When I think back on 2020’s biggest games, I recall the painstaking efforts poured into making the facial expressions of The Last of Us Part 2’s Ellie betray just the slightest hint of frustration; or maybe the millions of dollars behind the subtle hesitation of Final Fantasy VII Remake’s Cloud as he glances at Aerith.
But when I think about Röki – a much smaller, more focused game – I’m drawn to the far more expressive demeanours of Tove and Lars, who’s familial bond is no less unbreakable or deep than those created by teams of hundreds. It’s a key reminder that there is a real, tangible difference between technical prowess, and artistic vision. Something that can do a lot with very little can at times match something that does a lot with a lot.
Röki isn’t some expansive adventure with deep crafting systems and endless monsters to slay; yet it is no less a grand, gorgeous adventure, with heartfelt characters following deeply personal and affecting motivations, well worth your attention and time. Even if the playing itself is just, good.
At its core, Röki is a tale about family, and more importantly, the lengths some would go to for their loved ones. Main character and big sister Tove is her little brother Lars’ keeper, and goes to great lengths to both try to protect him where she can, and get him back when she can not.
Through delightfully expressive animation and exaggerated facial expressions, the care for which Tove feels for Lars is immediately apparent. Despite dialogue lines not being fully voiced, the portrayal of speech is no less touching. A written line may be accompanied by a sigh or groan, or maybe a single word – mostly, a name. The way that Tove can simply say “Lars,” with such a distraught inflection speaks volumes, causing your heart to ache for these young children’s predicament.
Similarly, more whimsical moments are elevated through the simple yet affecting animations, be it Tove jogging through the snow, or a Troll softly blowing a tune on the flute. It’s worth saying, but still shots don’t even do Röki justice – seeing and feeling this game in motion is paramount to understanding it’s value.
Röki is billed as “an adventure game for all ages”, and while there’s definitely nothing here that kids can’t get around, this story is heavy. Off the bat there’s some pretty devastating implications based on the scenes that play out early on, and it only gets more harrowing from there.
It’s almost surprising then that the game itself is quite light and fantastical, despite the weight of the topics of discussion. The game balances on a fine line between both, and – thanks in large part to the aforementioned animation and art – ultimately succeeds in maintaining whimsy and gravitas in equal measure.
In these areas are where Röki truly shines, and they are what is the driving force behind keeping you going throughout the 10-12 hour experience. Unfortunately, the actual act of playing the game doesn’t quite reach the heights of it’s incredible presentation.
This isn’t a serious knock however. Röki plays out similar to point and click adventure games of yore – pick up various items, maybe combine them into something new, then use them on interactable parts of the environment to solve puzzles. Most of the puzzle design is very lock-and-key focused, in that almost all puzzles are about finding the correct item to use in the correct way to move forward.
The opening of the game was a little worrying initially – it’s a very straightforward, linear affair – but once you’re in the meat of the game, it opens up to more of an open-ish hub and spoke design. You may find a statue on one side of the map that is the solution to a puzzle a few screens over, for example.
Thankfully, almost all of the item design is logical and straightforward; a hairpin is used to pick the lock of a gate, that kind of thing. There are only a few examples that were slightly frustrating. (Pro tip: there are three straws, and think of the spear as a crowbar. You’ll thank me later.)
The largest drawback would have to be this more open design – figuring out a solution in your mind can be rewarding, but spending ten full minutes traipsing back and forth to see if something will work can be a let down (particularly if your hunch was wrong, and you need to return back to the original screen empty handed). Thankfully, there’s a clever fast travel system built into the main area of the game, alleviating these problems. Mostly.
I hate to “fans of the genre” Röki, but if you’re not into point and click adventure games, you’re probably gonna find this a slog mechanically. Likewise, if that style of game is totally your jam – I very much enjoyed not engaging in action heavy boss fights and twitch focused combat for a while – you’re really going to dig it.
Falling somewhere in the middle of those poles overall, the aesthetic does a great job at alleviating any frustrations – most of the time, at least. There really is a lot to like here, and some of the areas – particularly some story focused sequences – are quite great.
As long as you don’t go in expecting anything mechanically groundbreaking, Röki will treat you to an affecting and whimsical adventure, full of wonderfully animated characters and a heart-wrenching tale.
Incredible art and animation lift Röki up even without any particularly exciting mechanical design present (though what is there is very good). If you don’t enjoy point and click adventures you might find Röki lacking, but otherwise, this is an enjoyable and touching tale.
Rating: 3.5/5
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