Rabi-Ribi

While some games may be a bit shy about their influences, Rabi-Ribi is not one such.

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"Rabi-Ribi" is a single-player fantasy platformer game with an excellent story, featuring the adventure of a rabbit-turned-human, Erina, and her fairy companion, Ribbon. With awesome game mechanics, compelling visuals, and a sensational soundtrack, the game offers a very grinding but humorous and replayable experience in a spectral atmosphere, as they navigate through an unknown world to restore Erina's normal life. The game also provides a free Halloween DLC for those who wish to indulge in the holiday spirit.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,794 reviews

story232 positive mentions

grinding26 negative mentions

story
840 mentions
28 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The story of "Rabi-Ribi" is often described as cute and lighthearted, revolving around a bunny turned human on a quest to find her owner's lost sister. However, many reviewers note that the narrative is simplistic and serves primarily as a backdrop for gameplay, with some finding it nonsensical or filled with anime tropes. While the story may not be the game's strongest aspect, it is generally considered engaging enough to complement the enjoyable gameplay and charming characters.
- “The story starts cute and innocent, but eventually as the world builds, your emotional walls may break.”
- “The story is enjoyable, the art is very nice, the music is very enjoyable, and the gameplay can be very challenging.”
- “The story is bare-bones, mostly being an excuse plot whose main purpose is to string together the boss fights.”
- “The story revolves around a rabbit turned human’s quest to find her owner’s lost sister, which is where my understanding ends because the story is mostly a thin veneer to go fight and collect people from different areas of the map so you can make repeated attempts to save the sister.”
- “The story is weak but the characters were likeable.”
music
684 mentions
66 % positive mentions
32 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The music in "Rabi-Ribi" is widely praised for its exceptional quality, with many reviewers highlighting its ability to enhance the game's atmosphere and gameplay experience. The soundtrack features a diverse range of catchy and emotional tracks that fit various environments and boss battles, making it a standout element of the game. Overall, players consider the music to be one of the game's greatest strengths, often describing it as memorable and worth purchasing separately.
- “The music perfectly enhances the atmosphere as you explore different areas, enriching the overall experience.”
- “Rabi-ribi provides the right amount of difficulty while being backed by one of the greatest video game soundtracks I've ever heard.”
- “The music is an absolute bop, and the exploration is satisfying.”
- “The music has something for almost everyone, from old classic video game music to decent electro.”
- “The sound design is less exciting with pretty weak effects and that overly-peppy music you get in a lot of cutesy Japanese games.”
- “The music can be pretty catchy too, so be careful or you might end up finding yourself buying the soundtrack like I did.”
gameplay
674 mentions
46 % positive mentions
51 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Rabi-Ribi" is widely praised for its engaging blend of metroidvania exploration and bullet hell mechanics, offering a challenging yet rewarding experience. Players appreciate the smooth controls, diverse combat options, and the ability to adjust difficulty levels, making it accessible for both newcomers and veterans. Despite criticisms of the story and character design, the core gameplay is highlighted as a standout feature, with many reviewers noting its depth, replayability, and the satisfaction derived from mastering its mechanics.
- “The gameplay is absolutely captivating!”
- “The exploration/gameplay loop is amazing; the game has tons of secrets, optional content, etc. I'd call it the Dark Souls of metroidvania, but we also have Hollow Knight, so let's say it's Hollow Knight with anime girls and more bullet hell.”
- “The gameplay is unique and combines action RPG metroidvania elements with those of a shooting game.”
- “The flaws it inherits from the metroidvania side of things: bosses have invincibility phases; design usually ignores your mobility options and devolves to what I call the 'skip rope then mash button' type of fights; and tons of bosses have 'quirky' hidden mechanics that you'll only ever discover if you look up a walkthrough.”
- “The gameplay feels clunky early on with the inability to perform moves in every direction as you only get those attacks later on as power-ups, and having to search for those power-ups is a pain in the ass.”
- “The constant text stops really take away from the overall fantastic gameplay, in my opinion.”
graphics
409 mentions
37 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Rabi-Ribi" are characterized by a cute, colorful pixel art style that appeals to fans of retro aesthetics, though it may polarize players due to its anime-inspired character designs and suggestive themes. While some reviewers find the visuals charming and well-executed, others criticize them as overly simplistic or off-putting, particularly the fanservice elements. Overall, the game's graphics are generally well-received for their vibrant and engaging presentation, complementing the solid gameplay experience.
- “The graphics are simple but really well done; it's a very cute 2D pixel game with a pretty art style.”
