Raji: An Ancient Epic

 Switch
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 72 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 48 out of 72
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 72
  3. Negative: 11 out of 72

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  1. ShadowRacer
    Aug 20, 2020
    9
    My brief opinion about the game:

    I played for about two hours and I can note the following advantages: Quite pleasant gameplay, the combat system is quite smooth and beautiful, the elements of acrobatics make game look like the Prince of Persia. Indian culture is everywhere - landscapes, art, music and game cinematics are quite unusual. Minuses: The camera is far from the    My brief opinion about the game:

    I played for about two hours and I can note the following advantages:

    Quite pleasant gameplay, the combat system is quite smooth and beautiful, the elements of acrobatics make game look like the Prince of Persia.
    Indian culture is everywhere - landscapes, art, music and game cinematics are quite unusual.

    Minuses:
    The camera is far from the character, the angles sometimes can be surprising.

    I expected less from this game, so I'm quite happy with the purchase.    … Expand
  2. glauciobg
    Aug 20, 2020
    9
    Como um jogo indie, precisa ser entendido como "game-as-art" e valorizado pelos seus esforços em criar referências em gaming sobre contar uma história protagonizada por uma jovem indiana em que a cultura indiana e a mitologia hinduista são bem apresentadas. Como um jogo que se preocupa em retratar uma cultura e, enquanto uma forma de arte, é algo necessário nesse mercado hoje.
    Emana bom    Como um jogo indie, precisa ser entendido como "game-as-art" e valorizado pelos seus esforços em criar referências em gaming sobre contar uma história protagonizada por uma jovem indiana em que a cultura indiana e a mitologia hinduista são bem apresentadas. Como um jogo que se preocupa em retratar uma cultura e, enquanto uma forma de arte, é algo necessário nesse mercado hoje.
    Emana bom gosto, atenção a detalhes artísticos, com trilha sonora fantástica e personagens cativantes. Uma boa história muito bem narrada e apresentada, com otima ambientação (atmosfera) e plasticamente excelente.
    Enquanto "game", há pontos a se aperfeiçoar. A proposta de jogabilidade é ótima, com um sistema de combate bem contextualizado, bem justificado, e que é bastante interessante. Explora bem a proposta de uma protagonista acrobática e veloz, em grandes cenários, que abusa de esquivas e conta com apoio dos deuses e deusas que olham por ela.
    Em um momento em que temos varios jogos em 2D sendo lançados e que são valorizados e tantos outros chamados de "retrô" e que são reconhecidos em qualidade, embora repitam formulas de décadas passadas, com algumas inovações pontuais, Raji segue esse caminho com o mesmo espírito: repete uma formula do passado, mas faz isso com uma perspectiva nova e interessante, em 3D. Peca na precisão dos controles e na frequência de quadros. Peca também no design de alguns "bosses". Pode ser aprimorado ao longo do desenvolvimento do título nos próximos meses. O mesmo vale para o fato do jogo apresentar bugs e glitches diversos ainda. Mostra que foi lançado um pouco antes do ideal.
    Mas são todos pontos que sao facilmente identificados como falhas pre-lançamento e que podem ser corrigidos.
    É um jogo, de fato. E um tanto desafiador em muitos momentos, tanto nas plataformas, como, principalmente, em combate.
    A essencia do jogo em si, no entanto, reforço: enquanto um jogo indie, com maior atenção ao seu aspecto artístico, é excelente e vale o preço e o investimento de tempo - ainda mais no Switch em modo handheld, pronto para ser jogado na cama antes de dormir, ou em momentos de descontração.    … Expand
  3. Swastik93
    Aug 19, 2020
    9
    I might be a bit biased here, considering I am an Indian myself, but it pleases me to no end to see a group of less than 10 people putting all their heart and soul into creating something which is so fun and refreshing.
    From the Kick-starter two years ago to featuring as one of the big games in a Nintendo indie showcase, the game has had quite a journey.
    Good: The game brings to    I might be a bit biased here, considering I am an Indian myself, but it pleases me to no end to see a group of less than 10 people putting all their heart and soul into creating something which is so fun and refreshing.
    From the Kick-starter two years ago to featuring as one of the big games in a Nintendo indie showcase, the game has had quite a journey.

    Good:
    The game brings to forefront the majestic tapestry of art, aesthetic, culture, music and tradition of ancient North West India. It heavily from games like prince of Persia and old school god of war but has enough unique presentation to it that it never feels derivative as such. Also, those old school games are pretty nostalgic, so playing a new game in that old style, with modern graphics and a deep culture behind it is refreshing in and of itself.
    The story though light is told with a lot of heart,the music is literally awesome and the art style is truly breathtaking in some instances.

