RiME (Switch)

Details: Category: Switch; By Cheryl Gress; 29.Nov; Hits: 4390

Game Info:

RiME
Developed by: Tequila Works
Published by: Grey Box
Release date: November 14, 2017
Available on: PS4, Switch, Windows, Xbox One
Genre: Puzzle, Platformer
Number of players: single-player
ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+ for fantasy violence
Price: $39.99
(Amazon Affiliate Link)

Thank you Grey Box for sending us this game to review!

RiME was originally released for PC, PS4, and Xbox One in May of 2017. Unfortunately, the Switch port is very poorly optimized with a noticeable graphical downgrade and frequent frame rate drops. It’s a shame since I really do enjoy the game, but I couldn’t help but wish to play it on another platform for a smoother experience.

When first launching the game, you’ll be greeted with a long loading screen. The logo will slowly get colored in as the loading progresses. Sadly, there are no witty quotes to entertain you while waiting for the game to load.

RiME's story reveals itself more and more as you play through it. The main character is a young boy who is stranded on a mysterious yet beautiful island. He catches a glimpse of a tower in the distance and sets off to go there. This is easier said than done, as there are many puzzles and paths that need to be opened before crossing through.

Highlights:

Strong Points: Beautiful environment; fun puzzles
Weak Points: Poor performance and long load times
Moral Warnings: Mild violence

Fortunately, the young lad is not alone: a friendly fox yips at him, leading him to his next objective. There is a cloaked figure that appears throughout the game as well. The puzzles need to be solved by the boy though. There are some helpful walkthroughs available online if you get stuck.

The controls are pretty straightforward as the main character can move around, jump, climb, and yell/sing at various objects. You can shout at many statues and orbs to trigger events. There are also many stone structures that need to be pushed/pulled into place to align key-like mechanisms.

RiME

Score Breakdown:
Higher is better
(10/10 is perfect)

Game Score - 78%
Gameplay - 17/20
Graphics - 4/10
Sound - 8/10
Stability - 5/5
Controls - 5/5 Morality Score - 96%
Violence - 8/10
Language - 10/10
Sexual Content - 10/10
Occult/Supernatural - 10/10
Cultural/Moral/Ethical - 10/10

There are some environmental and aggressive wildlife obstacles that need to be contended with as well. For example, wild boars can be lured away or to places by using nearby fruit. Death is possible in this game though it’s not very bloody. Thankfully, RiME provides plenty of checkpoints.

Visually, this game is very pretty. Sadly, whenever the game pans over the landscape, the main character gets noticeably downgraded and jaggedy in appearance. The Unreal Engine powers this title and the Switch is noticeably underpowered to handle it in all of its glory. Some of the areas are dark and hard to see clearly on the Switch’s screen. Docking it may be easier for the low-light areas.

The background music and sound effects are well done. I like the calming music and atmosphere as I wrack my brain to figure out the puzzle in front of me. The shouts and singing from the boy are good too.

In the end, RiME is a well-polished puzzle/platformer game. Unfortunately, it’s not suited for the underpowered Switch. If you do have the means of playing it on another platform, I highly recommend doing so.