Raccoo Venture (2023)

The more you play, the more it feels like Raccoo Venture misses the mark just enough to make it feel like a bit of a letdown. It’s a solid game, but with a few tweaks it could’ve been a lot more.

Raccoo Venture is a good 3D platformer standing tall next to the games of the 90s it takes inspiration from. A channelling adventure with plenty of variety in gameplay that comes highly recommended to experienced platform players. However, its design may not suit the more casual crowd. Platforming and boss fights can be incredibly punishing in places far from the innocent graphical design it reflect. As for me, I welcomed the challenge, and despite my issues, I still enjoyed my time with the game. Another reason I liked it is the game made my son laugh hysterically. Something about the raccoon’s butt bounce had him in fits of giggles. Now, the game will be a cherished memory for me forever.

Raccoo Venture is highly inspired by the classic 3D platformers of yesteryear but does not implement enough unique ideas to stand out from the crowd. There are some fantastic environmental puzzles that are thoroughly fun to solve, but they are far too short. The uneven difficulty, annoying secondary character mechanics, and a few bugs ultimately dilute the experience.

The lure of hidden collectibles and environmental puzzles flickers brightly, but it’s often overshadowed by sloppy battles and an obnoxious aiming system that feels like a festering wart on an otherwise charming experience. Despite its flaws, Raccoo Venture is brimming with soul. Densely packed with things Diego Ras loves, playing it feels like getting to know him on a personal level.

The upbeat music, colorful levels, and cute characters can give players the wrong impression of what they're in for. The game contains a large number of areas, levels and items to collect and you will have to collect them all to unlock all the levels. Unfortunately there is a big but. The game quickly becomes frustratingly difficult and you regularly have to replay large parts of the levels to find all the collectibles. The game seems to focus on the target group that grew up with these Nintendo 64 and Playstation 1 platformers. Raccoo Venture is really not child's play and that is a missed opportunity.