    The not as good:
    The controls are good, though not the most refined due to its 3d inspirations(you get used to them), the character model is a bit small for the screen to keep focus on, the performance also slightly lags sometimes. Most of the gripes however seem to be easy addressable in future updates/ patch fixes.

    The game is no where close to being as excellent as a hollow knight or a Celeste, but it's a ton of fun for sure and that's what video games are all about.

    I do want to congratulate the team and hopefully they stick to this amazing concept that they have envisioned by making a series of Raji, a brave Indian girl created by this brave Indian team out to make their mark on the world.    … Expand
  4. swanben
    Aug 20, 2020
    9
    Saw this in the indie showcase and picked it up immediately. It is a beautiful game, that is interesting and fun. It feels unique in all the right ways, but familiar in all the right ways too. Very much enjoyed playing what felt like someone's project that was very precious to them. Fighting is repetitive, but so what it's fun. I only wish it was longer, that said, I enjoyed the time I hadSaw this in the indie showcase and picked it up immediately. It is a beautiful game, that is interesting and fun. It feels unique in all the right ways, but familiar in all the right ways too. Very much enjoyed playing what felt like someone's project that was very precious to them. Fighting is repetitive, but so what it's fun. I only wish it was longer, that said, I enjoyed the time I had playing it.… Expand
  5. 1nSky
    Sep 1, 2020
    10
    Love aesthetics and visual. Has minor bugs, but I think devs will fix it soon.
    Love to see more content in future.
  6. Pullis123
    Oct 1, 2020
    6
    Overall, I think this is a super cool game idea, and I got really hyped for India's mythology and that the game studio is based in India. It really reminds me of the Prince of Persia on PC that I played when I was young. This is both in a good and negative perspective because the movement and controls over Raji's main character are not smooth like in Prince of Persia on PC back in theOverall, I think this is a super cool game idea, and I got really hyped for India's mythology and that the game studio is based in India. It really reminds me of the Prince of Persia on PC that I played when I was young. This is both in a good and negative perspective because the movement and controls over Raji's main character are not smooth like in Prince of Persia on PC back in the days. The stiff movement made me put down the game after just 2-3 days, even do the storyline made me want to finish it.… Expand
  7. mercurypool
    Aug 31, 2020
    6
    Let me start by saying, I really wanted to love this game. I gave it all the chances, repeatedly, and played it all the way through. But Raji: An Ancient Epic is just not a good game.

    Let me get the good out of the way: this game is beautiful. It is narrated beautifully, it look beautiful, and I really really enjoyed learning about the Hindu culture and mythology. That part was    Let me start by saying, I really wanted to love this game. I gave it all the chances, repeatedly, and played it all the way through. But Raji: An Ancient Epic is just not a good game.

    Let me get the good out of the way: this game is beautiful. It is narrated beautifully, it look beautiful, and I really really enjoyed learning about the Hindu culture and mythology. That part was magnificent and I will definitely continue exploring that in my free time.

    But ultimately, this is a game, and should be judged by gaming properties and criteria. So let's delve in.

    Raji: An Ancient Epic is a hack and slash mechanic that's inspired from the likes of God of War and Dark Souls. It pits you in an environment, throws monsters and other creatures at you, supplies you with different weapons and upgrades and wishes you luck.
    It can be argued if Raji manages to do this aspect of the game well. I, personally, do not think so. The controls are janky, and more often than not, the depth perception is so poor that i was hacking at the air while the enemies took potshots at me. In the end, it was easier to just brute force each one of them, making sure i do my "special finishing move" that restores all my health, rinse, repeat. Once you unlock some of the more advanced weapons in the game the fighting becomes a nuisance, and more often than not I breathed exasperatingly while more enemies spawned on the screen, while all I wanted was to listen to more folklore and enjoy the scenery.

    Raji also incorporates some puzzle elements, which felt to me were put on there in a failed attempt to lengthen the play time.
    There were three types of puzzles during the gameplay - organizing circles on the floor, organizing circles for a tree, and playing around with cogs.
    Each one of those suffered from a distinct slowness. Why would it take such a long time to move a piece of the puzzle, why do I have to spend so much time rotating circles? Again, this brought me to the brink of frustration, but I kept pushing through, because the game is so beautiful.

