Spellgarden Games' new farming simulator, Ritual of Raven, offers a familiar pixel-art village setting and a plot of land, but introduces a significant twist on the genre's established formula. Instead of directly tending to crops with traditional tools, players utilize a deck of tarot cards to program a stone robot responsible for watering and caring for the plants. This automation system, while initially presenting a learning curve, allows players to manage a larger farm than would be possible through manual labor.
Players interact with the game's world by assigning action cards to their robot constructs. While this method of farming differs from games like Stardew Valley, it aims to provide a similar sense of accomplishment through automation. Mistakes are expected during the learning process, with potential errors like the robot watering fences instead of crops. The game's narrative also diverges from typical farming sims, beginning with the player taking the place of a vanished familiar for a witch named Sage. Players receive a raven companion named Raven and a grimoire, and are soon tasked with completing fetch quests for the village's inhabitants, who have specific gift preferences.
Beyond farming, Ritual of Raven incorporates a unique fishing mechanic. Players operate a claw machine at the edge of a portal to catch shadows. These catches can be kept, sold, or donated to one of three distinct town museums dedicated to spell fragments, crystals, or miscellaneous items. This activity, alongside home decoration and grimoire study, allows for ample gameplay outside the main story progression.
The game's linearity may be a departure for open-world enthusiasts, with much of its intriguing side content locked behind main story progression. These story beats can require precise tasks, such as crossbreeding specific flowers during particular lunar phases. However, the game's appeal lies in its characters, art style, and evolving narrative, which can captivate players for hours.
Characters like Umbrielle, who progresses from an unseen gossip to a potentially visible newspaper owner, and Coco, a seed shop proprietor who draws players into tabletop campaigns, contribute to the game's engaging atmosphere. Ritual of Raven is available now on Nintendo Switch and Windows PC.