Release Date: June 26, 2025
A third-person action adventure game with clearly outlined platforming bits. In Ruffy and the Riverside we play as the titular bear. He is capable of manipulating the game world by copying and pasting textures, changing the characteristics of objects and surfaces.
Ruffy and the Riverside is a production on the border of action adventure games and platformers, based on the unusual idea of manipulating textures. It was developed by the independent German studio Zockrates Laboratories.
In Ruffy and the Riverside we watch the action from a third-person perspective (TPP).
The game provides us with an open world divided into regions, which we explore in the skin of the titular little bear - Ruffy. While travelling through the land of Riverside, the protagonist meets its inhabitants and accepts various quests from them. Apart from missions pushing the story forward, there are various side tasks waiting to be completed.
Exploring the game world involves the need to jumping on platforms, avoiding traps and bypassing terrain obstacles, riding on hay bales and rolling boulders, as well as solving environmental puzzles. We must not only demonstrate agility and reflexes, but also rely on our brain cells.
Ruffy has the power of SWAP, which allows him to manipulate the environment. Thanks to it, the protagonist can copy selected textures and paste them in another place, thereby changing the specifics of a given object. For example, we can turn water into lava (to eliminate an enemy lurking in it or destroy a wooden box floating on it), a waterfall into vines (which we can climb), a stone into a log of wood (which can serve us as a makeshift raft) or a wall into rubble (thus opening a new passage).
The icing on the cake is another unusual ability of Ruffy's, which allows him to "jump into walls", turning them into additional 2D stages straight from classic platform games. The list of attractions is topped by collectibles waiting to be found, like butterflies, coins, or dream stones.
The main character of Ruffy and the Riverside is the titular bear Ruffy, whose task is to stop the villain Groll before he manages to unleash real chaos in the Riverside land. The protagonist can count on the help of his companions, led by the bee Pip, the mole Sir Eddler, and the turtle Silja.
The graphic design of Ruffy and the Riverside is maintained in a cartoon style. The characters are presented in the form of sprites that look like stickers.
Platforms:
PC Windows
Xbox One
Nintendo Switch
PlayStation 5
Xbox Series X/S
Developer: Zockrates Laboratories
Publisher: Phiphen Games
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System Requirements for Ruffy and the Riverside Video Game:
PC / Windows
Minimum System Requirements:
CPU SSE2, 4 GB RAM, graphic card DirectX 10, 6 GB HDD, Windows 7(SP1)/10/11 64-bit.
Game Ratings for Ruffy and the Riverside Video Game.
TechRaptor: 7 / 10 by Joseph Allen
Ruffy and the Riverside's swapping mechanic is great fun, but I wish it would shut up and give me more organic opportunities to use that mechanic.
Analog Stick Gaming: 8 / 10 by Jeff M Young
While its SWAP mechanic can feel limited at times, it is nonetheless a charming example of a passion project come to life. The world, its characters, and the general gameplay are wildly entertaining. There is strong potential for a sequel, one that could allow more freedom in how the SWAP mechanic is used. Regardless, Ruffy and Riverside is a fantastic time, and a game that can easily satisfy those wanting a trip down the Nintendo 64 lane, or young kids who want a fun alternative to Mario.
NintendoWorldReport: 7.5 / 10 by Jordan Rudek
It performs well on Switch 2, which is where I reviewed the game, and has a lot of content for completionists to sink their teeth into. Some of the puzzles can be frustrating or obtuse, but the unique swapping mechanic makes for a fun departure compared to other 3D action-adventure experiences. It may be a bit Ruffy around the edges, but this Riverside is one that I was happy to dip my toes into.
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![[1:18] - Launch Trailer](https://cdn.gracza.pl/galeria/filmy/640x360/1371623156.jpg)