    And lastly, the controls. In one word: bad. In several more: very very bad.
    The game has some elements of a platformer, which requires you to run and jump. However, due to a distinct lack of depth perception of the game, I ended up more than I care to admit just jumping to my death, mainly because of the weird angles and weird artistic choices the creators have made. Again, the platforming part of the game stood in the way of the game, instead of enhancing it.

    I really wanted to love Raji: An Ancient Epic. I gave it all the chances, but this game was frustrating, unnecessarily obtuse and uncomfortable to play.
    I loved the story, the mythology, and all the visuals. Perhaps a graphic novel game-style would have suited this tale a bit more than a hack and slash, and I hope that, should there be a sequel, the developers would learn from their mistakes here, and not just dig in their heels and repeat the same mistakes.

    6/10, mainly and primarily because of the story and visuals.    … Expand
  8. Gamer_Freeza
    Sep 27, 2020
    10
    Best Game i haven't played it but the graphics and controls look amazing.The game depicts hindu mythology in an amazing light. Shut up and buy it.
  9. Laxyking
    Oct 12, 2020
    10
    One of the most beautiful games I have played till now, I loved the game play. And for 25€ worth it. The Indian background music is amazing too
  10. Bibek7
    Oct 16, 2020
    9
    It's a awesome game I like it the only thing , I didn't like were some bugs in the game
  11. OrrinHeroes3
    Aug 20, 2020
    10
    It's perfect! I was following the game from the very beginning. The story and art are marvelous! I was soo surprised that it was exclusively opened on Nintendo (I bought it in 2 months in advance). I get a great experience and recommend all fans to pass it through.
    That's a good adventure to understand what is India itself. Now I am going to visit this country and see all such    It's perfect! I was following the game from the very beginning. The story and art are marvelous! I was soo surprised that it was exclusively opened on Nintendo (I bought it in 2 months in advance). I get a great experience and recommend all fans to pass it through.
    That's a good adventure to understand what is India itself. Now I am going to visit this country and see all such architecture on my own.    … Expand
  12. ur_mist
    Aug 20, 2020
    10
    The game as a cultural property or art. Here you will find excellent bright combat, dynamic puzzles, and everything else that is in other games. But what is really valuable is the absolutely delightful environment, admirable murals on the walls, immersion, and amazing Indian mythology.
  13. BlackBoxRu
    Aug 21, 2020
    10
    The game looks pretty and the gameplay is peppy. The level design, acrobatics, and combat system and the enemies are quite diverse. Indian folklore and art style adds to the uniqueness of this game.
  14. GuiCateb
    Aug 22, 2020
    9
    Raji é uma aventura incrível.

    Nota-se o carinho da equipe em representar a cultura indiana e fazem isso muito bem. Conta com belas CG's e as mecânicas de combate são bem boas.

    Um pó tô negativo as vezes durante o combate é a câmera, que poderia ser mais inteligente e focar melhor alguns inimigos.

    Extremamente recomendado por mim.
  15. PinkyDemonTR53
    Oct 21, 2020
    0
    just dont buy this trash. dont spend your money on this **** worst game ive ever played.
  16. g1gamer
    Aug 20, 2020
    1
    Let me break it down for you..as an Indian living abroad and working for AAA studios for 15 years, I was always looking out for a good game from India. There had been decent attempts but nothing worth mentioning. This title was hyped up a lot and visuals were stunning when they started showing. When the game launched on Switch, I grabbed it immediately and in 1 hr realized that I committedLet me break it down for you..as an Indian living abroad and working for AAA studios for 15 years, I was always looking out for a good game from India. There had been decent attempts but nothing worth mentioning. This title was hyped up a lot and visuals were stunning when they started showing. When the game launched on Switch, I grabbed it immediately and in 1 hr realized that I committed a mistake and India lost another chance.
    This is an art showreel of a guy and that too of modellers and concept artists. What was stunning 3 years back is still at the same level while world moved forward. Animations are poor. Lighting is unthoughtful and UI is terrible .
    Let's talk about gameplay. Whats the game here?? NOTHING!! If you don't know what I mean, please check gameplay videos. It's the cocktail formula of millions of games we have played. Even for once you consider a rushed up (but they took 3 years +) game a real game, let me tell you that real game is to figure out controls. Controls go everywhere and never work the same second time around. I have played more than half of it and constantly struggling. Voice acting is so bad that it hurts.
    Overall a game made only on one USP....yay it's Indian and on Indian mythology. If it's made for Indians, they don't have a lot of switch and if made for global audience then why will they play this game which they played in 1990 also.
    I'm angry and frustrated how these guys had been befooling indian media for long. The reason their kick-starter failed bcause nobody found anything unique in it. Epic funded because they needed Indian operation and god knows who Super.com are.
    Avoid    … Expand
  17. DelvooD
    Sep 2, 2020
    9
    A rare setting and atmosphere that works. Finally, a world different from generics. In this game, you can explore the mythology of India.
  18. Golu
    Aug 20, 2020
    5
    5/10 - Average

