A young Madrid studio founded in 2009, Tequila Works made a name for itself above all with the general public thanks to Deadlight, a zombie game that stood out for its atypical approach, since it was a sidescroller that was already playing on the play of shadows and lights. At that time (we were in 2012), the title already referenced many flagship games (LIMBO, Shadow Complex) and popular TV series (The Walking Dead) to attract customers, but its lack of originality did not failed to sufficiently convince either the press or the players. Nevertheless, Tequila Works has decided to reproduce the same production scheme with RiME, a game that also draws inspiration from other major works. Jumbled up, we can cite titles such as Journey, ICO, The Last Guardian too, without forgetting this tribute paid to Ghibli studio films such as Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away. Because by taking part in the (initiatory) journey offered by RiME, you will see how much the games of Fumito Ueda or thatgamecompany have influenced the developers of Tequila Works, who do not hide it. It's both a strength and a weakness, in the sense that RiME also has to forge its own identity in order to exist and not just be a hodgepodge of things that already exist. And this unique personality, which has already marked our minds forever, was formed in history. A story with an unexpected ending, surprising, but above all touching and full of good feelings.
CHILD OF THE SUN
But before being able to know the conclusion of this great adventure, it starts with a nice vertical tracking shot, from top to bottom, since the camera follows the landing of a seagull on a white sand beach. At his side lies a young boy with a rather primitive look who recalls in a certain way the Esteban of the Mysterious Cities of Gold. Dressed in a simple loincloth, a turban on his head and a red cape (which will also serve as a common thread), our young hero wakes up with difficulty on this island which seems to be isolated from the rest of the world. Who is he ? What is he doing here? And above all, why is he so silent, not to say mute? Some will see it as a form of economy of scale (no texts to write, no actors to hire for dubbing), others a way to remain consistent with this graphic minimalism which is undeniably one of great strengths of the game. Because in RiME, it is simplicity that prevails above all, whether it is its staging, its graphics, its gameplay, in short, its raison d'être. But simplicity does not necessarily mean that the game remains basic, quite the contrary. Keeping it simple in video games when we have the possibility of doing things in a higher or more spectacular way is perhaps even more complicated to achieve in 2017, especially since RiME plays a lot on symbols, allegories and even metaphors. In truth, if RiME is perhaps satisfied with the bare minimum (no interface, no visible life bar or power gauge), it is above all to focus the player's attention on the environment and what he has to do with.
RiME can be completed perfectly in 6/7 hours watch in hand. It's short, it's true, even if it's fashionable to remember that the game is sold for less than €35, whatever its medium.
Simple, the controls of the young hero are also simple since they are limited to jumps, a roll (of which we are still looking for the usefulness elsewhere), running, swimming and the possibility of shouting to interact with certain elements of the scenery and thus activate mechanisms. The voice of the little boy also serves as a benchmark for the player, since it translates his mood and can thus guide him in an action or any context. That said, the real spiritual guide in the game is indeed this little fox who will not hesitate to guide the player with his presence of course, but also the sound of his voice. It is he who indeed shows us the right path to follow, because it is sometimes quite easy to lose track in these open environments where many secrets and other Easter Eggs await us. Because RiME is a game that also pushes exploration, no doubt to inflate the game's lifespan, which is quite short, it must be admitted in a straight line. Because if you are not one of those people who like to unearth hidden objects (yet necessary for a better understanding of the story and the personality of the hero), RiME can perfectly end in 6/7 hours watch in hand. It's short, it's true, even if it's fashionable to remember that the game is sold for less than €35, whatever its medium.
