Drova Review

Gothic's 2D rebirth

Today’s topic is Drova - Forsaken Kin, an indie 2D action RPG heavily inspired by the venerable Gothic series. Released in 2024, it was an underground hit in Germany but went rather unnoticed in the rest of the world. In fact, the game doesn’t even have an English Wikipedia entry! It’s about time to give this game a little signal boost. So, let’s dive into this review, starting with the game’s setting.

Setting

The game takes place in a fantasy world inspired by Celtic myths. Times are tough, but recently our warriors have found something special in one of their expeditions: a glowing red crystal that catches the attention of the village’s druids. Two of them leave the village in the middle of the night with the crystal in tow. Curious, we decide to follow them.

We quickly learn that they want to make contact with the legendary otherworld Drova. However, the ritual fails, leaving both druids dead and us stuck in Drova. Now our mission is to go to the city of Nemeton and give the red cryst…