Ravva and the Phantom Library is a sequel. You might not realise this, as the first title never really seemed to gain much ground. Launched back in 2019, the game was well received and clearly prompted publisher eastasiasoft to give Galope Studios another go. Frankly, you should be glad they did, as Ravva and the Phantom Library is well worth your time and money.
Ravva and the Phantom Library tells the story of – you guessed it – a phantom library. This library appears out of nowhere and magically transports the readers of its books into the worlds described within their pages. It’s as elegant a setup as any for an 8-bit retro stylised platformer. And on the surface, that’s all Ravva and the Phantom Library.
It’s entirely possible to run through the game’s rapidly increasing platforming challenges and boss fights without paying any attention to it nuances. But to do so would be to defeat the point. There are many similar games out there, and if played this way, many are better than Ravva and the Phantom Library. However, the uniqueness in the game’s challenge is not simple completion of the levels. Instead, it’s in exploiting every aspect of them to find secrets, hidden items, unique enemy encounters and more.
Ravva has five different abilities available. Four ‘companions’, and a staff. Each of them performs a different action. The blue guy sits above your head and fires discs that can destroy certain blocks. Red launches fireballs upwards. Your staff shoots in a straight line, while the green guy acts as an explosive mortar. Then there’s the yellow guy – the all-seeing eye. This final one, when used, can reveal hidden items and pathways in the environment. It’s very short range, and you’ll often find that to activate what is found you need to use one of the other four abilities.
This sets up a game which merges a puzzle element into its straightforward platforming. It’s not quite a metroidvania, but certainly takes influences. It’s fairly compelling mostly because it seems so easy at first. It makes you want to hunt down every hidden asset because, why wouldn’t you? All you need to do is scan an area and then complete a basic challenge to get the item/secret/coins. However, as you progress through the levels, obtaining these hidden objectives becomes significantly more challenging.
Ravva and the Phantom Library doesn’t rewrite the rulebook (library pun notwithstanding), but it does have some interesting ideas. If you’re looking for a new platforming challenge you could do far worse. Don’t go expecting a Super Mario thrill-ride or a true metroidvania, and you’ll be prepared for the gameplay Ravva and the Phantom Library provides. A tidy weekend of dexterity and problem solving challenges.
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