The latest Xbox Partner Presents wrapped up with a cinematic stunner that came out of nowhere: Raji: Kaliyuga, a full-blown sequel to Raji: An Ancient Epic that brings the Indian mythology-inspired action adventure back in a much bigger form.

If you missed the original Raji, it was a 2020 action-adventure made by India-based studio Nodding Heads Games. The story follows Raji, an orphan on a quest to rescue her brother after he is taken by a demon army. Along the way, she is observed and occasionally aided by the goddess Durga and Lord Vishnu. The narrative digs deep into Indian and Hindu mythology, and it all ends on a major cliffhanger that makes it clear a sequel was very much on the table. Reviews at launch were mixed, but the game still earned a nomination for Best Debut at The Game Awards that year.

Raji: Kaliyuga clearly positions itself as a direct continuation, with the trailer showing Raji and her younger brother fighting side by side against an advancing demonic horde. Everything points to the pair acting as dual protagonists that you will control at different points in the story. The biggest surprise, though, is the shift in perspective. While the first game used an isometric camera, this follow-up is presented as a full third-person action adventure. We have only seen a cinematic trailer so far and no raw gameplay, but the jump in scale and ambition already looks very promising.

An Xbox Wire post published after the announcement adds more context, explaining that Kaliyuga is set six years after An Ancient Epic and follows Raji and her brother Darsh on a journey to the Eternal Summit, passing through multiple mystical realms. As dual protagonists, you can switch between Raji, who fights as a warrior, and Darsh, a dreamwalker with very different abilities. For a large part of the game, the siblings are separated by the events of An Ancient Epic, and the story focuses on their time apart as well as their eventual reunion. “Kaliyuga explores the coexistence of faith and illusion, where the narrative tone, art, music, and gameplay systems must mirror this duality, shifting to reflect the perspective and truth of the character currently being played.”

Raji: Kaliyuga is currently in development for Xbox, PC, and PS5, and it will be available on Game Pass from day one. There is no release window yet, but based on what we have seen so far, this cosmic continuation of Raji’s journey is one to watch.

Source: IGN