RiME

A personal, touching journey wearing the bright red cloak of an intricate puzzle. For a game that doesn’t utter a word, RiME says a lot - and it’s all wonderful.

What RiME does so well is marry pleasing puzzle platforming to a tender, understated story, and then puts it in a beautifully bleak world filled with mystery. RiME takes the baton from the likes of Journey and Ico, and strides to victory with ease.Tequila Works takes aspects of those classics, and puts a personal touch on the results to create something special.

RiME is the rare game that balances its spectacle and whimsy with a dose of quiet humanity.

Rime is a unique and whimsical journey that puts the awe back into the videogaming experience. The pensive mood belies the quick paced structure of the puzzle design and the framing narrative is at once affecting and abstruse. An almost meditative odyssey of discovery, Rime is one of the standout games of the year so far and should be on the top of every puzzle and adventure game fan’s list of purchases.

RiME is a lesson of how to make video games. The soundtrack is a masterpiece, game mechanics are great and the story left no place to speculation. Without any doubt, one of the essential games of this year.

Does RiME live up to fevered expectations, to its own influential forebears? Perhaps, and at its most effective, Tequila Works’ dreamy, abstract exploration combines the best elements of the subgenre's finest. Where the game truly shines is in touching choreographed stretches, moving moments wherein visuals, emotional direction, and transcendent music align in shockingly powerful ways. Contemplative, illusory, achingly forlorn and triumphantly buoyant, RiME will most certainly give you pause — a boy, an island, and one of life’s prevailing mysteries.

It might not achieve the levels of ingenuity displayed by some of its counterparts, but Rime stands on its own merits. Its captivating visuals, engrossing soundtrack, and rewarding puzzles are a wonderful combination on their own, but the game’s narrative elements and ultimate payoff go well beyond expectations to deliver something truly memorable. It’s been a long journey to get here, but Rime is most certainly an experience you don’t want to miss.

A beautiful, quiet and highly emotional adventure, filled with stunning environments to explore and intriguing puzzles to solve.

Still, when RiME is good, it’s very good. I’m consistently impressed, as I play it, with how much thought must have gone into it. It suggests paths without forcing you down them; it teaches you how to play it so subtly that you might not notice it’s doing it; and it’s got a strong, consistent sense of design. RiME isn’t long, but it’ll stick with you for a while.

In pairing back its design and focusing on only a few key elements, the studio has created an uncommonly beautiful, open-hearted game. The team's self-deprecation and shaky confidence belies an assured, courageously executed vision. The resulting adventure will give you chills and should stay with you for a very long time indeed. [July 2017, p.102]

Even though Tequila Works’ poetic adventure is fun to play, it’s real strength lies in its story and how it’s told.

Rime is a game about loss. Rime is a game about grief. Rime is a game that I’m not ashamed to say made me cry. It’s a beautiful journey and doesn’t seek to simply entertain, but rather to touch the player’s soul on a deeply emotional level through engagement and interaction.

Rime captures the essence of adventure through its mysterious locale’s various paths, inviting visuals, and well-designed puzzles, but it also seeks to use its gameplay mechanics as a storytelling device. While variety isn’t strong throughout its run, the world created offers an experience that—at least for one playthrough—is worth taking.

RiME is a memorable game. A simple and attractive one that really moves us and leaves us as speechless as its protagonist once we realize the true meaning of the whole adventure.

While it’s reminiscent of Journey, The Wind Waker and Ico, RiME is so much more than a grab-bag of borrowed ideas. Combining art, craftsmanship, enigmatic storytelling and engaging gameplay, it does what the likes of Bound and ABZU couldn’t: wrap a powerful experience inside a compelling game. I’m still working out whether RiME is a masterpiece and, if so, where it sits in the pantheon of greats – but one thing’s for sure: if you love the games it’s inspired by, you’re going to love RiME as well.


Rime is a triumph of storytelling and game design. The beautiful hand crafted world is a joy to explore and the puzzles are fun to complete. Stunning visuals and a stellar score, combined with a deeply personal and emotional story create a truly unforgettable experience that will resonate with players for years to come.

Rime is a beautiful ode to life, loss and childhood that's as much a pleasure to behold as it is to play. Genteel puzzling and exploration make for great bedfellows in a memorable adventure only let down ever so slightly by some minimal frame rate stutter and a final act that while emotionally resonant provides little challenge or escalation in terms of gameplay. Nearly four years on from its much-hyped debut, Rime proves itself to be have been absolutely worth the wait.

Tequila Works has created an adventure full of exciting moments and unforgettable scenes. Its music and artistic style turn it into a masterpiece. There is no doubt that it will become one of the best titles of this current generation..

