There's been a lot of buzz around Thymesia since its recent reveal. Its aesthetics are particularly notable, prompting many to compare it to From Software's Bloodborne. The game's world is dark, bloody, and filled with all sorts of gothic and medieval influences, especially when it comes to the main character of Corvus.
Draped in black and donning a beaked mask, Corvus clearly evokes imagery of a raven. He even shares his name with the genus of birds that includes crows and ravens. However, the star of Thymesia doesn't just bear a striking resemblance to these ominous birds for the sake of looks; the cultural significance behind ravens also bleeds into several aspects of the game's design.
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Ravens are often viewed as omens of ill tidings. Their dark feathers, harsh vocal cries, and diet of dead animals haven't quite earned them much public favor. It's common for many cultures to associate these unsettling birds with death.
Appropriately enough, Corvus seems to have a knack for raining down death on his foes. The reveal trailer sees him use a host of weapons to violently dispatch his enemies in some brutal Soulslike combat. On top of regular weapons, such as daggers and longswords, he also has a few devious tricks up his sleeve: the plague weapons. These are showcased about halfway through the announcement trailer when Corvus conjures some huge glowing scythes and spears out of thin air before dealing some devastating blows.
Ravens are also commonly seen as messengers with foresight of things to come. In Greek Mythology, the Gods used ravens as messengers on Earth, while Edgar Allen Poe's famous poem, The Raven, tells the story of a man's descent into madness, spurred by an encounter with a prophetic raven.
The nature of Corvus' quest seems to imply he'll serve a similar purpose to his literary counterparts. It's been revealed that Corvus' lost memories are the key to understanding Thymesia's world, indicating he'll be the one to offer clarity and insight regarding the game's mysterious setting. Thymesia is also confirmed to feature multiple endings, presumably allowing players to use the raven-esque protagonist to craft their own interpretation of what's going on in the kingdom.
A key part of Thymesia is the plague, which Corvus uses to his advantage. Not only can he craft some deadly plague weapons, but he's also capable of absorbing the diseases carried by bosses to further increase his power. Corvus' connection to the plague is another obvious nod to ravens, which are known for carrying all manner of disease, most notably the West Nile Virus.
Corvus also wears a plague doctor's mask that invites a comparison to Eileen the Crow from Bloodborne. Plague doctors were prominent in the middle ages during the Black Death's spread across Europe. Similar to ravens, these doctors are frequently associated with death thanks to their often ineffective methods of treating the bubonic plague. While there aren't any clear historical ties between plague doctors and ravens, it's hard to deny that the two bear a strong resemblance to each other, especially thanks to the beaked mask. This similarity could have factored into the decision to make Corvus don a plague doctor's mask, in addition to the plague doctors' inherent connections to death and disease.
Even though Thymesia was just recently revealed, it's pretty clear how significant of an influence ravens are on the game. In most media, ravens are usually presented in a harsh light, as their presence typically warns of bad things to come. However, this game appears to be letting the raven's death-and-disease-ridden reputation take the spotlight in Thymesia, which looks poised to offer a new Soulslike with a unique twist later this year.
Thymesia is set to release for PC in late 2021.
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