FirstLook RavenWorld 2

Ravensword 2 came out last night, and I had been waiting for this one for a while. After spending a couple of hours with it, the thing that stood out most was simple: I was surprised this was running on an iOS device.

A lot of mobile games keep things small. They limit where you can go, how much you can interact with, and how much story they try to carry. Ravensword 2 feels different. It is a full role-playing game on the iPad, and even in the early part of the game, it gives you a lot of room to move around.

Quick Answer

Ravensword 2 is a large, open-feeling RPG for the iPad that lets you explore, talk to characters, take quests, equip gear, use a map, and fast travel after discovering areas. Based on my first couple of hours, it feels more like an older desktop or console-style RPG than a small mobile game.

The touch controls take a little getting used to, especially because movement is on the left side while camera movement and action buttons live on the right. Once that starts to click, the game becomes much easier to move through. My early impression is that it is worth checking out if you want a more involved RPG on iOS.

The Controls

Ravensword 2 uses a split touch control setup. The lower left side of the screen controls walking forward, backward, and side to side. The right side handles attacks, jumping, blocking, and moving the camera around.

The attack button can also be held down to block, and you can still move while blocking. You can double tap to start running, which helps once you begin moving through larger areas.

The part that took me a little while to get used to was camera control. My first instinct was to drag lower on the screen, but camera movement only worked for me over on the right side near the action buttons. It is not bad, but there is a short adjustment period.

Left side controls movement.
Right side controls camera movement and action buttons.
Attack can be held to block.
Double tapping lets you run.

A Bigger RPG Than Expected

The biggest thing that impressed me was the scale. Ravensword 2 does not feel like it is constantly trying to keep you inside a narrow path. You can move around, explore, talk to people, and interact with objects in a way that feels much more open than many iPad games.

When the targeting circle in the middle of the screen moves over something interactive, it changes. Over a door or object, it becomes a hand. Over a person, it becomes a chat bubble. That makes it easy to see what you can interact with without cluttering the screen too much.

The game reminded me of older RPGs in a good way. You are not just tapping through a tiny mobile version of an adventure. You are walking through a world, talking to characters, getting directions, picking up quests, and building your character as you go.

Quests, Gear, and Inventory

The game includes the expected RPG systems: inventory, stats, talents, quests, and a map. Tapping the backpack opens the inventory area, where you can equip items such as armor and a sword.

Early on, a character gives you gear and points you toward an arch mage, which starts moving the quest structure along. Conversations work through selectable text options on the left side of the screen. You can ask questions, move through dialogue, or simply say goodbye and continue.

There is also a quest screen, which is important because the game gives you enough freedom that you will want to keep track of what you are supposed to be doing.

Inventory lets you equip armor and weapons.
Stats, talents, and quests are available from the backpack menu.
Dialogue uses tappable text choices.
Quest tracking matters because the world gives you room to wander.

Maps and Fast Travel

There are two map experiences. The small corner map gives you a quick look at what is nearby, but it is not something you really move around inside. The larger map is available from the backpack menu and gives a better view of the area.

One useful feature is fast travel. Once you have visited areas, you can fast travel between them. In a game that lets you move around this much, that is going to matter over time.

Saving is also important. This is the kind of game where you do not want to assume everything is automatically handled for you. My advice is simple: save often.

Performance on iPad Mini

I tested the game on an iPad mini, not on the newest iPad hardware at the time. That matters because I was not running it on the latest chip, and I was still impressed by what the game was doing.

I can only imagine it looking even better on a Retina display or newer hardware. Even on the mini, the world, characters, and creatures looked good enough that it made me stop and think about how far iOS games had come.

I had not checked the file size during the video, but the download did not feel especially long. For a game that feels this open and packed with systems, that surprised me too.

Is It Worth It?

At the time of this first look, I believed the game was around $6. That is higher than a lot of casual iOS games, but this is not really trying to be a quick throwaway game.

For the amount of exploration, interaction, and RPG structure here, I think it is worth it if this is the kind of game you enjoy. It has that feeling where you say you will play for ten more minutes, then keep going.

If you are looking for something deeper to play on the iPad, especially during some downtime or over the holidays, Ravensword 2 is worth a look.

Key Takeaways

Ravensword 2 feels like a full RPG on iPad, not a small mobile side project.
Movement is handled on the left side of the screen, while camera control and action buttons are on the right.
The game includes quests, dialogue, inventory, stats, talents, maps, equipment, and fast travel.
Interactive objects and people are marked by a changing center-screen icon.
Saving often is important, especially because the game gives you room to explore.
Even on an iPad mini, the game looked and felt surprisingly ambitious for an iOS RPG.