REVIEW – Rime (Switch)

Rime is an exploration title with platforming elements and a vague story, plagued with technical quirks. Compared to Troll and I, another game that was ported Switch with technical problems, this game is better, as the technical problems didn’t detract from the amazing experience I had playing this title. The story and simple gameplay are the biggest draws, and there are plenty of puzzles to solve and places to explore. The game’s environment and music also contribute well to the game’s overall feel. Rime is truly a game most players will enjoy.

First thing’s first, Rime in its current technical state is 100% playable. When the game was released, it had several issues that kept it from being reviewed properly. For example, in its previous state, there was frame drops that dipped to the single digits. The image on the screen was blurry and it wasn’t very responsive. It made playing very difficult and I couldn’t do as much as I wanted without feeling nauseated. In its current state, the game has been given a fresh coat of paint, and a lot of the graphical effects were toned down for the Switch. While the frame rate drops are still there, they do not happen as often nor to the extreme as it did before. This patch came out in February, so if you bought the game and still haven’t played it completely, you should go back and try it again.

Technical jargon aside, Rime is an exploration game where you solve puzzles to learn what happened to you after you were shipwrecked following a storm. The game purposely keeps the story vague to keep you on your toes and exploring. There are plenty of little tidbits even in the first area that give it a fantasy feel. I don’t want to ruin the experience in the review, so I’m not going to spoil it. I just highly recommend playing to the very end.

Visually, the game is beautiful. There are so many small details, even after the patch, that really pop out — from small crabs on the beach, to fish, to birds and other types of wild life. The ominous structures in the game lead to them like a moth to the flame. The dark areas of the game, when lit up, reveal amazing detail that would have stayed hidden by the developers. As for audio, this has to be one of the best soundtracks I’ve heard in a game in a long time. The audio design is perfect for this game and it adds to the overall aesthetic of the game.

While Rime started out a technical fixer-upper, the developers have continued to update it in order to create a more stable game. The story, while vague, is interesting and hooks you along. The puzzles and exploration help to drag you along, and with exploration, you’ll enjoy incredibly vast landscapes. If you have not yet played it, I recommend picking this game when it goes on sale.

GAME: Rime
ESRB: E for Everyone
PUBLISHER: Grey Box
Developer: Tequila Works
OBTAINED: Review code provided by Grey Box

Mike Trim

Mike has been with NintendoFuse since January 2015 as a Social Media Manager. He has always had a passion for Nintendo games, and his favorite game series is Donkey Kong Country.