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RIVE Hands-on Preview

by Daan Koopman - August 20, 2014, 7:15 pm EDT
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Shooting and platforming your way through some moody corridors!

I had no clear idea of what to expect before playing the RIVE demo, but I’ve enjoyed Two Tribes' games thus far. Their newest title takes a step away from the very bright and colorful, which might be a disappointment for some, but is fully understandable. However, RIVE creates a sense of tension that made it one of Gamescom's more interesting offerings.

RIVE is a 2D platformer/shooter hybrid, and it doesn’t try to hide it whatsoever. Getting the hang of the controls will be your first trial, as quick reflexes are required to overcome the game's challenges. With the left stick, you will move over the field. The right stick is used to control the gun's direction. Be ready to use that gun a lot -- you’ll face robots that will stop at nothing to bring you down. Timing is everything, and keeping your eyes glued to the screen is the only true solution for success. Shooting is done with the right trigger, and the left trigger lets you jump. This felt somewhat unconventional at first since I’m more used to having them the other way around. The demo was not extremely long, but it took me the entirety of the first run to get used to it.

While you hop around and shoot at everything that moves, there are also rare moments where you will hack elements in the environment. This gives you a health-giving robot and allows you to get past locked passageways. The variation of the three separate parts I played made for a rather unique journey; a thrill ride that never truly ended. Those thrills came to a climax when I faced the boss, a gigantic robotic eye. Moving quickly to the top, jumping off the ledge, and shooting directly beneath at the open spot in his safety net is the key to victory. It’s tricky since the time to react is minimal, and one fatal flaw could cause you to quickly lose a life. After trying multiple times, I was relieved at my triumph and enjoyed the nifty ending to this rather short and sweet sneak peek.

The moody tension and quick paced gameplay has made me put RIVE at the top of my to do list in 2015. While I would like a different button to jump with, you’ll get used to it. The game becomes a blast, and you’ll be quickly accelerating through it like the true trouper you are. Two Tribes' future seems bright with their title, and hopefully we’ll see more projects like this in the years to come.

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Game Profile

Genre Action / Shooter
Developer Two Tribes

Worldwide Releases

na: RIVE: Ultimate Edition
Release Nov 17, 2017
PublisherTwo Tribes
RatingEveryone 10+
eu: RIVE: Ultimate Edition
Release Nov 17, 2017
PublisherTwo Tribes
Rating12+
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