Published by Grey Box Games
Developed by Tequila Works
Reviewed on PlayStation 4 (also available on Xbox One, PC)
Rime is an adventure puzzle platformer developed by Tequila works. Originally revealed as a PlayStation 4 exclusive back in 2013, Rime is now a multiplatform game. Rime seems to take a lot from games like Ico and Journey, especially with that little red scarf the boy wears throughout the game. Rime also uses the boy’s voice as your weapon in the game so, again, it has that familiarity. Nevertheless, Rime is still quite amazing in its own way.
Rime‘s gameplay doesn’t have anything we haven’t seen before, especially the puzzles. Puzzle solving mostly feels under utilized with simple tasks to complete. There’s nothing too obscure that you will get stumped on. I never felt the essential “ah ha” in overcoming any of the games multiple puzzles. I did like the shadow puzzles where you would use the sunlight to create shadows to complete some of the door opening puzzles. Other than that, there was maybe a little too much ledge traversal in the game. There are lots of extra stuff and collectibles to find in Rime. A lot of it is easily missed, though, as there seemed to be too much open space at times which made the task of hunting said collectibles a chore.
Graphically the game looks gorgeous. Waking up on a sandy beach and looking out into the vast ocean is breathtaking. The huge stone towers look incredible, making you think “Wow, I get to climb that.” The trees, birds, lizards all help in making the world very bright and vivid. Rime even has some underwater exploration. Swimming under the ocean provides even more beautiful scenery. The only issue I have is the game’s very choppy frame rate. The game dips into the teens at some points when it definitely should have been locked in at 30 fps.
The story of Rime is subtle and mostly told through images or pictures you find throughout your journey. You wake up on the shores of a deserted beach and have make your way to new areas in the game by either unlocking puzzles or traversing the landscape. The boy seems to be following a man in a red cloak, like that of the one in Journey. Your only companion is cute little fox who helps guide you through your adventure. So if you’re lost or unable to find where to go next, just simply listen for the foxes little barks or yelps. It does well to guide you to where you should be heading.
By the end of Rime, the story really became clear and I felt really moved by it. That could not have been done without the amazing score of Rime. Rime has some of the best music I have heard in a game for a long time. The music was composed by David Garcia Diaz and brought the game to life. At times in the game you feel as if the music is guiding you. Through the music you can almost feel the emotions of what the boy is going through. When you complete the game there is a song called The Song of the Sea featuring the awe inspiring vocals of both Mirella Diez Moran and Silvia Guillem Cofreces.
Rime, in the end though, is a mild puzzle platformer that only lasts about 6 hours or so, but I appreciate what Tequila Works was trying to convey in its storytelling. The music alone really helps the journey become complete. If anything, pick up the soundtrack to Rime.
