Developed by Zockrates Laboratories and published by Phiphen Games, Ruffy and the Riverside is a peculiar adventure in which platforming and puzzles meld together.
We had the pleasure of playing the demo, and we were delighted by the originality of the gameplay. The time has come: Ruffy and the Riverside is available on Steam, the Epic Games Store, Xbox, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch.
The Power of SWAP
The demo gave us an overview of the mechanics and introduced us to SWAP ability. In the full game, we can discover the story of Ruffy and his home, Riverside.
We will meet Groll, the villain who seeks revenge and aims to destroy Riverside after being exiled. This encounter makes us realize that Ruffy, the protagonist, has a central role to play. A mission awaits us: saving Riverside and its inhabitants.
What makes Ruffy and Riverside unique is the gameplay. Most of the platforming paths and puzzles we face require the use of SWAP. SWAP is the ability to change the nature of objects. For example, we can turn a waterfall into ivy to climb it or turn stone cubes into wood to destroy them. As we progress, we will discover more creative ways to use this power to navigate the world and solve quests.
In addition to the main quest, which is broken down into smaller objectives, Ruffy and the Riverside is an adventure full of surprises. Around Riverside, we will find minigames, quests to help the inhabitants, and secondary objectives that will have us looking out for collectibles, such as butterflies.
Therefore, Ruffy and the Riverside is not only an adventure focused on the main story; it is also an open world full of additional missions to explore.
A nostalgic return to the past
Ruffy and the Riverside is a technically well-realized title. In fact, during our play sessions, we did not encounter any bugs or optimization problems. The gameplay vaguely resembles Nintendo titles, such as Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Galaxy, but stands out with different game mechanics, such as puzzle gaming.
The graphics are a mixture of 2D elements, such as the game characters, in a 3D environment reminiscent of fifth-generation consoles. For us millennials, playing it is like returning to our childhood.
The gameplay is engaging and full of challenging elements. However, it is interrupted by long sections of dialogue rich in information about Riverside’s lore, which are perhaps a bit too verbose.
Given the absence of explicit language and excessive violence, Ruffy and the Riverside is highly recommended for younger children.
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