Review: Red Bow (Nintendo Switch)

Red Bow is an adventure game for the Nintendo Switch, developed by Stranga Games and published by Ratalaika Games. The story involves helping souls find peace in an otherworldly setting. There’s a lot to like in this short yet engaging journey.

You play the role of Roh, a young girl who wakes up from a strange dream. After exploring your house, you find yourself whisked away to another world. To return to the safety of your bed, you must solve a mystery involving tormented spirits. Of course, once you’re back home you’ll be whisked away on another adventure.

Red Bow plays like a simple RPG crossed with a point-and-click title. You can interact with certain parts of your environment and any characters you meet. You can also pick up and use objects. It’s done in a simple way that makes it easy and fun to explore. A simple tutorial provides this basic move set when you first start.

This isn’t a particularly difficult game, nor is it very long; you can complete it in under an hour if you rush through, though you’d probably miss a lot of the dialogue. It’s more likely to take up to two hours if you work through the puzzles thoroughly. You’ll also find various ways to solve each story, which provides a strong incentive to replay. It can also mean game over if you’re not careful.

The visuals in Red Bow are lovely. It sports a simple look that harks back to 16-bit RPGs of yesteryear. The colors pop off the screen in some areas, others are foggy or rainy and the aesthetics couldn’t match the tone better. The audio is another highlight, with differing tunes for each of the worlds you’ll explore.

The combined effect is a game that’s creepy without being terrifying – this isn’t one of Ratalaika’s most gruesome or scary titles. Instead, it presents a more nostalgic feeling as you move through the various environments and learn about each unique tale therein.

Overall, Red Bow is a quirky little title with an engaging story. The short runtime could be a drawback for some players. Even though it’s not a long game, the multiple pathways create a desire to keep exploring this intriguingly creepy world. You’ll be coming back for more until you’ve seen it all.