There's a lot to like about RiME. The art looks good and fits well with the story. The soundtrack is excellent, heavy on the violin and cello. Anyone familiar with Lindsey Stirling will recognize the style. RiME is very focused on story, and on creating an experience for the player rather than testing their reflexes. Therefore it's no surprise that the platforming elements are very forgiving. Translation: it's easy. The puzzle and exploration elements are a little more challenging. The control scheme is straighforward and fairly solid. The game clearly indicates what surfaces are climbable and lets you leap about and skirt ledges with ease. No plummeting to your death because you twitched in the wrong direction. The camera has some minor issues. In certain areas the camera swings around to disorienting angles. It doesn't happen often enough to really impact gameplay, but it is noticeable. This is pretty much the only glitchy thing in the game; it's refreshing to see such a bug-free title. The game's story is its best feature, atmospheric and emotional. It's best to avoid spoilers to get the fullest experience. Replay value is moderate. Expert explorers may find all the secrets in one playthrough, but for the merely mortal it may take a couple of tries.
