- "Step into the role of an outcast student wizard attending Ravenwood Academy and prepare to discover the truth behind the school’s bizarre events. Create connections, investigate mysteries, and drop in for a spell in this storybook-style life sim where your choices matter."
- ―Steam description[src]
Ravenwood Academy: A Wizard101 Story is an upcoming life simulation and visual novel game set in the Spiral Games Universe that serves as a prequel to and spinoff of Wizard101. Developed by KingsIsle Entertainment and set to be published by the studio alongside their parent company the gamigo group, the game follows a transfer student from Dragonspyre Academy as they struggle to fit in and manage their days at Ravenwood Academy in Wizard City while strange and troubling things occur around them. The game will allow players to make their own decisions and interact with a diverse cast of characters that will impact how the story plays out. There is currently no set release date, though the game will be available through Steam, where it is listed as "coming soon."[1]
Gameplay[]
A life simulation and visual novel game, Ravenwood Academy: A Wizard101 Story's core gameplay will be centered around managing activities across each in-game day, which will be separated into four different time slots. These activities include the daily class schedule as well as extracurricular activities like investigating mysteries, playing mini-games, and building relationships with Ravenwood's teachers and students. The player must pick and choose what activities are most meaningful to them as well as what characters they would like to interact with most.
Relationship-building will be a key element of the game, and you can choose from a variety of different friends who will accompany you during the story, encountering tests and obstacles together. Branching dialogue options can affect your relationships, possibly leading to your friend earning trust and unlocking special scenes for you. If a friend is spurned, they can become a rival, and alternatively, a relationship of a high enough level can become a romance.
The game's main narrative will be driven by events individually referred to as Crisis Incidents, Investigation Scenes, and Trials. When an incident happens on campus, it is up to the player and their in-game friends to search for clues and interview witnesses. These investigations lead to hearings or trials with faculty that allow you to present evidence based on the choices you made during the investigation phase. You can choose to either save a friend or save yourself with the evidence gathered.
With the entire story taking place over a single semester, there will be multiple ending scenes based on the outcome of the trials, the characters you have befriended, and other choices you have made.[2]
Development[]
Ravenwood Academy portion of KingsIsle's booth at PAX West 2024 featuring a standee of Kazimir Dawnseeker.
Ravenwood Academy: A Wizard101 Story was first announced by KingsIsle Entertainment on April 11, 2024, with an announcement trailer[3] and a press release.[2] During Benjamin "Ratbeard" Durbin's livestream on April 12, he revealed that Artie Rogers was the title's game director.[4]
During PAX West 2024, KingsIsle presented a fully playable public demo of Ravenwood Academy at their booth. Players had the chance to receive a branded light up LED wand just for playing through the demo.[5][6] The demo revealed the player character's name to be Kazimir Dawnseeker.[7]
Official description[]
From the game's Steam page as of April 11, 2024:[1]
- Welcome to Ravenwood Academy!
As a transfer student from Dragonspyre, fitting in at Ravenwood Academy sure hasn’t been easy. Staying on top on your classes and homework would be hard enough without everything else going on. There’s been some strange happenings around campus lately and you can’t help but feel that trouble is brewing around you ...
- Foster Relationships
Interact and create connections with diverse characters as you navigate your new school. Who you deem friend or foe will impact your story and unlock special scenes and branching dialogue options. Choose carefully – you won’t have the time or ability to build relationships with everyone you want to.
- Choose Your Path
Decide what activities are most meaningful to you and see how your decisions impact your outcomes. Will you go to the dance or investigate a mystery? Will you hang out with Dalia Falmea or study for a quiz with Halston Balestrom? Choices that may seem small can potentially have large ripple effects.
- Investigate Strange Incidents
Search for clues and interview witnesses when crises unfold at the academy. During your investigation you might find that not everyone is who they seem to be.
- Test Yourself with Trials
Plead your case during faculty disciplinary hearings and present evidence through dialogue options. Sometimes you’ll be saving a friend accused of misdeeds, while other times you might be trying to save your own hide!
- See a Different Side of the Spiral
Get a glimpse into Ravenwood Academy before the events of Wizard101. Meet and befriend familiar faces, discover untold backstories, and dive into the Spiral’s lore in a whole new way.
Appearances[]
Characters[]
- Merle Ambrose
- Halston Balestrom
- Kit Ballad (First appearance)
- Bartleby
- Kazimir Dawnseeker (First appearance)
- Desdemona Dreadful (First appearance)
- Florence Ember (First appearance)
- Alec Evergreen (First appearance)
- Dalia Falmea
- Fire Titan (Mentioned only)
- Flitter (First appearance)
- Ice Titan (Mentioned only)
- Lydia Greyrose
- Memphis
- Storm Titan (Mentioned only)
Creatures[]
- Dragon (Mentioned only)
- Firecat (Mentioned only)
- Mouse (Mentioned only)
- Phoenix (Mentioned only)
- Salamander (Mentioned only)
- Thunder Snake (Mentioned only)
Locations[]
- The Spiral
- Wizard City
- Faculty Lunchroom (First mentioned)
- Ravenwood School of Magical Arts
- The Commons (Sign only)
- Wizard City
Organizations and titles[]
Sentient species[]
- Fire Dragon (Mentioned only)
- Fire Elf
- Frog
- Frost Giant (Mentioned only)
- Human
- Krok
- Storm Triton (Mentioned only)
- Titan (Mentioned only)
Miscellanea[]
- Brimstone (Mentioned only)
- Canticle of Salamander (First mentioned)
- Disciplinary Tribunal (First mentioned)
- Magic
- Ravenwood Code of Conduct (First mentioned)
- Tome
- Unguents of Ubar (First mentioned)
Sources[]
April 2024 Ravenwood News on Wizard101.com (April 1, 2024) (backup link) (April 11, 2024 update)- Ravenwood Academy: A Wizard101 Story Announcement Trailer on the KingsIsle Entertainment YouTube channel (April 11, 2024)
- April 2024 Ravenwood Bulletin on Wizard101.com (April 12, 2024) (backup link)
Gallery[]
Videos[]
Images[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Ravenwood Academy: A Wizard101 Story" - Steam
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "KingsIsle Announces Ravenwood Academy: A Wizard101 Story, A Single-Player Prequel to Wizard101" - KingsIsle
- ↑ Ravenwood Academy: A Wizard101 Story Announcement Trailer on the KingsIsle Entertainment YouTube channel (April 11, 2024)
- ↑ "those "finally Friday" vibes" - KI_Ratbeard on Twitch
- ↑ KingsIsle (@KingsIsle) on Twitter
- ↑ KingsIsle at PAX West 2024! on the KingsIsle Blog (August 19, 2024) (backup link)
- ↑ Courtney Olivia (@LivvyLevyLover) on Twitter
External links[]
- Official site
- Ravenwood Academy: A Wizard101 Story on Instagram
- Ravenwood Academy: A Wizard101 Story on Twitter
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