- “The visuals are an amazing take on old, 8- or 16-bit style, the gameplay is smooth and feels good.”
- “Rabi-ribi is a fantastic metroidvania+bullethell game with cute visuals and lovely music.”
- “The graphics are simplistic and the gameplay is pretty easy to get into.”
- “The visuals are generic and not very inspiring.”
- “The graphics are cute, but as many others say, sometimes the pictures and the story will make you feel ashamed of yourself and wonder why in the world you're playing this.”
replayability
105 mentions
45 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The game boasts exceptional replayability, with a wealth of difficulty settings, numerous achievements, and community-created content that encourages varied playstyles and challenges. Players can engage in sequence breaking, speedrunning, and unique playthroughs, ensuring that even after extensive playtime, there are still new experiences to uncover. Overall, it is highly regarded for its depth and variety, making it a standout in the metroidvania genre.
- “This nigh-unprecedented level of choice in terms of direction provides a huge amount of replay value, as simple choices regarding which area you go to first will have you getting your upgrades in a different order.”
- “The higher difficulties offer similarly fantastic replay value, as the bosses getting denser patterns and doing way more damage forces you to really learn their patterns and sharpen your gameplay as well as exacerbating the importance of routing to good items early.”
- “Even after a first playthrough, it still has replay value with harder game modes (rip myself) and some other challenges, like the no item run.”
- “I haven't made a new run yet, but this game seems to have replayability judging by the videos online; the bosses of the game can be made even harder than you'll experience them on the first run.”
- “For last, replayability, you can play the game the normal way, as any metroidvania, complete it with no items, which is very hard even in casual difficulty (the game even classifies it as low item% difficulty, with + for each difficulty above casual) where you have to learn the patterns of all the bosses because no items even means no hammer, only ribbon can attack, you can play new game+ which increases the strength of the enemies and lets you collect even more items, you can increase the difficulty and make the boss fights a lot funnier and harder.”
- “There's a ton of replayability in this game.”
humor
79 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its cuteness and cleverness, with many players highlighting the funny dialogues, whimsical storylines, and charming characters, particularly the bunny protagonist. The game balances lighthearted humor with deeper themes, often incorporating self-aware jokes and playful references that resonate well with fans of anime culture. Overall, it delivers a delightful mix of comedic elements that enhance the gameplay experience, making it both entertaining and engaging.
- “Wtf I can't stop playing this, the story is cute and funny, the controls are tight and it's just an all-around fun game.”
- “Rabi-ribi is an adorable, cute, and funny bullet hell/metroidvania mix that has a very cute and self-aware story.”
- “The world and its art style are very cute and funny, while the gameplay is energetic and explosive.”
character development
54 mentions
30 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally viewed as shallow, with many characters lacking depth and meaningful backstories, often serving more as fanservice than integral parts of the narrative. While the character designs are frequently described as cute and appealing, they tend to prioritize aesthetics over substantial development, leading to a mixed reception where players appreciate the visuals but desire more character growth. Overall, the game excels in gameplay and art style, but the character development leaves much to be desired, with many side characters contributing little to the plot.
- “The main characters have their own personality which further adds to the story and character development.”
- “Most of all, character designs are great and tell a good story.”
- “The character design is adorable and it is very hard to stop playing.”
- “Character designs are... fanservicey to say the least, and characters themselves do not have much depth.”
- “While having distinctive character design and backstory, many side characters contribute almost nothing to the plot, making you question whether they are relevant to the story or not.”
- “Cute girls with little or no background stories and character development trying to kill each other with sophisticated bullet hell - so it's just like Touhou.”
emotional
42 mentions
98 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game "Rabi-Ribi" is characterized by a surprising depth that unfolds as the story progresses, transitioning from a cute and lighthearted beginning to moments of genuine emotional impact, particularly towards the end and in the DLC. While some players find the narrative and character interactions heartwarming and touching, others critique the story's coherence and the juxtaposition of its wholesome themes with lewd elements. Overall, the game manages to evoke a range of emotions, from joy to sadness, making it a memorable experience for those who engage with its narrative.
- “The story starts cute and innocent, but eventually as the world builds, your emotional walls may break.”
