Raven Software was first founded 30 years ago by brothers Brian and Steve Raffel, with the studio making a name for itself with first-person shooters and fantasy RPGs. Activision acquiredRaven Softwarein the late 90s, and the studio has been under the Activision umbrella ever since, developing a wide-range of original IP as well as licensed titles.
For the past decade, Raven Software has been relegated to a support studio, mainly assisting with the development of theCall of Dutyfranchise. However,Raven is the lead studio on the upcomingCall of Duty: Black Ops Cold Warcampaign, marking the studio’s most significant development effort since 2010’sSingularity.
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With Raven Software being thrust back into the spotlight, here are the studio’s best games since its inception in 1990.
ShadowCaster (1993)
Raven Software’s debut game was 1992’sBlack Crypt, a first-person RPG that earned decent reviews at the time of its release. However,ShadowCasterin 1993 was even better-received by the gaming community of the time, earning strong reviews from PC Gamer UK, PC Format, and more. Praise was given to its impressive (for the time) graphics, as well as its story and atmosphere.ShadowCasterwould go on to win various rewards and rank on “Best Of” lists for the year, making it one of the strongest games of Raven Software’s early days.
Hexen 2 (1997)
id Software’sQuakewas hugely influential for PC gamesin the mid- to late-90s, with many titles utilizing theQuakeengine to great effect. One of the more critically-acclaimedQuakeengine games wasHexen 2from Raven Software, which traded the gothic horror elements ofQuakefor a dark fantasy vibe. Like Raven Software’s previous work,Hexen 2earned particular praise for its graphics, though reviewers were also impressed with the core gameplay and the multiplayer mode.
Star Trek: Voyager - Elite Force (2000)
After being acquired by Activision in 1997, Raven Software was put to work on a variety of different game releases, with one of the most successful beingStar Trek: Voyager - Elite Force. A first-person shooter game set in theStar Trekuniverse, the PC version ofStar Trek: Voyager - Elite Forcewas acclaimed when it released in 2000, with critics highlighting its combat, graphics, and multiplayer component. Retroactively,Star Trek: Voyager - Elite Forcehas often been singled out as one of thebestStar Trekvideo game adaptationsmade to date.
Star Wars Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast (2002)
Raven Software had the unique opportunity to not just work onStar Trekgames, butStar Warsas well. It did so withStar Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academyas well asJedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast, withJedi Outcastarguably being the superior of the two games. The PC version ofJedi Outcastwas a huge success, earning widespread critical acclaim and likeStar Trek: Voyager - Elite Force, it has often been singled out as one of the bestStar Warsgames ever produced. It was nominated for a variety of year-end awards, and still stands as one of the most widely-praised efforts by Raven Software.
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X-Men Legends 2: Rise of Apocalypse (2005)
While it is primarily known for its work on first-person shooter games, Raven Software got its start with RPGs, and it has occasionally revisited the genre over the years. It did so with theX-Men Legendsgames in the early 2000s, which are essentiallyDiablogames with X-Men characters. While bothX-Men LegendsandX-Men Legends 2earned strong reviews, the edge goes toX-Men Legends 2for refining the original game’s formula and being a more rounded experience.
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (2006)
Raven Software’s work on the twoX-Men Legendsgames saw the studio being handed the reigns for the Marvel Comics universe at large forMarvel: Ultimate Alliance. Sticking with the formula established byX-Men Legends,Marvel: Ultimate Alliancetook things to the next level by letting players play a ton of different characters from Marvel Comics.Marvel: Ultimate Alliancealso benefited from launching alongside both the PS3 and Wii, and it was praised as being one of the better games available for those platforms on launch day. Two moreMarvel: Ultimate Alliancegames followed the original release, but neither of them were able to live up to the legacy of their predecessor.
Singularity (2010)
Raven Software’s last full game that it developed was2010’sSingularity. While it failed to light up the world with its sales,Singularitywas still generally well-received at the time of its release, praised for its high-quality first-person shooter gameplay and its unique time-manipulation powers. Various publications have namedSingularityas one of the most underrated FPS games of the seventh generation, and it’s definitely worth tracking down a copy for any FPS enthusiasts out there.
Call of Duty Franchise (2010 - Present)
Since launching Singularity in 2010, Raven Software has been working as a support studio on pretty much every newCall of Dutygames that comes out each year, including theWarzonebattle royale. But while Raven Software has just been a support studio for most of theCall of Dutygames in the past decade, it’s being given the reigns to develop theCall of Duty: Black Ops Cold Warcampaign as the primary developer, with Treyarch working on multiplayer and Zombies. This is a great opportunity for Raven Software, and it will be exciting to see if the game can live up to the lofty expectations set by the studio’s previous work.
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