Drova: Forsaken Kin [Review]
Drova is a dark action RPG with a steep difficulty curve.
Drova: Forsaken Kin. Credit: Just2D / Deck13
Drova is a dark and difficult action RPG inspired by Celtic mythology. Developer Just2D built an expansive pixel art top-down game that fans of the more grim games in the genre will enjoy.
Carrying a mysterious crystal, you are the only druid to survive the journey into the mystical land of Drova in an effort to aid your ailing village. Soon, you discover that Drova isn’t the land of peace and prosperity you believed. You will choose between two factions to ensure your survival. On your journey, you’ll meet a lot of NPCs and do tasks for them. Their dialogue is sharp and often funny, full of character.
Drova: Forsaken Kin. Credit: Just2D / Deck13
I had a tough time with the game’s combat, which was difficult even at the start. Enemies outside one of the first areas, the Woodcutter’s Camp, can kill you in a few hits. I quickly grew frustrated with my frequent deaths. I found the controls clunky and imprecise and the action slow.
The world’s design is handcrafted and large. Perhaps I’m spoiled, but I would have appreciated a navigation feature pointing me toward quest goals because there is little to guide your way. It takes a bit too long to get access to a proper map from a vendor. There is, however, an interesting investigation mechanic, where you can toggle a special vision mode that will reveal details such as important footprints or let you examine things in the environment for details and clues.
Drova: Forsaken Kin. Credit: Just2D / Deck13
The game’s pixel art graphics are decent, though not particularly attractive. The muddy colors make the world a bit dreary. I would have liked the character and creature sprite art to be cleaner; it’s also a bit plain.
I wasn’t compelled enough by the game’s world or story to excel at its combat or overcome my frustration with the gameplay. Perhaps I’ll come back to the game later and have a different viewpoint, but for now, I’ve only spent around ten hours with it out of its 30-40 hour playtime.
Drova: Forsaken Kin is available now on PC (Steam), PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One / Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.
Played on: PS5