    Play time - 3 hours. Mode - Both docked and hand-held. The Good - - A game on Indian mythology. - Refreshing protagonist. The Bad - Combat and movement controls need a lot of work - I am comparing this game to games like Bastion, Hades. - Repetitive enemies. - Combat is mostly one-dimensional. - Clunky progression/skill system. - Voice acting could be    5/10 - Average

    Play time - 3 hours.
    Mode - Both docked and hand-held.

    The Good -
    - A game on Indian mythology.
    - Refreshing protagonist.

    The Bad
    - Combat and movement controls need a lot of work - I am comparing this game to games like Bastion, Hades.
    - Repetitive enemies.
    - Combat is mostly one-dimensional.
    - Clunky progression/skill system.
    - Voice acting could be better.
    - Camera is zoomed out a bit a too much.
    - Text is unreadable in hand-held mode.

    There is a lot of love that went into Raji but it still needs work before it becomes a great game.
    Review in progress.    … Expand
  19. AkashBajpai
    Aug 20, 2020
    1
    A game which finishes in 140 minute and a game which has nothing new to offer. Sucker
  20. Shea32
    Sep 12, 2020
    10
    Most innovative and intriguing game of the year. The game mechanics are hard to master but fun while learning. The setting in ancient India creates a historical fiction, or maybe a mythological fiction. Gods, heroes and legends of Hindu are everywhere. By the end you feel familiar with this rich pantheon so different from the familiar greek.

    My only qualm is that the game is "on rails" so    Most innovative and intriguing game of the year. The game mechanics are hard to master but fun while learning. The setting in ancient India creates a historical fiction, or maybe a mythological fiction. Gods, heroes and legends of Hindu are everywhere. By the end you feel familiar with this rich pantheon so different from the familiar greek.

    My only qualm is that the game is "on rails" so you're not free to explore and use some of the cooler features over and over.    … Expand
  21. Sharukh
    Oct 18, 2020
    1
    This game is not at all good as the developers say and game also overpriced.I can't suggest this game this game is waste of time poor graphic poor optimisation game is so choppy if you play for an hour your eyes will be blown out for sure no matter how powerful you system is game still lag at this price you can buy very good games try shearch in steam please dont blame me if you alreadyThis game is not at all good as the developers say and game also overpriced.I can't suggest this game this game is waste of time poor graphic poor optimisation game is so choppy if you play for an hour your eyes will be blown out for sure no matter how powerful you system is game still lag at this price you can buy very good games try shearch in steam please dont blame me if you already bought this game you are screwed.… Expand
  22. faeth
    Jul 24, 2022
    3
    Was great for the first two thirds of the game, then they introduced an enemy that looks like a chess piece that quickly spawns other types of enemies to where you end up in an unbalanced thunderdome. On normal difficulty, the fights ended up being mostly the speedy bad guys that are meant to be countered by the shield, but after 4 or so spawn you are quickly overwhelemed. I managed to getWas great for the first two thirds of the game, then they introduced an enemy that looks like a chess piece that quickly spawns other types of enemies to where you end up in an unbalanced thunderdome. On normal difficulty, the fights ended up being mostly the speedy bad guys that are meant to be countered by the shield, but after 4 or so spawn you are quickly overwhelemed. I managed to get lucky on one attempt and my bow didn’t auto target too many of the wrong statues and I cleared it, but it was just not a fun encounter like the rest. Just after, I end up at a forced stealth section that is far too slow and one mistake puts you back at the start. It feels like two different sets of level designers made the game. The pace was broken and I lost all interest in continuing.

    Story and feel was amazing, and the mythological aspects of this game are what made me want to keep playing. That said this would have been a 10 for me, but they dropped the baton at the end.    … Expand
  23. biblik
    Sep 2, 2020
    10
    Surprisingly easy to get stuck into this beautiful game. I really liked the story, the duration, and the final. If you want to have a good couple of evenings, then Raji is your choice
  24. JCgamer18
    Aug 22, 2020
    6
    I've been playing this game for a couple of days.