I haven't played anything like this since Journey. It is a stunning game to explore and exist in, and the story is going to move a lot of people.

An intoxicating, memorable journey, with smart puzzles and a resonant story.

Rime is a competent puzzler, but its real strengths are in its ability to draw emotions from the player using the combination of great art, music, and a thought provoking ending.

In a year that has been filled with some of best games this generation, RiME finds a way to stand out thanks to its unique world and impactful story. While it might not contain the most original gameplay of all time, its beautiful vistas and fantastic soundtrack will keep you coming back for more just to see if there’s a corner of the island that you haven’t discovered yet.

Rime is an exceptional game. It nails almost everything it tries to do, from the excellent graphics and heartwrenching music, to the interesting puzzles and engaging story beats. What really sets the game apart though, is the environments, with all their stories and secrets. Thus, Rime is a truly spectacular game experience that deserves to be played.

While Rime’s long trek from announcement to delivery may have been tough to endure for those initially struck by its ethereal charm, the wait has been worth it. Rime is thoughtful, intelligently designed, and satisfyingly accomplishes the emotional experience it strives to deliver. It’s Journey meets The Last Guardian, and while individual elements of Rime feel familiar at times, the way they’re combined make for a unique and memorable experience.

A touching adventure that will be remembered for its stellar emotional value rather than for its (fairly good) gameplay: prepare some tissues because you're definitely gonna need them, as you'll experience one of the most memorable epilogues ever.

RiME doesn't do anything new, but it does it in a truly unique, heartfelt way. Tequila Works created a wonderful adventure, with a strong Mediterranean feeling, some nice puzzles and a really moving finale.

In a year that’s been flooded with massive triple-A games, each one larger than the last, it was a real treat to play through something as compact, focused and soulful as Rime. It was a welcome respite from excess, and proves that sometimes the best things come in small packages.

Rime is a surprisingly strong game filled with fun puzzles and platform moments. There are some framedrops, but that can't rain on this six hour parade.

Clearly inspired by Fumito Ueda's games, RiME manages to get it's own feel thanks to a splendid artistic work and a beautiful music. A masterpiece that's only let down by the short playtime it offers.

RiME is an atmospheric adventure where exploration, acrobatics and puzzles are woven together in a very subtle and comfortable way.

RiME is one of the most elegant free roam adventures out there, a beautiful and moving game.

You're likely to come away from Rime thinking about how much (and, luckily, how well) it draws from gaming classics than you are to feel like you've just finished a classic in its own right. However, neither of those things are nothing, I've played plenty of games that neither offered a few moments of incredible beauty nor led to fond memories of other games. Rime does both, and for that, even if it won't be remembered in the same breath as, say, Journey, it deserves a closer look.

A very beautiful and emotionally gripping journey full of creative puzzles in surreal dream worlds.

RiME is a beautiful adventure, very solid gameplay-wise and visually stunning. It isn't very original or challenging, but it has personality, and if you like this type of game we're sure you're going to love it.

In the end, Rime is a solid adventure game that is an absolute stunner in the presentation department. The puzzles may not be that difficult, and they start to repeat in the latter half of the game, but they remain enjoyable. The game also has a very good length, so the journey is enjoyable as long as you don't mind the sudden flurry of exposition at the end. Itmay not have the kind of grand mystery that keeps players coming back, but Rime is certainly a game that's worth playing at least once.

RiME is an intense game about grief and loss. It combines the exploration with puzzles in a very clever way. Tequila Works' game is an unforgettable experience that will move a lot of people.

Clearly, the developers went all in on developing an eye-catching art style, abstract yet sensible puzzles and intricately designed environments.

Rime doesn't introduce new quality in the business of interactive storytelling but borrows good things from the best. You'll find echoes of The Last Guardian, Ico or Zelda, then you'll appreciate tons of passion, and in the end you will probably become very fond of this game and remember it for a long time.

Rime is a poetic and inspiring adventure game, but it's also a short game and not as surprising as we had expected when it comes to gameplay mechanics. The Spanish studio has demonstrated their taste when it comes to artistic and storytelling aspects, with a soul-crushing ending that will make you remember this journey for a long time to come.

RiME is a unique journey of exploration, reflection, contemplation.

Tequila Works’ efforts these past few years have delivered a game that’s full of beguiling charm and beauty, one that can stand up to many of the comparisons with some of the most fondly remembered games of the last decade. It doesn’t always meet those high standards, but Rime has been well worth the wait.

