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Drova Icon
Drova

Developer: Just2D

Publisher: Deck 13

Action
Adventure
RPG
  • Price: $24.99
  • Release Date: Oct 15, 2024
  • Number of Players: 1
  • Last on Sale: -
  • Lowest Historic Price: -
  • ESRB Rating: M [Mature]
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    An undoubtedly ambitious and often challenging action RPG that works overall but may not appeal to everyone

    When it comes to action RPGs, the Switch has had a pretty wide variety come its way. On the top end it has the likes of the well-received Diablo III, for a bit more flair there’s Victor Vran, and if you’d prefer the focus to be more on outright action you could make a case for Hades… and that’s just scratching the surface. But if you’d like something that’s a bit less concerned with the action, and takes more care in its worldbuilding and storytelling, you may find there’s not quite as many options.

    Leaning on a mystical world that’s inspired by Celtic mythology, as well as going for a generally darker tone overall, Drova is an open-world RPG that absolutely has ambition. Rather than dropping you into a straightforward and well-defined quest, it goes down a more open-world path where even early on you’ll simply be able to explore and find your own way. This is also true morally on a general level, as lacking clear enforcers of authority lurking about you’ll have a fair degree of opportunity to do whatever it may take for success, including having sticky fingers or a bit of blood on your hands if necessary. That isn’t to say your actions won’t have an impact, you just may not see or feel immediate results from your “bad” choices.

    Of course, while a general lack of strict structure and direction can absolutely appeal to some folks out there, it can be a real problem for others. Wandering around and following your whims can have appeal, but it can also leave you feeling lost at times, both in terms of where you are and what you should be doing. Throw in some interfaces that don’t quite feel as intuitive and well-organized as they could be and there are some fundamental issues that crop up as well. The fact that combat can feel a bit cumbersome, and the need to draw your weapon manually, also chip away at the overall experience.

    If you’re more concerned with the game’s upsides, primarily being the abundance of player agency and getting to explore what feels like a pretty distinctive world, and are willing to forgive where it falls short, there’s no doubt that Drova stands pretty well apart from most of its peers. It hasn’t chosen an easier and less risky mainstream-friendly path, it has staked out on its own and I absolutely appreciate that fact. Whether or not it will appeal to any given gamer out there feels like a bit of a crapshoot though.


    Justin Nation, Score:
    Good [7.2]
2025

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