RAJI: AN ANCIENT EPIC
The story of Raji: An Ancient Epic begins with the start of a new war between the demons and the gods. Seeking to avenge their defeat in the last great war from a thousand years ago, the demons have challenged the gods who humiliated them and have invaded the human realm, threatening them with extinction. Thinking that their enemies had been utterly defeated in the last great war, a thousand years ago, the humans had fallen into a false sense of security, forgetting the ways of alchemy, while enjoying the peace. Unable to defend themselves, cities and fortresses fell, leaving the humans at the mercy of the demons. Amidst the chaos, as cities and fortresses fell, and as young children were abducted from their homes, a young girl named Raji is chosen by the gods to be the sole defender of the human race.
Game Discussion
Steam User 11
I really enjoyed what I played of this game, but I am not skilled in Soulsbourne-style fights and the second boss fight was absolutely too much for me and I had to tap out. I really wish that I had been able to play this game all the way through, because it was truly beautiful, the platforming was some of the best challenging platforming that I've had in a game (it truly *was* challenging! But it made the accomplishment of finishing it so worth it!) and the smaller fights were great. But even on the easiest level, I absolutely could not get past the second boss, and unfortunately that skill issue on my part just means I cannot get through the rest of this.
Steam User 7
I've always thought that my own culture was very under-represented in video games, since apart from Asura's Wrath, I never knew any game that used aspects of it. When I saw this, as a fan of character action games like DMC, as well as Fromsoft's soulsbourne series, and games like Shadow of the Colossus I knew I had to try this. I'd followed its development for a while, and I honestly think it delivered.
I love the way it tells the historical stories while keeping it accurate with absolutely gorgeous scenery and amazing combat with the weapons. I like the souls-type bosses and the hack and slash gameplay.
I love how the cutscenes are done with unique old painting style that you see in ancient architecture, and I'm really looking forward to anything else by this studio.
I would recommend this surely to anybody who loves the genre or even wants to know about mythology more or is interested. The only things it loses points for is a small amount of inconsistent platforming and I thought the ending was a little bit unsatisfying. Overall, I have to give it a 9.5/10
Steam User 9
You can tell that the devs wanted to put out a good game. I think it could have been an amazing game if they had polished it. The art and the level design is beautiful and well built. The fight and bosses are actually good and not easy with good action sets BUT the moves are kinda janky. There is a tree for weapon enhancement which was nice, but since the game is so short, you don't really have time to have a strong build. I really like how our character fights (with the pillars and the walls) but I would have liked to have the opportunity to use those during boss fights. The cutscenes had a nice art style (puppet show) but they were too long and I didn't care for them. Puzzles were kinda fun too. And finally the voice acting is hit or miss (either there is or it's AI, I dunno). So I do recommend this game but it could have been so much more.
Steam User 9
I was fooled by the gorgeous art style and culture on display thinking it'll be a easy game to later realise that this is a challenging game. Button mashing is a death sentence and dodges have to be executed with near perfection. I welcome the challenge and once again wanna gush about how beautifully crafted the game is.
Steam User 5
It was a nice game, nice cultural connection, nice story, it kept progressing well, kinda nice sceneries for its simplicity. As you see(i almost speedrun the games) it's not very big, but it's nice for education, to relax, to have fun. It has 3 difficulties, i just played the normal one. It has a mod whereas if you get shot you are dead. So i didn't play this tryhard component of the game. Once i have more time i will give it a try.
Steam User 8
Recommended, but barely. And only when the price is low.
Game is really short. Climax feels rushed. A lot of weapons and attacks feel useless because of animation lag. Enemy AI sometimes glitches out. Combat is fun when works but can often become a pain when some annoying enemies start showing up. Final boss is too frustrating on Easy. Overall, the game lacks QA and polish.
Inspirations from Prince of Persia is obvious. The fantastic art direction, mesmerising visuals, storytelling and a rather authentic depiction of Indian mythology are about the only reasons that make this game somewhat worthwhile.
We need more games based on similar themes and legends, because right now this is something of a rare gem.
Steam User 6
As someone who is interested in mythology and cultures from around the world, I was immediately drawn to the setting of Raji: An Ancient Epic, and the game did not disappoint at all!
The Hindu cultural, mythological and artistic elements are present all throughout the game. The landscapes are beautiful, full of stunning environments to marvel at. I found myself often stopping to admire the scenery and forgetting to play. These elements are also found in the story and its presentation, the soundtrack and even things that might be overlooked like the design of the user interface.
Every single part of this game was made with care and a desire to celebrate Hindu culture, mythology and art. It is really a wonderful thing to see and a feast for the eyes.
The story is simple but serviceable, and it matches what you would expect of a myth in the making. It also provides you with the opportunity to learn about the real-life mythology that inspired the game.
Gameplay is mix of combat, platforming, and some fairly simple puzzles. There is not much to say about the latter two, except that they offer variety and a decent break from combat. As for the combat; it took me a bit to get into, but once I did I found it a lot of fun, especially as I unlocked new weapons and abilities. And for those who do not enjoy the combat mechanics, the game offers a story mode that allows you to fully immerse yourself in the journey.
My only complaint would be that the final part of the game gave me the impression that it was either rushed or unfinished, as if time or budget run out and the developers had to cut things short.
A quick search showed that indeed there was some trouble in securing funds and a publisher for the game. It's unfortunate because this abrupt story conclusion makes for a very disappointing end to a game that started quite nicely. Even so, I'm thankful that the developers didn't give up and still managed to complete and share this gem of a game with the world.
Raji: An Ancient Epic is a game I would highly recommend. It’s not very long and it doesn't overstay its welcome. Although neither the story nor the gameplay are groundbreaking, the art, music, and cultural storytelling make it a unique and memorable game that is absolutely worth experiencing.