The Raven: Legacy of a Master Thief puts players in the shoes of two detectives chasing a master thief through 1960s Europe. Developed by KING Art, the episodic adventure launched on PS3, Linux, PC, Mac and Xbox 360 in 2013, and it still holds up as a solid, if uneven, example of the genre.
The game follows two stories at once. In Paris, 1960, young investigator Nicolas Legrand faces off against the master thief known as The Raven, who leaves a black raven feather at every crime scene. The Raven always escapes, until Legrand finally shoots him down during a chase. A few years later, in London, a valuable ruby — one of the two Eyes of the Sphinx — is stolen from the British Museum, with the thief again leaving a raven feather behind. Meanwhile, in Zurich, Constable Anton Jakob Zellner answers a ringing phone and discovers a bank vault holding something he doesn’t understand.
Trailer, via THQ Nordic.
The Setup
The Raven is a point-and-click adventure built around puzzles, detective work and a touch of stealth. Players move a character across a side-view world, click on objects to examine them, and gather key items to solve problems. The game borrows familiar adventure-game standards:
- Lockpicking doors
- Gathering key items
- A point system that ranks progress and unlocks new areas
- Puzzle-solving as a core mechanic
The plot is straightforward. The Raven was a public figure who repeatedly outsmarted the police, always leaving his signature feather behind. Legrand finally catches him, shooting him and sending him to his death. A few years later, the museum theft and the Zurich phone call pull the two stories together.
The Zurich Case
Zellner’s storyline is the weaker half. He’s a constable buried in paperwork who stumbles into something bigger than he expected. The game asks players to look through documents, follow leads and piece together what’s hidden in that bank vault. It’s a slow burn compared to the action of Legrand’s investigation.
The pacing suffers here. The Zurich sections feel like filler between the main mysteries, and the clues often require players to backtrack through menus and inventory screens. It’s not bad, but it’s less engaging than the London case.
The London Case
The London theft is where the game shines. A valuable ruby, one of the two Eyes of the Sphinx, is stolen from the British Museum. The thief leaves a raven feather at the scene, and the police fear the perpetrator could also be after the second Eye, which is being shipped to Venice on the Orient Express under the guard of Legrand, then by ship to Cairo for an exhibition.
The gameplay here is tighter. Players solve puzzles, talk to witnesses and search locations with a sense of urgency. The museum itself is a rich environment, full of details that reward close inspection. The heist angle adds a layer of risk and reward that the Zurich case lacks.
The Verdict
The Raven: Legacy of a Master Thief is a thrilling crime adventure in three chapters from the creators of The Book of Unwritten Tales.
That line sums up the ambition. The game wants to be a mystery, a thriller and a heist story all at once. It mostly succeeds, even if the two halves don’t quite balance each other.
The strengths are easy to see. The puzzles are inventive, the settings are atmospheric, and the storytelling moves at a decent clip. The side-view perspective keeps things readable, and the point system gives players a clear sense of progress.
The weaknesses are harder to ignore. The Zurich storyline drags, and the game’s episodic structure means some sequences feel unfinished. The stealth elements are present but thin, and the game rarely pushes players to think outside the standard adventure formula.
Final Score
The Raven: Legacy of a Master Thief is a competent adventure game with a split personality. Its London case is sharp and exciting, while its Zurich case feels like padding. For fans of the genre, it offers a solid evening of puzzle-solving and deduction. For everyone else, the weaker half may keep them from finishing.
The game earns its place as a worthwhile entry in the genre, even if it doesn’t reach the heights of its inspirations. It’s a game worth playing, if you’re willing to forgive its rough edges.
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