Ravenlokputs one action-adventure RPG foot in fantastical fairytale realms with its quirky characters and stunning level design, with another rooted in video game influences such asThe Legend of Zeldagames and beyond. The game’sAlice in Wonderlandinspirations might appear obvious with its white rabbit NPCs, Queen of Hearts style nemesis, and card-shaped minions. However, some fans ofRavenlokmight wonder how much Lewis Carroll’s timeless fairytale inspired the game, as there were other influences that other players may also recognize that may be less easily spotted.
In a recent interview with Game Rant, Director Vanessa Chia spoke ‘sAlice in Wonderlandfairytale inspirations alongside the influence of renownedgames like theZeldaseries. Chia also discussed the role of other popular games likeLego Star Warsand how its namesake protagonist came to be.
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Ravenlok’s Alice in Wonderland Fairytale Inspirations
Since its release,Ravenlokhas enjoyed a lot of success through Xbox Game Pass as the third installment in Cococucumber’s Voxel art-style trilogy followingRiverbondandEcho Generation. When asked what players have been enjoying most aboutRavenlok, Chia explained part of theappeal is many players see it as “anAlice in Wonderland-inspired game” that “captures people’s imagination” in addition to its unique art style. Chia also mentioned that the team wanted to explore fantasy andfairytales in gamesas a genre direction change fromEchoGeneration’ssci-fi and supernatural horror. Chia explained Lewis Carroll’sAlice in Wonderlandalso acted as a “great starting point” for the creative process.
Alice in Wonderland, or the works of Lewis Carroll, which include also his poems, are really wonderful for us. Because, for me especially, I look at the text, and it just brings up all these images in my mind. This is something where we can take the work and also kind of reinterpret it in a way that we envision, so it was really a great starting point for us there.
Ravenlokis clearly agame inspired byAlice in Wonderlandwith inclusions like Toppy, the top-hated white rabbit. However,Ravenlokputs a unique, creative spin on its fantasy world. For instance, its incredible tea party level is stacked almost sky-high with various tea cups and pots, and Queen Dreda effectively reverse-transforms from a powerful, flying butterfly-style boss to a giant, ferocious caterpillar with razor-sharp teeth. Therefore,Ravenlokleans into the popularity ofAlice and Wonderlandwhile simultaneously turning it on its head like Alice falling down the rabbit hole.
Ravenlok’s Video Game Influences From Zelda To Lego Star Wars
AlthoughRavenlok’s combat style is purposefully limited to four abilities, its weapons are comparable to Link’s classic sword and shield combo in theZeldagame series. Chia said the comparison betweenRavenlokandZeldais “fair” and added the team did look atZeldawhere “the inspiration does come through a little bit.” Chia also identifiedZelda Twilight Princessas an influence and named some other, possibly unexpected, inspirations, such asNieR Automata,most notably inRavenlok’s boss fights. Chia said the team also looked atLego Star Warsgames in creating afamily-friendly video gameexperience.
Chia also mentionedRavenlok’s protagonist having a “classic hero journey” with Studio Ghibli’sSpirited Awayacting as a narrative reference point alongsideAlice in Wonderland, asRavenlokfollows the heroine’s growth of abilities. Overall, there is a lot more toRavenlokthan perhaps meets the eye, even beyond its stunning visuals. All of these influences, be they classic fairytales or major video games, come together for a fun experience, one that is greater than the sum of its parts. It’s well worth checking out, especially for those looking for a short, imaginative adventure onXbox Game Pass.
Ravenlokis available to play now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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