RiME

This game is a masterpiece, a symphony of different moving parts that all coalesce into a stellar work of art. The visuals, music, and theme all work together to create a story that is simple, moving, and which (unless you are a cynical gamer) extremely immersing. The puzzles are well integrated and do not jar you out of the game world. The game is linear, but this does not detract. It feels expansive, it just does a good job of making you feel like you want to go the places you should - there is no feeling of being led by the nose. The game designers did a fantastic job of working into the game places where it begins to take control of the camera so that when you have "cutscene" like sections to show off game visuals or to give a sense of majesty, you really do get that sense and there is no actual cut in the cutscene, it's just camera work and music. I suspect that people who enjoy reading a lot will get more out of this game. Not that there is any reading. There isn't. But it does have a bit of where you get out of it what you bring to it, and if you have an imagination that likes to build the worlds you read about, the game will reward your willing suspension of disbelief with a very rewarding play experience. This game really is a work of art.

I absolutely love this genre, and this is one of the better titles. The game is clearly inspired by games like Ico and Journey. It's for those of us who like the climbing and puzzling portions of Tomb Raider but don't want the stressful combat. You can misstep, unlike Submerged, but doing so is not brutally punished; a transparent checkpoint system lets you try again. Like Ico, there is an NPC-based hint, though it appears without prompting. Some puzzles use perspective art, like The Witness, but it is mostly linear and not (as far as I've gotten) hard to find or solve. Treading off the beaten path is rewarded with collectibles, including portions of a lullaby. The story is told in pictures, and a few beckoning strangers can from time to time be seen in the surreal landscape. I have encountered one alarming chase scene where the developer thankfully resisted the distracting trope of QTEs, but as yet nothing to really warrant the action tag.

Rime is a beautiful and minimalistic puzzle/adventure with some light platforming elements. It's a serene and atmospheric experience that deseves more recognition than it gets. The presentation is the real star here as the controls are average at best. the wrst issue is the lack of any camera pan speed adjustement when using a controller making the already somewhat sluggish controls worse. In adition whilst the game is beautiful it requires more performance than should be technically warranted from your PC. Shadow quality above medium and AA above the temporal option are the biggest culprits and 95%+ of people will want to turn these down to ensure a smooth experience. Despire these hiccups Rime is an excellent example of an indie game done right. Buy it and support Tequila works so that their next diamond won't be so rough.

I came for a beautiful and relaxing puzzle game. I was left crying and heartbroken. Amazing storytelling, great gameplay, beautiful world. Definitely recommended!

Well drawn game with smooth gameplay and nice style of graphics. Puzzles were simple but satisfying. Story, setting and atmosphere was on-point! A great experience!