Developed by Passtech Games and published by Nacon, Ravenswatch entered its full release phase after exiting early access in late 2024. This top-down action roguelike casts players as heroes from twisted fairy tales and legends, fighting against the corruption of the Nightmare. The game is currently rated “Very Positive” on Steam. However, adjustments to the game’s pacing at higher difficulties and new mechanics have created early-game challenges for many newcomers.
Hero Selection and Difficulty
Upon starting, players select an available hero. The Pied Piper is recommended for beginners. His ranged attack allows for a more forgiving playstyle, and his passive ability, “Swarm of Rats”, automatically damages nearby enemies while moving.
The Scarlet should be avoided initially. Although her critical hit values appear strong, her low durability demands extensive knowledge of boss attack patterns to be effective.
The game offers multiple difficulty options. Players should not skip the tutorial prompts found on the first map. The full release changed the blocking mechanic: a perfect block no longer nullifies all damage but instead converts a portion into “Shadow Health.” Players of the early access version should be aware of this adjustment.
Chapter Flow: Rhythm and Resources
The game unfolds across procedurally generated maps with combat encounters, events, and shops spread throughout. Understanding the time pressure is key. Experience points for skill upgrades are gained after each fight, but the in-game clock is always advancing. The “Master Nightmare” difficulty meter increases with each passing day, strengthening enemies. Clearing every single room on the map often leads to the area boss having an insurmountable power advantage.
The correct approach is prioritizing rooms marked with a golden border. These “Key Task” rooms advance the main storyline and unlock new zones. Not every standard combat room needs to be cleared. The first chapter’s boss, often a “Wicked Witch” type, uses a cycle of summoning minions while shielding herself. The tactic is to defeat the minions to build “Nightmare Energy.” Once this gauge is full, the ultimate ability can be used to destroy the witch’s shield instantly.
Chapter Two: The Value of Mobility
The second chapter shifts to an underwater, sunken-city aesthetic. Enemies here frequently use ranged attacks, and the ground is covered in slowing sludge. A player who did not choose mobility skills upon leveling up in Chapter One, such as “Extended Dash Invincibility” or “Dash Cooldown Reduction”, will struggle significantly.
The key advice is to max out at least one mobility talent before distributing points into damage bonuses. Survival is the prerequisite for damage output, especially since most boss attacks in this chapter have large areas of effect.
The area boss, a “Faceless Master Nightmare” (also referred to in some guides as a “Leviathan” type), possesses a unique “Consume” ability, temporarily immobilizing and draining the health of any hero it traps. The method to counter this is not to run, but to throw an item—a “Bomb Fruit” —directly into the creature’s mouth when it opens to charge the skill. These one-time-use items can be collected from multiple locations on the map.
Chapter Three: The Final Confrontation
The final chapter is set in a Gothic vampire castle with the highest density of combat rooms in the entire game. Enemy compositions are mixed: melee “chargers” will pressure movement while ranged spellcasters fire from a distance. The key is to manage the pace of combat and avoid being cornered. Before the final boss, a unique event—a “Well of Wishes” —will appear. Any remaining gold should be spent here for a final round of attribute upgrades.
The final boss, the Master Nightmare, has three phases. The first is a standard humanoid duel. In the second phase, it grows wings and initiates arena-wide area-of-effect attacks. The third phase summons shadowy doppelgangers of all the previously defeated chapter bosses. The fundamental strategy is to conserve the ultimate ability and all healing items through the first two phases, saving all burst damage for phase three. When the doppelgangers appear, focus on defeating any that can heal other illusions first.
