It’s clear that Book of Korvald is rough around the edges from the trailer alone, but the appeal of cosmic horror, a somewhat epic romp that includes aliens (not monsters or demons), vicious cults, a vast selection of weapons, and being able to get your end away on command… what’s there not to like about it? So, I gave it a try on the Switch.
You play the titular Korvald, a scribe in the local village, with an alarming wealth of data he’s collected across the years. Like the recent Crimson Capes, life in this setting starts out in bliss until a raid (this time a small garrison) sweeps in and executes everyone except our scribe, who has swallowed an artefact he believes they’re searching for. He’s taken back to a cell, repeatedly tortured, and has his eyes removed. Then Qhroth’un shows up.
Qhroth’un is a cosmic horror straight out of Lovecraft. It’s a floating eyeball with tentacles and an eloquent dialect. In exchange for Korvard’s knowledge, he will grant him the power to overthrow his captors. Naturally, our hero agrees, and the immediate captors are flayed. With Korvald’s revitalisation, he has grown significantly in strength, and this is put to the test by carrying an enormous book on his back. Nerd.
Book of Korvald could be classed as a Metroidvania, but I don’t think it’s that brutally hard. Instead of being pigeonholed into one genre, it blends action, fantasy, platforming, and basic RPG elements through a skill tree. Actual gameplay isn’t remotely challenging as you effectively are in a side-scrolling environment, crushing skulls with all manners of melee weapons, throwables, and attacks from our cosmic entourage. What’s different about Book of Korvald is the bells and whistles on offer.
A staple for the genre is having the ability to level up and invest in moves. That’s available through equipable gear and armour, which can be picked up from enemies or purchased from merchants. This isn’t a small game, so expect to see a vast selection on offer to experiment with. On top of that are runes that Qhroth’un helps you decipher. These can be equipped to offer both a simple yet effective active and passive buff of some sort – whether that’s elemental damage or extra health options. Finally, one of the basic features is the skill tree.
The skill tree is an interesting one, as you have to collect points rather than earn souls/blood, and while they’re in plain sight, it takes a bit of time to accumulate them. What’s best about this skill tree is that it isn’t locked, meaning you can invest in any of the skill sets and stack them if you like. For example, increasing your levels of aggression to modify attacks or reducing your levels of lust. Wait… lust?
Yes, Korvald is a Viking and might have those tendencies. It’s also published by Eastasiasoft, so there’s some sexiness thrown in with all the blood and guts. As Korvald gets aggressive with his enemies, he also needs to fulfil his other desires and, ahem, blow off steam by getting it on with any cosmic entities within the vicinity. A little love heart will show up, he’ll grunt, and then chances are, you have a new follower. Interesting…
These scenes aren’t graphic – that would probably come from Book of Korvald’s brutality in chopping people to bits, or the frequent f-bombs. As mentioned, Korvald can call upon characters to support him, making Book of Korvald easier, even showering them with gifts for their affection. It seems a bit on rails at this point, and to some degree it is; however, it’s all those things touched upon at the beginning of the review that make it.
There’s a lot on offer in the game, and the exchanges between characters and the ongoing story are an interesting one – one I haven’t really experienced directly. The pitch? Lovecraft meets the Vikings. Kinda. Visually, it’s an interesting one, too. Characters look like cutouts (which makes it easier to customise Korvald), and also gives the aesthetic of Source of Madness. The cutscene illustrations are an acquired taste, as are some of the voice actors, as they can be very hit and miss. Some sound the part (I quite liked Korvald’s Nordic tones), while others are phoning it in with a side order of ham.
I’m pretty much a minority in my dissection of the Metroidvania genre, as I’m far from an expert. However, from my stance, Book of Korvald moves too much at a leisurely pace to feel as frantic, and aside from insta-deaths from environmental traps, you feel quite overpowered with your posse in tow. That said, the variety on offer, story, customisation and… uniqueness, make this an entertaining indie experience. Just keep your hands off the ladies, you perv.
