RiME

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!

Short and simple, but will sneak up on you at the end.