    The good: The art and story are fantastic. I was really enjoying it and found the style to be beautiful and different in a good way. I really wanted to know what happened to golu. The landscapes in this game are beautiful and made me wish i could see them for myself it was great. I also liked the combat with how the weapons were    I've been playing this game for a couple of days.

    The good:
    The art and story are fantastic. I was really enjoying it and found the style to be beautiful and different in a good way. I really wanted to know what happened to golu. The landscapes in this game are beautiful and made me wish i could see them for myself it was great.
    I also liked the combat with how the weapons were balanced and each one was useful. i used my spear to take out more big enemies my sword and shield for agile and my bow to take out enemies from a distance.
    The bosses were also very well designed. I had lots of fun figuring out how to defeat the bosses i've encounted. each one made me think on how to get the advantages. The combat required a certain amount of strategy.

    The meh:
    the voice acting. its meh but sometimes really bad over a dozen times i heard the foulness has been defeated. evil would had worked way better. i also found some of it to be poorly managed like vishnu was very low and hard to hear while it was easy to hear durga and raji was the loudest.

    The negative:
    The game crashed on me whenever i tried to load the game from the load menu 3 times its a serious issue if your game can not use the load function. The game has serious framerate issues and would chug heavily at times and it was visible constantly. i also fell below the world twice while moving faster using the dodge roll. and on one section raji just died on the vine heading down to a temple. There are serious issues with this game that really should have been fixed before release and i really wanted to finish it but the glitches really beat me down along with the chugging framerate.

    the other issue is balancing. enemies are not balanced. the monkey enemies destroy you if you doing have a wall run point on hand they are fast and spam their attacks way too heavily and removed me from other parts that felt easier and worked for. They need some more balancing of certain enemies because some felt out of place in their difficulty level for early points in the game.

    Finally the controls. this is the worst thing to have. The controls for the menus are convoluted and confusing this was the straw that broke the camels back. The skill menu controls were way too complex and selecting your options with the B button is the weirdest thing i have ever seen its like they made a mistake and refused to correct it. The menus are so difficult to navigate because of how awkward it is to use them in the skill menu.

    Overall: this game needed work and its evident from playing it for a while and especially with all the glitches i encountered. I really wanted to love this game because i was enthralled with the story and art style but the gameplay it needed a lot of work. I can only give this game a 6 out of 10 right now in the state its in but i have hope they will fix the issues mentioned because i really liked the story and the direction of the style and art but so many issues prevent me from loving this game.

    I would recommend waiting for a price drop to even consider getting this game.    … Expand
  25. Danieleitor777
    Jul 30, 2021
    9
    El arte visual de este juego,es quizás el mejor que haya visto nunca,el gameplay coge mucho de otros juegos ,pero lo hace perfecto,la verdad una muy grata sorpresa
  26. PewPewMcP
    Oct 5, 2021
    8
    Raji is a beautiful game worth checking out for its vistas, its visuals and its storytelling. It competently executes on its Prince of Persia-inspired contextual parkour and a decent enough superpowered combat to deliver a tale steeped in Hindu mythology and Indian aesthetics. A very pretty game that's also decent fun to play. It's let down by its brevity but worth checking out nonethelessRaji is a beautiful game worth checking out for its vistas, its visuals and its storytelling. It competently executes on its Prince of Persia-inspired contextual parkour and a decent enough superpowered combat to deliver a tale steeped in Hindu mythology and Indian aesthetics. A very pretty game that's also decent fun to play. It's let down by its brevity but worth checking out nonetheless simply due to the overall videogaming quality it packs into these short hours.… Expand
  27. EnigmaXtreme
    Aug 25, 2020
    7
    While we have seen many different independent studios crop up all across the world in many different countries, India surprisingly hasn’t really been one of them. It is a shame considering the rich history and culture the country has to offer that we haven’t seen more studios arise from the subcontinent but Nodding Head Games hopes to change that with their brand new game, Raji: An AncientWhile we have seen many different independent studios crop up all across the world in many different countries, India surprisingly hasn’t really been one of them. It is a shame considering the rich history and culture the country has to offer that we haven’t seen more studios arise from the subcontinent but Nodding Head Games hopes to change that with their brand new game, Raji: An Ancient Epic, releasing on the Switch as part of their Indie World Megadrop this past week.