In the end, everything is sharply pulled into focus with a simple, but dramatic final story revelation and level. It made me want to replay the game from my new perspective and even seek out the collectibles I had earlier written off as unnecessary. Many elements of Rime are familiar, but it is an effective use of the medium and expertly builds up to (and executes) its cathartic finale.

Tequila Works’ long-awaited title takes you on a heartfelt adventure through large, open areas full of personality and imaginative puzzles. Comparisons to the likes of Journey or ICO were inevitable, and while it can imitate a little too closely, it has just enough fresh ideas to set it apart. Its clean and colourful presentation is backed up by a truly excellent soundtrack, and the story conjures up some wonderful moments along its fairly brief duration. Those looking for a fun, cohesive, and original puzzle platformer could do far worse than investing some time in RiME.

RiME is an attractive title that sends you on a fascinating journey. The unvaried replay value shouldn't keep you from giving it a try as it's an adventure game that stays interesting and accomplishes an intriguing dialog without even one spoken word.

A slow-paced game that requires attention and imagination but repays with stylish beauty and solid puzzles. [08/2017, p.75]

RiME is certainly one of those games that prove how ridiculous it is to rail against linearity considering how a well paced, smartly designed corridor can be as enchanting, if not more so, than any massive open world on the market.

RiME is exactly the game I like to slowly work my way through. A deeply atmospheric world with some challenge, without frustrating me with its obtuse inner logic (cough cough, The Witness, cough). The boy is endearing as an avatar, shouting and scrambling his way along with you, and the soundtrack would put anyone at ease. Sit back, relax, and shout some urns apart.

Rime is definitely not a game for everyone, but it does teach a lesson that everyone should be able to appreciate if given the chance. The literal act of playing the game is rife with minor frustrations and short bouts of boredom, but as a sum of its parts it’s a memorable journey I won’t soon forget.

A chill platform puzzler whose dazzling production values aren’t matched by stable framerates or especially memorable moments. Rime’s only reasonable. [August 2017, p79] [August 2017, p81]

Rime heavily relies on lots of different elements from other successful action titles and fails to add any notable innovation to those elements. Nevertheless, if you are looking for an artistic and relaxing experience with great soundtracks, Rime would be a very good option.

Rime is for those who appreciate Team Ico, That Game Company, Abzu, Never Alone, or any peaceful-minded game where emotion plays centre stage. Granted, it doesn’t have the same finesse, as the mechanics have little to do with anything else. The developers clearly had a story on their hearts, but didn’t sync it to the rest of the game. Subsequently the gameplay often feels like a reluctant participant to a particularly touching tale.

Rime is a pleasant title that's extremely easy on the eyes, and perhaps a little too easy on the brain.

Its final moments are commensurately heartbreaking but also bracing. They don't resolve the game's shortcomings — in games the journey must by definition upstage the destination — but the ending is beautifully handled, cleverly connected to the undertaking, and almost worth the price.

Other games of its ilk may punch harder on their message, and the challenge here is all but non-existent. But RiME is a beautiful painting come to life, backed by an exceptional score that will make your journey across this island a joy.

Even during its most underwhelming moments Rime got a response out of me, and I'll remember it for years to come.

Rime’s superficial beauty and interesting mysteries provided enough enjoyment to make me willing to put up with its shallow and familiar elements under the hood. While nothing about Rime is necessarily bad, you can find more interesting versions of nearly every single element of it in other, better games.

An experimental storytelling concept that, sadly, results in a scattered sort of game. Thoughtful design shines, but it's sometimes too clever for its own good. [July 2016, p.75]

Rime wants to be more of a three-dimensional museum, one that carefully categorizes emotions, than an actual game.

Rime has the potential to be so much more than it actually is. It’s got stunning presentation, an intriguing world, and some neat ideas. However, all of this is overshadowed by the more mundane puzzles and glaring technical issues that come with it. While Rime may well have looked to some of the modern greats for inspiration, it’ll struggle to be remembered for half as long.

RiME is not quite the game it wants to be, but while it lacks the profundity it was clearly aiming for the surface level puzzle-solving and exploration can still be enjoyable. But as you note the obvious inspirations it’s hard not to acknowledge that RiME’s various elements all worked better in the games they originally came from.

Rime is a beautiful, beautiful game that manages to feel remarkably empty, even in the face of its earnest attempts. The aesthetic that breathes life into the island of Rime feels a bit too familiar, but it doesn't dampen its vast, ever-photographable horizons. Nonetheless, Rime is a light third-person adventure game with quiet puzzle solving, in a year where we haven't had much of those, which alone makes it a worthwhile respite.