Otite Reborn Preview: A bold swing from a small team

There are several games coming from African studios that I'm excited about, and I got to try some of them out in June. However, there were a few I didn't get to try out until now, one of which we’re about to delve into.

Otite Reborn is an action-adventure set in a mystical world inspired by African mythology. The title is being developed by Nigerian-based Logicdev Studios. 

Story

The copy of the game I got to play didn’t include a full story arc, but the developer explained that it follows Otite, a warrior from the ancient Edo kingdom. His mission is to break a curse that has been haunting his people for generations.

To do this, he ventures into the perilous Evil Forest, facing demons and gods. Along the way, he must master ancient powers and draw strength from his heritage.

Though the story is still in progress, it's interesting to see the evil forest being used in a different medium outside of Nigerian movies, and it might serve this game well as the primary setting.

Gameplay and Graphics

The first thing that stood out to me was the scenery. African-inspired environments aren't something you see often in games, at least not like this.

That aside, the game's presentation gives the impression that the team is aiming for the scale of cinematic action titles like God of War or Hellblade, and it's clear that it draws inspiration from these games.

While that ambition is exciting, it’s also a heavy lift for a six-person team. To bring this one to life in its best playable state, Logicdev may need to expand beyond its current team. And if they can focus on building something unique that doesn't borrow too much from big-budget titles, Otite Reborn could carve its own path.

Another thing I noticed during my time with the game was an imbalance in visuals. The protagonist looks particularly detailed and polished, while NPCs and bosses feel more underdeveloped, but I'll revisit this later.

Issues and Irritations

Despite the strong visuals, the game needs plenty of polish. Africa has no shortage of myths and legends, so it would be a missed opportunity if the narrative doesn’t pull deeply from African lore, as it risks feeling generic. That's one of the worries I have with this game. 

If the team can revisit ancient books, films, and stories about the Evil Forest and ask: 'How can we present that better and make it fun?' But it won’t be easy without the necessary resources. A dedicated research team is needed to gather accurate lore, and skilled writers to put stories together and create characters in a mythological world such as this one.

Elsewhere, the controls are also clunky. Switching targets didn’t work, the tutorial menu was confusing, and the Xbox 360-style controller layout felt dated. Enemy AI also needs work. Right now, foes are silent, slow to react, and frustratingly tough to bring down.

This brings us back to the issue of the protagonist looking far better than everyone else. The two bosses I fought looked rough and nowhere near as polished, which is a problem. In most action-adventure games, protagonists start out scrappy, upgrading gear and armor over time, while bosses should feel powerful and imposing from the start. Here, the balance is off - bosses deserve as much, if not more, visual care as the protagonist to keep battles memorable.

Also, once defeated, bosses linger awkwardly before vanishing, which breaks immersion. They should disappear more quickly, ideally immediately. The sound design holds up, but combat needs polish, and the fiery red axe effect feels unnecessary as the weapon would stand out just fine without it.

Other issues included the protagonist standing in fire without damage, having two weapons but no bow (likely to be included later), only being able to sprint (no walking), and a camera that felt unsteady. These small and often overlooked features can make a game stand out

Verdict

Otite Reborn is still early, but it already shows something rare: an action-adventure rooted in African mythology and landscapes. Its Edo kingdom inspiration, Evil Forest setting, and cultural touchpoints give it an identity that few games can match.

The build I played is rough, with clunky controls and uneven visuals, but these are fixable issues. What matters is that Logicdev has laid the foundation for a game that's unapologetically its own thing without trying to be something else.

If the team can deliver a captivating story, polish the gameplay, and give as much attention to enemies as they do to the hero, Otite Reborn could grow into a landmark title - one that shows how African studios can tell powerful stories in their own voice.

A copy of Otite Reborn was provided for preview by Logicdev Studios.