- “Even though the story only really gets serious towards the end and in the DLCs, under the cute and lighthearted mask lies something that, after finishing it, I would even call 'emotional'.”
- “Dynamic gameplay, amazing OST, and a touching story!”
- “Overall, I don’t recommend Rabi-Ribi, mostly due to the frustrating boss fights, boring story, and flat environments.”
grinding
27 mentions
4 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
96 % negative mentions
Overall, players have mixed feelings about grinding in the game. While some find the grinding elements necessary for character upgrades and boss challenges to be engaging and rewarding, others describe aspects of it as tedious, particularly with repetitive boss fights and backtracking for items. However, many agree that the game manages to keep the experience enjoyable, with a balance of challenge and progression that prevents it from becoming overly grindy.
- “It's not too grindy on a normal playthrough, and it's not the worst when it comes to cramming fanservice down your throat, which surprised me, to say the least.”
- “A few downsides with the game is having to refight the same bosses multiple times; I know it's part of the main story, but it became tedious.”
- “Grinding bosses to learn patterns just to squeak out a win with less than 10 HP left gets mind-numbingly tedious.”
- “The ending area and boss is obnoxious, with the ending area basically requiring you to wait for your amulet to recharge, and while the platforming is fine in the area, I found myself grinding for health to make sure I didn't die to the ridiculous spikes.”
atmosphere
26 mentions
38 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its exceptional soundtrack, which enhances the experience across various areas, creating a fitting and engaging environment. While some critiques mention the art as mediocre, the overall ambiance is described as cute, relaxing, and self-aware, effectively complementing the gameplay and character interactions. Despite a lack of strong narrative, the game's atmosphere remains a standout feature, drawing players back with its charming and immersive qualities.
- “The music perfectly enhances the atmosphere as you explore different areas, enriching the overall experience.”
- “This game had a beautiful soundtrack that complemented the atmosphere.”
- “From upbeat tunes like 'Adventure Starts Here' to the somber floating graveyard, every note is beautiful and always sets the perfect atmosphere for what it's used for.”
- “The art is mediocre, sure, and a bit too lewd for me, as it tries hard to create a wholesome atmosphere.”
- “While the dialogue (mostly the translation though) and story (well... it's okay) is kind of lacking, the atmosphere is just right.”
- “The story is a bit wack; however, in the end, I suppose it compliments the whole naive and clueless (in a cute way!) atmosphere the main character has.”
optimization
19 mentions
16 % positive mentions
68 % neutral mentions
16 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally well-received, with many players noting smooth performance even on older PCs and the ability to adjust graphics settings for better performance. However, some users have reported stuttering during specific sequences, particularly during credits, and occasional performance issues in busy areas. Despite these minor drawbacks, the game runs effectively with a maximum of 60 fps and offers a rewarding experience with its performance-based mechanics.
- “The game runs like a dream, too, and has great controller support, especially with how Steam handles controller input these days.”
- “With good optimization, you can even play it on an old PC.”
- “Visuals are clean, the background music is fantastic, and there are no performance issues on PC, offering large replayability with various difficulty levels and modes.”
- “The game doesn't preload or cache the CGs and animations it plays during the credits, resulting in noticeable stuttering every time it loaded one, even when the game was running off an SSD.”
- “I have some performance issues on my laptop.”
- “The game does have a few performance issues, usually in areas where there’s a lot going on in the background.”
stability
8 mentions
25 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while it runs smoothly at high resolutions and is mostly bug-free for some players, others report issues such as clunky controls and buggy level design that can lead to frustrating backtracking. Local co-op features are appreciated, but interaction limitations and occasional glitches may detract from the experience. The option to reenable glitches for speedrunning adds a unique twist, though it highlights the game's inconsistent stability.
- “Runs great at 4K 60fps with GTX 1050 Ti.”
- “Mostly bug-free.”
- “Best part is the game has local co-op with support for Steam Remote Play Together, although it's a bit buggy since only one player can interact with key items and objects.”
- “It would be fun, apart from its clunky controls, buggy level design, and poor story which leaves you backtracking to areas you've already been, exploring rooms you've already explored just because you've unlocked one tiny little thing and there might be something in the room that was previously inaccessible.”
- “While glitches do get patched out, there is an option in-game to re-enable them, so that speedruns can still use them.”
monetization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization of animated images has significantly permeated Japanese culture, influencing various sectors such as movies, television, advertising, and music videos, reflecting a growing trend in leveraging animation for commercial gain.