Ruffy and the Riverside has at all times seemed relatively hanging with its 2D characters in a vibrant 3D world, and whereas its aesthetic is a energy, the sport itself would not actually match it.
That is an open-ended 3D platformer with a singular swap mechanic, which helps you to copy sure textures and apply them to different objects — turning water into lava, for instance. It is an awesome thought and really novel early on, however sadly feels underutilised within the grand scheme of issues.
It by no means actually evolves past fairly primary puzzle-solving, and feels oddly restricted. You’ll be able to solely copy particular textures, they usually can solely be pasted onto particular objects and surfaces, which means the variety of significant functions is definitely fairly small.
It is an actual disgrace, as a result of the sport has rather a lot to see and do. There are puzzles and characters in every single place, dotted round a enjoyable map to discover.
Sadly, it appears extra enjoyable than it’s; a mix of slippy controls and underwhelming mechanics makes for a recreation that simply feels undercooked.
That is to not say there is a lack of selection or imaginative concepts, nevertheless it’s lacking a cohesion and polish to carry all of it collectively.
On prime of this can be a story that is given way more prominence than it ought to. It is a quite simple story that units up Ruffy for his journey, however there are extra cutscenes and dialogue containers than you would possibly count on, and the narrative simply would not have the substance for it.
There is a sure appeal to the characters and the writing, nevertheless it all feels fairly skinny.
In the end, Ruffy and the Riverside is a recreation we wished to love, however regardless of its enticing visible type and distinctive concepts, it by no means actually comes collectively in a satisfying approach. Whereas there’s some enjoyable available working round within the semi-open world, it by no means evolves past that.