L'HÉRITAGE FUMITO UEDA
Whatever. As you know, it is not the duration that matters, but the journey. And that of RiME (in addition to being initiatory) is well worth the detour, if only for the variety of its decorations and especially its puzzles. At this level, the playing of Tequila Works is undeniably reminiscent of the productions of Fumito Ueda. There are quite a few affiliations to ICO, but also to The Last Guardian since we remind you that RiME narrates the adventures of a mysterious young boy (about whom we know nothing at the start) with incredibly detailed animations and evolving in ancient ruins. Without any indication, he will have to solve a whole bunch of riddles and puzzles that will allow him to move forward and learn more about himself. Moreover, like The Last Guardian, RiME is distinguished by the quality and above all the variety of its puzzles. We are indeed led to play with perspectives reminiscent of The Witness, with time too (the day-night cycle), but also shadows and different objects to place in strategic places. Nothing is insurmountable and if at times, it happens that we remain blocked for several tens of minutes, it is mainly due to lack of observation. Each enigma is solved in a rather restricted space, delimited in addition by sometimes invisible walls.
Because unlike The Last Guardian where some puzzles found their solution in the goodwill of a not always very obedient Trico, everything has been thought out in RiME to appeal to the general public.
Because unlike The Last Guardian where some puzzles found their solution in the goodwill of a not always very obedient Trico, everything has been thought out in RiME to appeal to the general public. In this regard, know that in the second part of the adventure, the hero of RiME also finds himself in the company of a – second – creature (antique on the other hand) who will follow him and obey him at the finger and the eye, which here takes on the appearance of a ball of light. We won't tell you more so as not to spoil the surprise. However, where Fumito Ueda had succeeded in creating enormous empathy with the character of Trico, RiME does not manage to repeat the feat, the fault undoubtedly of the too short lifespan of the game. a little late in the adventure and the latter does not have strong enough scenes to create an emotional bond with the little boy in the red cape. There are a few cutscenes and highlights in the game, but we would have liked this relationship between the two characters to be more in-depth.
OPTIMUS RHYME
If RiME does not hide its heritage from the productions of Fumito Ueda, there is another series that has strongly inspired Spanish production. We obviously think of the Zelda saga, and especially of the episodes The Wind Waker and Breath of the Wild which share its artistic touch and the choice of a cel-shading which gives it a cartoon side with a licked aestheticism. RiME also multiplies the magnificent landscapes (exterior and interior) and it is not uncommon to stop for several minutes to contemplate the splendid panoramas. Like Breath of the Wild, RiME played a lot on sounds, without any frills. Here too, we take the time to listen to the sound of the sea, the water flowing from the fountains, the wind blowing at the top of the hills or even the song of the birds. It is true that arriving after Zelda Breath of the Wild can be disabling in the sense that Nintendo's organic and totally coherent open world has considerably changed the game, and dusted off certain gameplay mechanisms. How many times have we wanted to climb this easily accessible cliff? How many times have you wanted to climb this low wall yet not very high? Unfortunately, in RiME and like in many other old-school games, the interactions with the scenery are subject to the goodwill of old-fashioned game design. This is where you really realize that there is a before and after Zelda Breath of the Wild; not to mention this furious desire to take out his paraglider. But there, it's also because we exceeded 300 hours of play on the GOTY 2017.
Unfortunately, in RiME and like in many other old-school games, the interactions with the scenery are subject to the goodwill of old-fashioned game design. This is where you really realize that there is a before and after Zelda Breath of the Wild.
As you will have understood, where Deadlight did not manage to get out of the spectrum of inspiration and the legacy of its mentors, RiME succeeds in imposing its personal touch, thanks in particular to the accuracy of its staging. who has opted for purity and minimalism. This simplicity is also found in its handling, easy to access, understandable and without any real false note. Even the camera never let us down, with the possible exception of certain confined passages where the jumps were not always obvious. But these complicated moments, we do not even count them on the fingers of an amputated hand. On the other hand, it was not uncommon to have to deal with serious frame-rate drops on a standard PS4, without this really impacting the gaming experience, we want to reassure you. A loss of fluidity which is also explained during automatic backups or when moving from an indoor room to outdoor environments. Because even the most visually charged level (the last, that of the rain, which will remain engraved forever in our memory) had no impact on the frame-rate. Like what…
