The fast paced side scrolling roguelike Ricochet Raven launched today in Early Access on Steam, delivering a dynamic and challenging experience where your main weapon is the ability to deflect projectiles. In an interview with Watermelo, developer Kaosrio shared details about the creative process and the decisions that shaped the game's identity.

From the beginning, the core idea of reflecting projectiles was already defined as the main differentiator. According to the developer, "It was kind of the plan from the very beginning. I wanted to create a roguelike with a twist/hook, and at the time I'd been playing a game whose parrying mechanic I really enjoyed and i thought to myself: 'I could play a game that's nothing but parrying.' From there, the initial idea was born."

When addressing the balance between accessibility and challenge, the developer was straightforward in acknowledging that there is still room for improvement. "To be honest, this is still an area that could use more work. The game does launch with a few accessibility options, but I'd like to expand on them with the help of player feedback to make the experience more accessible for all." The goal is to refine the experience over time based on community feedback.

The learning curve was also shaped in a more organic way throughout development. "That emerged more naturally during development. While I didn't explicitly plan for it, I did want players to experiment with different feather upgrades and builds. So that over time, they discover which combinations work well together and what playstyles they enjoy most." 

Player interest, especially through Steam wishlists, had a direct impact on launch decisions. "It's definitely been a bit of a rollercoaster watching player interest and wishlists grow. Initially, I didn't have a strict plan beyond releasing the game in early access when it felt ready. At the start of this year, though, I set myself a firm deadline to avoid pushing things back indefinitely. That aligned well with Steam Next Fest in February, which felt like a great opportunity to build visibility and gather wishlists. Alongside that, I've been sharing the game on platforms like YouTube and TikTok to reach more players ahead of launch."

The game's identity also evolved significantly over time. "I'd say the bird theme became essential to the game's identity. Originally, I only had the core idea of a parry-focused game and even considered a character wielding a katana. But eventually I chose a bird character, which led to the name and shaped the entire aesthetic. From feather upgrades named after real birds to environments and relics found in eggs, the theme naturally spread into every aspect of the game, and It's been a lot of fun to build around that."

"Ricochet Raven is a fast paced side scrolling roguelike where the only way you can attack enemies is by deflecting their projectiles back! This project is a passion project i made in my free time and plan on updating it to add more content!"

Among the highlights are fast paced side scrolling action gameplay, the ability to chain dash jumps by deflecting attacks mid air or dashing through destructible elements, dynamic deflecting effects based on acquired powers, and the collection of upgrade feathers that allow players to shape their own combat style as they grow stronger.