Ruffy and the Riverside Review

Platformers on consoles feel like a novelty. We are very much still in the era of it being either Sonic or Mario or nothing. Slowly but surely, in recent times, though, we are starting to see some trickle through, like Price Of Persia: The Lost Crown, which was an instant hit. So yes, if you’re into your platformers, then you have to be ever so patient.  It isn’t every day that a platformer comes along that has that nostalgic feel yet tries something new, but Ruffy and the Riverside is just that.

Nostalgic Yet Fresh

Stepping into the world of Ruffy and the Riverside, it feels like a mash-up of Paper Mario, Banjo Kazooie and a feast of other classics. The game brings a unique feature with its SWAP function, which allows you to manipulate and change the environment. For example, you could change a waterfall to a surface you can climb or even ice into lava.

Whilst it is a platformer per se, the focus appears to be more on exploration and solving puzzles than jumping from pillar to post. When you navigate the open world, you may find yourself wanting to dive into every nook and cranny possible, as I did. You’ll find hidden secrets, collectables and even side quests. There are seven regions within Riverside. Riverside Village, Meadowlands, Crystal Caverns, Sunset Cliffs, Frosty Peaks, Ancient Ruins, Volcanic Wastes and Dreamscape Isles make up the world map, and as you can probably tell, they all have their own theming.

Visuals & Audio

Ruffy and the Riverside have a vibrant colour palette with a mixture of 2d and 3d areas. It is very reminiscent of some of the Mario titles that allow you to flip between different visual styles, and it works exceptionally well here. The UI could do with some work with its font size, but it is functional for the most part. The world design is fantastic and encourages exploration with variety in different areas.

The soundtrack suits the atmosphere of the game, and I enjoyed the variety in the music as you progress through the game. The sound effects are decent, with the SWAP mechanic being heard and felt throughout. Whilst I’d have liked to see full voicing on characters, they shine through otherwise with their expressions and written dialogue.

Final Thoughts

Ruffy and the Riverside is an enjoyable experience and clearly draws inspiration from platformers from the early ’90s and beyond. With its unique SWAP mechanics and neat presentation, featuring hand-drawn visuals, this platformer caters to gamers of all ages and skill levels. The game is surprisingly deep with a lot of NPCs to engage with, plenty to collect and lots of puzzles that’ll see you clocking around 10 hours of gameplay. For the reasonable price of £16.99, it’s well worth the cost for the amount you’re getting in return.