| Developers | Tequila Works, QLOC, Tantalus Media |
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One |
| Genres | Adventure game, Puzzle Video Game |
| Released | May 26, 2017 |
RiME is a puzzle adventure game with a great atmosphere and narrative. You play as a young boy who finds himself shipwrecked on a mysterious island. In order to progress you have to solve puzzles to open doors, clear your path, and learn what secrets this island holds. There are many different types of puzzles and mechanics that are gradually introduced over time. The puzzles themselves are not overly complicated but can require some rather lateral thinking which makes them even more satisfying to solve.
The opening section of the game has you awaken a little fox spirit. This fox then acts as your guide through the rest of the game, showing up from time to time to lead you to the next area. As some of the areas are very large and sprawling this is quite handy. It means there’s no frustrated exploration looking for where to go next; though there are usually many visual cues guiding you along anyway. It’s clear that a lot of thought has gone into creating RiME.
I always think it’s a good sign if a game has little details such as idle animations. That the developers wanted to take the time to do that says an awful lot. Just as much care has been taken in constructing a strong narrative, even if this doesn’t seem obvious until you’re a few hours in.
The game doesn’t contain a single line of dialog or exposition and pulls it off masterfully with a combination of murals on the walls and dream-like sequences. I do need to talk about the controls very briefly. Overall I’d say they are tight and responsive but from time to time the camera changes to a fixed angle without warning causing you to almost run off a cliff or jump off a platform into empty space. It’s not a disaster by any means, just a little frustrating.
f you don’t have a high-spec PC I’d suggest you go for a console version instead. Like so many of the games I review, the art style and music are fantastic. The sound design and music are always perfectly suited to the environment and incredibly atmospheric. Playing it really reminded me of Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, which is one of my favorite games. This is definitely a good thing and I wish more games would take the risk on a slower pace.
it’s difficult to give RiME a full review without a very small amount of spoilers. However, unlike Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons there isn’t anything I think is likely to be triggering, and the themes it deals with are done so in a very sensitive and thoughtful manner so I won’t go into more detail here.
There are also a few more creepy and unsettling moments scattered throughout. These are fairly brief and there is little threat involved but they do break the otherwise relaxing pace of the game. Generally, there is very little sense of pressure to progress and exploring is encouraged. There are many secrets and collectibles hidden around which you’re unlikely to find all of on your first playthrough, so explore away.
I truly enjoyed playing RiME. If I was rating on just the game as a whole I would give it a 5, no question. However, because of the slightly creepy sections and changes in tone, I have to knock some points off. So I give RiME a Rating of 4 out of 5. You should definitely try out this game and share your experience with us in the comment below.
