On the face of it Ruffy and the Riverside by Zockrates Laboratories is an excellent little title with a lot to recommend it, I think this is going to be very special little game for a lot of people, but there is a caveat that if you encounter the one issue I did, this game is almost unplayable.
What immediately sticks out about RatR is its visual style. A fully realised 3D world, platformer in the vein of the classic N64 and Gamecube titles but all the characters are hand drawn 2D characters. They are bright and breezy and have an almost stop motion look to them. This is supported by the writing that is childrens’ cartoon levels of silly and upbeat.
For those with a fondness for Banjo Kazooie the world will feel instantly welcoming. Ruffy, the main character, can free roam and tackle side quests as they choose. There is an inventiveness to each of the puzzles, and a lot of ‘aha’ moments as things become clearer. The jumping, running, rolling and climbing are all super responsive and the fluidity is something that feels reserved for a top tier Nintendo platformer. RatR’s big draw is its ingenious mechanic that involves swapping textures between different surfaces. This can be as simple as turning a metal box into a wooden one, or turning a waterfall into a vine to be able to ascend it, but there are lots of inventive solutions to problems that are where a lot of the light bulb epiphanies happen.
There are tons of things to do and the game is very rewarding of those that explore.
So, great controls, fun story, and interesting puzzles, all wrapped in a winning style, what could be so negative about it?
Well, I am not sure what it is about the 2D characters in a 3D world but after 30 minutes of playing this game I got nauseous and/or terrible motion sickness induced headaches. I’ve never experienced it like this outside of VR titles and it made the game impossible to play for long sittings, even though I wanted to. As much as I tried to persevere through them, I just got shooting pains in the back of my eyeballs. I am told there were a few other people complaining about it, but it doesn’t seem to be widespread. So, I am cautiously recommending this game if the first half of this review appeals to the reader.
It is such a clever and special title it is worth the look, if it doesn’t ruin your lunch.
Conclusion
Ruffy and the Riverside is either a must play for fans of 3D platformers, or a must avoid if you happen to be unlucky and get motion sick from its presentation visuals like I unfortunately did.
This game was reviewed based on Xbox S|X review code, using an Xbox S|X console. All of the opinions and insights here are subject to that version. Game provided by publisher.
