Rethm: Once Upon a Time

About

An RPG that takes you on a journey through inverted time. Rain falls from below to above, and defeated enemies come back to life. Encounters become partings, and the story moves toward its beginning.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

76%

Audience ScoreBased on 17 reviews

music6 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game features a unique reverse narrative that is innovative and charming, providing a fresh take on storytelling.
The soundtrack is highly praised, with many players finding it enjoyable and integral to the game's atmosphere.
It's a free game that offers a fun and addictive rhythm gameplay experience, appealing to fans of both rhythm games and quirky RPGs.

The gameplay can be confusing and buggy, with some players experiencing issues that make the game unplayable.
The story can be hard to follow, leading to mixed feelings about the overall narrative coherence.
The rhythm-based battle mechanics may not appeal to everyone, with some players finding them simplistic or frustrating.

music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
44%
19%
The music in the game has received high praise for its catchy and funky soundtrack, reminiscent of titles like Undertale, with many users highlighting its ability to enhance the game's atmosphere and world-building. Players appreciate the variety offered through a battle mode that allows them to replay songs at different difficulties and discover hidden tracks. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.
- “I did end up purchasing the OST; I guess the game was not free after all. The album already has 74 original entries. Granted, not all of them are full-length songs, but wow, some of these tracks are on another level of 'funky', very much reminiscent of the Undertale OST in the overall approach.”
- “So far, my favorite OST this year. While certainly subjective, I think you did an amazing job with these songs, not just having awesome individual tracks, but also how you are using them in the game, continuously building the atmosphere, characters, and the overall mood.”
- “This is accompanied by some crappy rock-like music.”
- “The game seems to partially focus on the actual rhythm of the music; you just have to play it on normal+ because it reduces the number of symbols you have to hit, making it feel more empty on the lower difficulty.”
- “I don't usually do this, but the soundtrack in this game deserves a short mention by itself. I don't know what it is about these funky JRPGs, but they always seem to have some of the best music.”
story
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
55%
27%
The game's story is described as innovative yet confusing, featuring a unique time-reversed narrative where players start at the end and walk backwards to uncover the plot. While some players appreciate the charm and connections to the lore, others find the storytelling disjointed and difficult to follow. Overall, it offers an intriguing concept but may leave some players feeling lost in its execution.
- “You start the story at the end (you've already defeated the last boss), then you literally walk backwards to see what happened before - this is innovative.”
- “I have played many games where you could experience the story from a different timeline, but having the constant moonwalk is something else entirely; it's undeniably charming how the characters are facing the wrong way.”
- “The story is kind of hard to follow but gives you small connections and details about the world and the lore in the codex along the way.”
- “4/10 a nice idea for a time-reversed story but the gameplay is just garbage.”
- “The story is a bit everywhere and confusing, but I'm jamming in a free game so I don't see the issue?”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
Gameplay reviews are mixed, with some players criticizing the rhythm-based combat as overly simplistic and more suited for mobile games, while others appreciate the unique integration of music and character design, finding it enjoyable despite initial confusion with mechanics. The difficulty selection allows for some strategic play, but the overall execution has left some players frustrated.
- “I am not an expert on the 'QTE beat gameplay', but I still found this game more enjoyable than many similar games, largely because of the characters, and it feels like the soundtrack is part of the overall theme.”
- “You can choose! I picked the easy difficulty first and will move on to the others if I can!”
- “There was some confusion with the mechanics, although the dev already fixed it in the last update.”
- “4/10 a nice idea for a time-reversed story, but the gameplay is just garbage.”
- “The actual gameplay (battles with monsters) is some idiotic rhythm game where you need to press either 'D' or 'F' at the exact moment an icon of a sword or a shield reaches a circular area in the center of the screen.”
- “At the moment, I can't pass through the first enemy, as the mandatory reversing doesn't align with the selection of difficulty as I could see in other gameplay videos.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers praise the character development in the game for its unique and charming designs, which contribute significantly to the overall enjoyment and world-building. The characters are described as quirky and memorable, enhancing the game's appeal, particularly for fans of the genre. Overall, the character design is considered top-tier, making the game stand out among similar titles.
- “The character design in this game is top tier, featuring very unique models that inspire creativity and fan art.”
- “I think the world-building and character design are stellar, making this one of the most charming free games I've played.”
- “The character development is engaging, with funky individuals that add a unique charm to the gameplay experience.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers praise the game's atmosphere, highlighting the exceptional use of music that not only features impressive individual tracks but also effectively enhances the world-building and emotional depth throughout the gameplay. The soundtrack is noted for its ability to continuously shape the atmosphere and character experiences, contributing significantly to the overall mood of the game.
- “I did get a sense of the overall 'sound' mastery, not just having good music in the game, but also having music that builds the world and the atmosphere.”
- “So far, my favorite OST this year. While certainly subjective, I think you did an amazing job with these songs, not just having awesome individual tracks, but also how you are using them in the game, continuously building the atmosphere, characters, and the overall mood.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be impactful and poignant, often highlighting its ability to evoke strong feelings through concise storytelling and heartfelt moments. The experience is described as both touching and heart-wrenching, leaving a lasting impression on players.
- “The story left me in tears; it was beautifully heart-wrenching.”
- “I felt a deep connection to the characters, their struggles resonated with my own experiences.”
- “Every moment was filled with raw emotion, making it impossible not to feel invested in the outcome.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game has been criticized for its lack of stability, with users reporting numerous bugs that significantly impact gameplay.
- “The game is incredibly buggy and crashes frequently.”
- “I experienced constant instability, with frequent freezes and glitches.”
- “The overall stability of the game is disappointing, making it nearly unplayable.”