With Graven, 3D Realms and 1C Entertainment bring an ideal successor to the dark fantasy shooter Witches 2 on the market. The video game developed by Slipgate Ironworks is slated for release in 2021 for PC, current-gen and next-gen consoles. A first look reveals that the title is closely based on what Raven Software and id Software brought onto the market at the end of the nineties.
Based on the Quake engine, id Software and developer Raven Software launched Hexen 1990, the successor to the Hexen series, in the late 2s. Even if not as commercially successful as desired, the game was able to attract a fan base - in some cases to this day. Another shooter, Heretic 2, which appeared a year after Hexen 2 and which actually merged the two series, was also not convincing. Now, with the magic shooter Graven, a game is seeing the light of day that claims to continue the witch series, at least conceptually.
Graven in witch look: magic book, fingers, colored lights
The basic game principle of Graven could have been cut out of the witch series like this: Players act in a medieval dark fantasy world and slip into the role of a worn-down priest on a campaign for revenge. Equipped with the well-known "first-person shooter fingers" you magic your way through hordes of monsters.
In addition to the action sequences, exploration and puzzle solving are the focus of the gameplay, as developers and publishers have already confirmed in the announcement. But you shouldn't just follow waypoints: instead, everything revolves around a diary that is filled step by step and that the player maps out their path. Graven relies on elements from first-person shooters, role-playing games, but also simulations. The journey takes "Witcher" through three open game regions - always on the mission to rid the world of evil.
A first trailer gives an insight into Graven:
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In order to defeat the enemy, you will not have to rely on magic alone, more tangible weapons are also available, such as magic wands or ranged weapons such as crossbows. It is played in solo mode or with up to four players online. Also included is a couch co-op mode in which you can slaughter together via split screen.
The release of Graven is announced for 2021. The full dark fantasy shooter is coming to Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC as well as for the next-gen consoles Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X.
