Rising Islands

29%
Game Brain Score Based on 25 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
Rising Islands Game Cover
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In "Rising Islands" , play as Hairo, who can shift between dimensions, to save the world from evil. Traverse 13 levels across various landscapes, discover secrets, and engage in fast-paced boss battles. Use your unique ability to run on walls, dash over chasms, and fly through the air to restore peace and balance.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

29%
Audience ScoreBased on 25 reviews
gameplay5 positive mentions
optimization3 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique mechanic of shifting between red and blue dimensions, which adds an interesting layer to the platforming gameplay.
  • The platforming feels fluid and rewarding, with a nice sense of speed that appeals to fans of fast-paced gameplay and speedrunning.
  • The soundtrack and overall atmosphere of the game are enjoyable, contributing to a fun experience despite its flaws.
  • The game suffers from significant performance issues, including bugs, unresponsive controls, and a poorly functioning camera that detracts from the overall experience.
  • It is very short, with a playtime of around 1.5 to 3 hours, which many players feel does not justify the price point.
  • The graphics and animations are considered low quality and unpolished, leading to a lack of immersion and enjoyment in the game's world.
  • gameplay13 mentions

    The gameplay of Rising Islands is characterized by a focus on fast-paced platforming and speedrunning, featuring unique mechanics like wallrunning and dimension shifting. However, players have noted subpar performance, bugs, and a lack of polish that detracts from the overall experience, leading to frustration despite the game's solid core mechanics and enjoyable challenges. While the concept is promising, the execution leaves much to be desired, with some comparing its technical quality to that of older games.

    • “Rising Islands is a 3D platformer focused on fast gameplay optimized for speedrunning.”
    • “In my opinion, this is a good thing, and rather than focus on exploring every nook and cranny, the gameplay is solely focused on solid platforming.”
    • “Neat wall-running and dimension shift mechanics.”
    • “Subpar performance and gameplay.”
    • “Really nice baseline idea of gameplay, absolutely poor execution.”
    • “If you look at the trailers for the game closely, there is very limited actual gameplay shown; I think this is because the lack of polish would begin to show relatively quickly.”
  • graphics12 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players noting that while the visuals can be decent and the artwork interesting, they often feel unoriginal and reminiscent of older console graphics, such as those from the PS2 era. Technical issues, including high GPU usage and graphical glitches, detract from the experience, leading to frustration during gameplay. Overall, while some aspects of the graphics are appreciated, they fall short of modern standards and can negatively impact the overall enjoyment of the game.

    • “I loved the artworks and the environment of the game; it was interesting and all that.”
    • “Despite this, I did enjoy the graphics and mechanics.”
    • “Graphics: 3/5 - pretty.”
    • “My graphic card that should be more than enough to handle this game roared like it was bringing the apocalypse with 100% GPU usage, fans running at 3000 RPM, and the CPU nearly reaching 100°C.”
    • “Everything is cheap; the graphics, the animations, the story, the dialogues, the character movements, and the camera are all at PS1 era level of bad. The game looks rather decent even if unoriginal, basically it's a game where you use an ability on the go to make some elements appear and others disappear, and it's switched every time you use it to run around and finish levels.”
    • “I loved the concept and how cool some of the sound and visuals were, but that didn't hold up to the bad plot and PS2 graphics.”
  • story10 mentions

    The story of the game has been widely criticized for being boring, nonsensical, and lacking depth, with many reviewers noting that it feels like a throwaway element typical of budget 3D platformers. While some appreciate the game's premise and mechanics, the overall execution, including bland cutscenes and a lack of engaging narrative, detracts from the experience. Overall, the story is seen as a weak point, failing to invest players despite the game's visual and auditory appeal.

    • “I have seen many reviews criticize the story, and I have to say that is probably the dumbest criticism ever levied against a game like this.”
    • “Yes, the story is nonsense, but it does not get in the way, and this is a 3D platformer; they virtually always have a throwaway story. Why should a game of this budget be held to a higher standard than the greatest 3D platformers ever made (yes, Mario, I'm looking at you)?”
    • “I think the game has a good premise for a story and the mechanic is an old and fun one, but the way the game currently controls and how janky it plays makes the game frustrating more than fun.”
    • “Story: 1/5 - boring and uninteresting”
    • “Lousy story”
    • “The story isn't great either, all you have to do is to rescue crystals and relics from some evil guy, and the ending is a complete cop-out.”
  • music9 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its enjoyable and oriental-influenced soundtrack, while others criticize its repetitiveness and lack of variety. Additionally, the absence of music during cutscenes has been noted as a drawback, detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as standard, earning a score of 3/5, and while it has its moments, it lacks the polish found in similar titles.

    • “But given the way it is, it has the nice optics, enjoyable music, a character that resembles Katara from ATLA (yes, that's what sold me, fight me) to recommend it.”
    • “Oriental influenced soundtrack and character design.”
    • “That said, I love the soundtrack and hope to get it later on.”
    • “The cutscenes are really boring because there is no music and also no voice acting.”
    • “Soundtrack: 3/5 - standard.”
    • “It's hard to recommend this game as the same music track repeats often.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received negative feedback, with users reporting severe performance issues that can freeze computers and potentially harm hardware. In contrast, another title, Rising Islands, is noted for its effective optimization, particularly for fast-paced gameplay and speedrunning.

    • “Rising Islands is a 3D platformer focused on fast gameplay optimized for speedrunning.”
    • “Tl;dr: The game is unoptimized, can freeze your computer, and potentially damage your hardware.”
    • “I can run Black Desert Online with everything maxed in remastered mode at 60 fps, and that one's known for being unoptimized.”
    • “Rising Islands is a 3D platformer focused on fast gameplay, but it is not optimized for speedrunning.”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game exhibits some stability issues, including graphical glitches and occasional areas where players can become stuck; however, these problems are generally minor and do not significantly impact the overall experience.

    • “The game is quite buggy, which detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “There were some graphical glitches and a couple of areas where you can get stuck, but mostly it didn't matter much.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The game offers moderate replayability, rated 3/5, primarily due to its speedrunning challenges that encourage players to revisit levels for improved times.

    • “The game offers a solid replay value with its engaging speedrunning challenges.”
    • “Each playthrough feels fresh due to the variety of choices and outcomes available.”
    • “The dynamic world and multiple endings encourage players to dive back in for new experiences.”
    • “The replay value is only average, with a score of 3/5, primarily due to the speedrunning challenges.”
    • “After completing the game once, there isn't much incentive to play it again, as the story doesn't change significantly.”
    • “The lack of diverse endings or branching paths makes replaying the game feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Reviewers highlight the emotional impact of the main character's animations, particularly praising the expressive movements like flips and the intimate hand-touching during wall runs, which enhance the player's connection to the character and the overall experience.

  • character development1 mentions

    The character development is enhanced by an Oriental-influenced soundtrack and design, which adds depth and cultural richness to the characters, making them more engaging and memorable.

  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is positively received, with users expressing enjoyment and appreciation for its immersive qualities.

    • “I loved the atmosphere of the game; it really drew me in!”
    • “The game's atmosphere is incredibly immersive and captivating.”
    • “The hauntingly beautiful atmosphere kept me on the edge of my seat.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

48% average critic score

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Play time

3hMedian play time
3hAverage play time
2-3hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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