    The game tells the story of Raji and her younger brother Golu who work as part of a travelling carnival until one day it is ravaged by demons and Golu is kidnapped. The story is told through shadow puppets while it is also narrated in game by the Hindu gods Duhra and Vishnu who are watching over Raji on her journey to save her brother, they also bestow upon her weapons like a staff and bow.

    I feel it is safe to assume that most people playing this game will only have a truly elementary understanding of the Hindu faith, hell most people who say the most exposure they have to it is watching Apu on the Simpsons. This is where the game shines as it features an amazing representation of India culture, featuring snippets of Hindu lore through artwork narrated by the gods as Sitar music plays in the background.

    The game plays similarly to the original God of Wars with fixed moving cameras over a 3D world, although the camera feels incredibly far away making Raji almost a speck on the map. Combat is a standard affair with normal/heavy attacks and the dodge button, but Raji can also pull out some Prince of Persia moves with her wall jumos and swinging around poles to attack the beasts that show up. The game also utilises an intriguing health bar, all the characters health is set in a circle around themselves.

    The game does lack that final polish however, the game only allows you to jump when you are at a ledge but even then I found Raji would just miss grabbing hold like she wasn’t in the mood to do so. I also find Rajio moved at a fairly sluggish pace like shes constantly wading through mud. During the first boss battle, I was getting my butt whipped because I got caught in a corner, until IT got caught in one instead and I just kept shooting at it. Audio and performance issues also plague the game at times with framerate and audio skipping. Plus, while most of the voice actors in the game are tolerable, there was something off putting with Raji’s voice actress with her sounding like an Indian character in a Nick Jr cartoon.

    While it is clear that Kratos’s journeys inspired this game it lacks the flair and intensity of those titles and thankfully the quick time events too, there isn’t much exploration as well with the game being a fairly strict linear narrative only lasting a few hours at best. Those hours though are filled with some amazing sights from a world that seriously needs more exposure in gaming. While the game doesn’t offer anything new, with mechanics taken from Prince of Persia and God of War, the rich Hindu mythology is a sight sure to amaze.    … Expand
  28. rookfire
    Aug 19, 2021
    8
    A really beautiful game. I liked the combat (a little similar to Hades, with different weapons and different 'boons') and exploring the game a lot (puzzles) - the art is really really beautiful, and so were the cut scenes and music. I loved learning about the gods and goddesses. Some reviewers said the camera angle was an issue, but I didn't feel that way, because the camera would usuallyA really beautiful game. I liked the combat (a little similar to Hades, with different weapons and different 'boons') and exploring the game a lot (puzzles) - the art is really really beautiful, and so were the cut scenes and music. I loved learning about the gods and goddesses. Some reviewers said the camera angle was an issue, but I didn't feel that way, because the camera would usually be angled to give a wide shot of the background and architecture. I was more surprised by how short this game was. I thought it would run much longer, with much more to explore. Also, really stellar voice acting (except Raji's lol). Overall, I really enjoyed this game. It's a short and really beautiful action game.… Expand
  29. FearlessRomeo
    Sep 4, 2020
    10
    Finally. I new mythology with different gameplay. I loved the demo. Am gonna get it as soon it releases!
  30. irai16
    Nov 30, 2020
    7
    A valiant first effort for Indian devs. The visuals/art style is genuinely spectacular, and the combat is generally fun and satisfying as well. Problems can arise from a weird lack of depth perception, making combat and especially platforming a little finicky and annoying, and an incoherent story; I didn't really know what was going on and Raji jumped from location to location seemingly atA valiant first effort for Indian devs. The visuals/art style is genuinely spectacular, and the combat is generally fun and satisfying as well. Problems can arise from a weird lack of depth perception, making combat and especially platforming a little finicky and annoying, and an incoherent story; I didn't really know what was going on and Raji jumped from location to location seemingly at random. Vishnu and Durga's conversations were great though, definitely a highlight, and as an Indian the attention to mythology was a joy to see.… Expand
  31. Soroushm
    May 31, 2021
    3
    The only thing good about this game is its location design. The story is awful, the gameplay is repetitive ( platforming and combat again and again in predictable sequences), the dialogues are just bad and the background story is told by the worst exposition ever. I think the goal of the developers was to just teach the mythology of Indian gods but honestly they have chosen a bad way toThe only thing good about this game is its location design. The story is awful, the gameplay is repetitive ( platforming and combat again and again in predictable sequences), the dialogues are just bad and the background story is told by the worst exposition ever. I think the goal of the developers was to just teach the mythology of Indian gods but honestly they have chosen a bad way to tell their stories. I mainly support indie games but this one was just bad and a waste of time. I don’t know how some users have given this high scores but don’t waste your time on this.… Expand
  32. Aeronin
    Aug 21, 2020
    6
    TLDR version of my review:

    Good: Music, Concept, Art Bad: BUGS. The game employs a real-time combat system and includes a skill tree design - allowing you to choose what skills/element you wish for Raji to master. I was not a fan of this. It's all fine when theres maybe 3 or 4 demons after you. At times when there are 8 attacking you from every direction on the map, it was very    TLDR version of my review:

    Good: Music, Concept, Art
    Bad: BUGS.

    The game employs a real-time combat system and includes a skill tree design - allowing you to choose what skills/element you wish for Raji to master.

    I was not a fan of this. It's all fine when theres maybe 3 or 4 demons after you. At times when there are 8 attacking you from every direction on the map, it was very frustrating as I died time and time again, without even knowing why. I concede this might be because of my inferior gaming skills. I found the mass mob battles even harder than the boss battles. (Zelda has trained me well to look for patterns. )

    The game also included simplistic mural puzzles. Some 2D, some 3D. Either to unlock a snippet into Raji's past or to cleanse the area of corruption. Too simple. There was no challenge. It felt like something they put in there just for the sake of adding a puzzle element.

    Finally we come to the peak of my frustrations while playing this game. Many times I was either knocked out of the battle field, or the demon had disappeared leaving me stuck inside instead. It even happened during the final boss fight.

    To make matters worse, I had to face the final boss without the option of using the final weapon gifted by the Gods. Somehow I had gotten stuck underwater and when I reloaded the save, it had autosaved to the next point but without the weapon. I never even got to use the weapon once.

    Throughout the whole game more questions appear than answers. Obviously setting up for a sequel.

    However at the price point (discounted) of $22.49, it's a no from me. Maybe if it was $15 and below.    … Expand
  33. kp4567
    Oct 29, 2020
    10
    Set in a beautiful environment, the game is like nothing i have seen before. Amazing sound track, cant wait for the OST. Story and character development could have been better. Also would have loved it in hindi audio.
  34. CoomerEnergy
    Dec 21, 2020
    8
    Short and sweet, fun for an adventure game (which I usually don't play) and I would recommend it if you have the money.

    Pros: Absolutely loved the storyline, it was simple and straight to the point but also felt mythic at the same time. It did not need novel quality writing, it was a story about a sister trying to be reunited with her brother and fate throwing a wrench in that    Short and sweet, fun for an adventure game (which I usually don't play) and I would recommend it if you have the money.

    Pros:

    Absolutely loved the storyline, it was simple and straight to the point but also felt mythic at the same time. It did not need novel quality writing, it was a story about a sister trying to be reunited with her brother and fate throwing a wrench in that throughout the whole series. It's an adventure game not an RPG after all.

    The synopses of Hindu myths were actually really fascinating and I never found myself so inspired by any game. They chose really fun stories that got me interesting in reading up on more Vedic mythology as a whole, just out of curiosity and piqued interest.

    The gameplay was easy to master and I felt engaged for the most part. It paced itself well and progressively got harder throughout 90% of the game. The final boss was a little easy but otherwise it felt like appropriate pacing. I enjoyed the mixture of staying on the run and fighting, it reminded me of the old run and gun games I played as a kid but also like a classic hack n slash at the same time.

    I enjoyed the banter between Durga and Vishnu. With Vishnu basically being dismissive of Raji until she does something to benefit him and then he was on her side.

    The aesthetic of it, especially the cutscenes when it went into like paper doll mode was phenomenal. The scenery itself was beautiful and I found myself inadvertently exploring everything I could. I rarely go for the achievements but I got 80% of them all done just by being curious about the world around me. I wanted to find all of the orbs and I think I only missed 1 somewhere. Most of them were very easy to find. I only got lost at 1 part but that was only briefly, which is saying something since I have a terrible sense of direction. The music was pleasing and I just wanted more of it in my life.

    The boss fights (on in the case of Naga not really a boss fight but a boss encounter) were fun and had enjoyable mechanics. I especially loved the Rangda fight. The encounter was challenging at first but when you figured out her move set it felt easy enough to make you feel like you accomplished something.

    Unlike the other users, I did not experience even an ounce of lag or any framerate issues. Optimization was fine and I have an old piece of crap computer.

