Rive
- September 12, 2016
- Two Tribes Publishing
While the difficulty won’t appeal to everyone, there’re plenty of obstacles to overcome especially if you thrive on one hell of a challenge.
Rive: Ultimate Edition is a metal wrecking, robot hacking shooter.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
Xbox One
Linux
PlayStation
Wii
Wii U
Xbox
Reviews
- Exciting, white-knuckle action with a brisk pace and well-balanced difficulty.
- Beautiful art design and smooth, fluid animations enhance the gameplay experience.
- Varied and engaging gameplay with opportunities for experimentation and creative approaches.
- The humor can be flat and the plot uninspired, detracting from the overall experience.
- Some mechanics are poorly explained, making the game unapproachable for newcomers to the genre.
- The difficulty can feel excessive and sadistic at times, leading to frustration rather than enjoyment.
- gameplay3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by smooth graphics and fluid controls, offering varied and exciting experiences; however, some players find the death screens excessive and the new mechanics challenging for newcomers to the genre. The inclusion of multiple modes adds extra hours of playtime, enhancing overall engagement.
“Smooth and stylish graphics, fluid control, varied and exciting gameplay.”
“Thankfully, the game does include several modes that will provide a few extra hours of gameplay.”
“Though meant to be amusing, the death screens feel excessive and unnecessary. Many of the new mechanics are deceptively taught and unapproachable to those who are not pre-existing shmup fans.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally perceived as flat and lacking depth, with awkward attempts that fail to resonate. Additionally, the overall experience is marred by a vague story and a frustrating difficulty level, which detracts from any comedic elements.
- graphics1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for being smooth and stylish, contributing to a visually appealing experience. Players appreciate the fluid control that enhances gameplay, which is described as varied and exciting.
“The graphics are smooth and stylish, enhancing the overall experience.”
“The visuals are stunning, with fluid control that makes gameplay feel seamless.”
“The varied and exciting gameplay is complemented by impressive graphics.”
- story1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The story has been criticized for its vagueness and awkward humor, leaving players feeling disconnected. Additionally, the difficulty level is described as excessively challenging, which detracts from the overall experience, while the lack of variety in combat and meaningful upgrades further diminishes engagement with the narrative.
“The story is vague and features awkward attempts at humor.”
“The difficulty level feels sadistic at times.”
“There is not enough variety in combat or meaningful upgrades.”
Critic Reviews
RIVE Second Opinion Review
RIVE is, without a doubt, one of the finer action games released this year. It strikes the right balance between focused, but also playful. The player will be thrust into a constant variety of intense scenarios, all more difficult than the last, but only rarely will they even think, "That was a little unfair." There are plenty of ways to approach each situation, and there's room to experiment with weapons or exploit the enemy AI. The difficulty is well balanced, and the campaign is fluff free. Even the water section is good, and those hardly ever work in video games.
80%RIVE Review
If this is indeed Two Tribes' swansong, then it's a goodbye wave accompanying tears and smiles. This is a fine way to leave, and it's pertinent to think that its final legacy is accomplished through the use of aspects which are, sadly, already in the rear-view mirror. It takes a lot of commitment for a relatively small game, and it's sometimes a little too eager for you to suffer its wrath. However, the charm, style, and sophistication by which it mixes up so many different styles successfully is a testament both to RIVE's great design and also some of the most beloved games of years gone by.
70%Rive Review
While the difficulty won’t appeal to everyone, there’re plenty of obstacles to overcome especially if you thrive on one hell of a challenge.
70%
