Rivals
- September 4, 2020
- Tim Sheinman
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Get on itch.io Store"Rivals" is a single-player mystery musical game, serving as the sequel to "Family." The game follows the 15-year journey of two musicians, Josh Moore and Luke Jackson, in the alt-country scene, with a strong emphasis on an immersive story and original soundtrack. Combining written, audio, visual, and meta-game puzzles, players can expect an engaging and emotional 2-3 hour experience. The game is available for Windows and Mac, with the latter requiring a Master Disable or CrossOver for Catalina versions.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Engaging and well-crafted story that immerses players in the rivalry between two fictional musicians, enhanced by a great soundtrack.
- Clever puzzle mechanics that encourage players to piece together clues from various media, providing a satisfying detective experience.
- Short but fulfilling gameplay, making it accessible for those looking for a quick yet enjoyable gaming session.
- The game can feel a bit too easy and straightforward, lacking the complexity found in similar titles like Obra Dinn.
- Some players noted issues with voice acting quality and the absence of subtitles, which could hinder the experience.
- The game is relatively short, which may leave some players wanting more depth and content.
- music38 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and ability to enhance the storytelling experience, with many players noting that it provides valuable hints and immerses them in the narrative of two rival musicians. The soundtrack, featuring original songs and audio logs, is described as fantastic and well-suited to the game's themes, making it a significant highlight for players, especially those interested in the indie and country music scenes of the late 90s and early 2000s. Overall, the music contributes greatly to the game's charm and engagement, despite some minor criticisms regarding voice acting and typos.
“The best part of the game is the tone, set perfectly by the excellent music.”
“Fantastic little investigation puzzle game with an amazing soundtrack.”
“To me, the band references and music tracks were mostly meaningless, but I can see for those interested in 2000's era indie/country music it must have some extra charm.”
“The music samples and voice recordings made me immersed into the time period and the events, which is the greatest achievement of this game.”
“There have been a lot of musical biopic movies in the last few years, and Rivals is essentially the game version of that kind of format.”
- story28 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The game's story is a concise yet emotionally resonant narrative centered around the rivalry between two alternative country musicians, presented through a mix of letters, interviews, and recordings. While the plot is somewhat linear, it effectively unfolds as players piece together clues, creating an engaging detective experience reminiscent of titles like "Obra Dinn" and "Her Story." Overall, the story is praised for its charm and depth, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of narrative-driven puzzle games.
“Both are puzzle games where you pour over letters, interviews, voicemails, and more first-hand sources to learn the story of fictional musicians, in this particular case focusing on the rivalry between two alternative country musicians.”
“The game has two main things going for it: a sudoku-esque system where you deduce clues in various ways ranging from reading diary entries to listening to records and an intriguing, almost bittersweet story about the rivalry between different music currents in the late 90s / early 2000s.”
“Wonderful, sensitive, well-written story coupled with interesting insights on the evolution of music in America in the early 00s.”
“The story in this one is a bit more linear than in family, but it's still a classic behind-the-music story, and it's no less enjoyable an investigation than its predecessor.”
“I wish the story had been more complex; you essentially know the major beats from the start and just need to put everything in order.”
“I appreciated the commitment to full voice acting, but the audio quality was very different from character to character, which took me out of the story a bit.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The gameplay is centered around piecing together a timeline of a rivalry between two musicians by cross-referencing dates and connecting events, similar to the mechanics of "Return of the Obra Dinn." Players will engage in a note-taking process with a check system after five correct answers, though the game is relatively short, estimated to take around 45 minutes of continuous play.
“A well-executed game whose primary mechanic will be familiar to players of Return of the Obra Dinn -- slot details into a list, with a check happening after five correct answers (instead of Obra Dinn's three correct answers).”
“The bulk of the gameplay is about cross-referencing dates, making notes, and connecting separate events into a neat timeline.”
“The game is rather short - I think that the 2-3 hour estimate provided is generous and should only take around 45 minutes of continuous gameplay (not counting new game plus).”
“The main mechanic is piecing together the timeline of a rivalry between two musicians, using mixed-media clues (audio and textual).”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by clever and unexpected elements, such as a fake Reddit post about favorite albums that adds a comedic touch to the gameplay experience.
“Having to read a fake Reddit post about someone's favorite albums in order to construct a timeline made me laugh.”
“The witty dialogue and absurd situations had me chuckling throughout the entire game.”
“I couldn't stop laughing at the hilarious character interactions and the clever puns sprinkled throughout the story.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a story that, while not particularly complex, delivers a surprisingly emotional experience that resonates with players.
“The story is not super deep but is surprisingly emotional!”
“I was moved to tears by the character's journey and the choices they had to make.”
“The emotional weight of the narrative really resonated with me, making me reflect on my own experiences.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is highly praised for its authenticity, featuring a believable story and well-developed characters that enhance the overall experience.
“Excellent atmosphere with a very believable story and characters.”