    Cons:
    The graphics are not very great, but it feels stylized enough to overlook its short comings. Gave me old school vibes of playing on the X-box when I was a kid.

    Weird camera angles at times made some of the platforming a little harder than it needed to be. That might have been the purpose, but there were a few (but not a lot) instances where it was a problem.

    Controls and combat are not intuitive but easy to get the hang of. Just not the best design for the PC and maybe it would have worked better with a controller.

    A couple of bugs, one is when one of the flying demons did not spawn. Easy fix, I just had to exit and relaunch the game and it fixed itself. Another is on the jungle level where you're clinging to trees and vines, in which there are a few parts you can pass through the world and die. It's not much of an inconvenience though since you come back exactly where you were before you made the jumps anyways.

    The story is a bit short, and it felt like everything went above and beyond until the last area where you're in the desert. It felt like the devs just ran out of ideas and started throwing tough mobs at you. Wouldn't have been a problem though if was longer. The ending itself was a little rushed feeling and that's probably my biggest complaint of the game since I enjoyed its storyline and aesthetic. I wish there was just more to the final story itself. I also just wish the game was a little longer in general with more weapons and levels.
    _____________
    All-in-all I'd give it an 8.5/10 if I could so I will settle with an 8, since I can't justify the 9 due to the few minor issues I had. Overall it was a fun experience and I felt like it was worth the money. It's rare that I walk away from a game feeling inspired about a whole foreign culture and wanting to read more about it in the way Raji did for me.    … Expand
  35. JAG7
    Jun 3, 2023
    8
    Great game. Beautiful visuals. Music is great. Platform and combat are ok. The story is great. This is a work of love. The ending was disappointing and felt rushed. Otherwise great game.
  36. Elite_Institute
    Mar 5, 2022
    9
    "I have to admit that overall it was a fantastic experience for the most part – it’s a real shame that it was over in only five hours. The final level in particular comes and goes quickly, with very little more than the final boss fight, making it seem like they ran into budget or time restraints. It is a wonderful journey through Hindu mythology, and I hope the team can bless us with a"I have to admit that overall it was a fantastic experience for the most part – it’s a real shame that it was over in only five hours. The final level in particular comes and goes quickly, with very little more than the final boss fight, making it seem like they ran into budget or time restraints. It is a wonderful journey through Hindu mythology, and I hope the team can bless us with a follow up in the near future."

    https://theeliteinstitute.net/2021/03/12/raji-an-ancient-epic/    … Expand
  37. IamSquid
    Jan 2, 2023
    7
    I don't know what happened! I played the demo and loved it, so I bought the full game and it wasn't as good. Nevertheless, its an incredible looking game, so maybe I'll give it another try.
  38. mohammadrafigh
    Feb 27, 2022
    8
    I liked the game a lot. But there were some annoying things that made me angry while playing. In some places if you miss an orb there is no way to return an catch it and there is no solution for that other than restarting the game from the beginning. Also in some cases the camera rotation was confusing when jumping over rocks etc. But generally I liked the design, the story line, songs andI liked the game a lot. But there were some annoying things that made me angry while playing. In some places if you miss an orb there is no way to return an catch it and there is no solution for that other than restarting the game from the beginning. Also in some cases the camera rotation was confusing when jumping over rocks etc. But generally I liked the design, the story line, songs and Raji reactions in emotional states.… Expand
  39. SantiagoAgui
    May 4, 2022
    1
    The game become easily boring and way to repetitive, the story is interesting but the game play is really poor. Wouldn't recommend to buy it.

Awards & Rankings

33
#33 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
69

Mixed or average reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 21
  3. Negative: 2 out of 21
  1. Cultured Vultures
    Oct 8, 2020
    70
    While certainly rough around the edges, Raji: An Ancient Epic is an earnest swing that shows a ton of heart and some great ideas.
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  2. Switch Player
    Oct 5, 2020
    80
    Raji: An Ancient Epic is a beautiful adventure unlike anything we’ve likely seen in video games, let alone the Switch. The gameplay itself is of a strong if unspectacular standard, but it’s the design and the experience which you’re paying for here.
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  3. Nintendo Insider
    Oct 5, 2020
    70
    Raji: An Ancient Epic stands apart from its competition thanks to the game’s mythological exploration, but the unpolished state that it has arrived in detracts from its clear successes. Even if it doesn’t wholeheartedly deliver on its potential, there’s still much to admire from the adventure looking back from its conclusion.
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