits to daze your enemies. Dive and tumble around the battlefield as you dodge and attack in the same flowing motion. The staff can be thrown and also unleash devastating area-of-effect spells that assail multiple enemies at once. Along with these tactics, you can interact with your environment for more mobile, acrobatic strikes. Channel lightning as you spin around pillars striking any enemies in range. Dash up a vertical wall before backflipping into an explosively devastating slam. In between fights you will also be helping Raji leap across the crumbling earth, solve challenging puzzles, and be treated to a narrative tale told from the perspective of the Gods that watch over her.
Aesthetics & Sound
I was entranced by the voicework of the Gods as they spoke of Raji, during her journey. As a gamer, I’ve become accustomed to being the Chosen Hero. It’s easy to lose sight of the herculean challenges that may await you in the distance. The narration adds an outsider’s opinion. The Gods constantly bicker with one-another about why Raji was chosen; how could she ever bear a weight so great? I felt bad as one God talked me up, and then I missed an easy jump and died. I was more invested as a player in Raji. Performing well meant something to me. I had an audience to impress. I enjoyed the visual style of the game. The colors popped against the gritty backgrounds of the decimated landscapes, the animations are smooth and consistent, and the puzzles are detailed well enough to solve.
Summary
Raji: An Ancient Epic is looking good as a demo so far. There are, as always, a few bugs Nodding Heads Games will iron out. Upon my first download, I could not get the game to start. I had to delete and reinstall the file before I was able to play successfully. There was also an audio glitch that would occur at regular intervals that, at first, appeared as a cool sound effect, but I realized it was just game audio grinding to half speed for maybe two seconds before catching back up. I enjoyed my time with Raji: An Ancient Epic and completed the demo in a little over an hour after it stabilized. Looking forward to the finished project.
Check Out the Raji: An Ancient Epic Gameplay Trailer:
For more information, please visit: https://www.rajithegame.com/
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As the (self-proclaimed) King of Casuals, I'm always seeking out new titles to play and experience across all platforms. Eventually, I have ambitions to take the many different styles of this medium to create titles that will wow the masses in fresh, innovative ways.
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