Rime Critic Reviews

A personal, touching journey wearing the bright red cloak of an intricate puzzle. For a game that doesn’t utter a word, RiME says a lot - and it’s all wonderful.

It’s an interactive metaphor for grief, and all those strange, complex emotions that all seem get balled into one when you’re grieving. RiME is a beautiful game in so many ways, but this is what makes it truly special.

RiME is the rare game that balances its spectacle and whimsy with a dose of quiet humanity.

What RiME does so well is marry pleasing puzzle platforming to a tender, understated story, and then puts it in a beautifully bleak world filled with mystery. RiME takes the baton from the likes of Journey and Ico, and strides to victory with ease.Tequila Works takes aspects of those classics, and puts a personal touch on the results to create something special.

Rime is a unique and whimsical journey that puts the awe back into the videogaming experience. The pensive mood belies the quick paced structure of the puzzle design and the framing narrative is at once affecting and abstruse. An almost meditative odyssey of discovery, Rime is one of the standout games of the year so far and should be on the top of every puzzle and adventure game fan’s list of purchases.

RiME is a lesson of how to make video games. The soundtrack is a masterpiece, game mechanics are great and the story left no place to speculation. Without any doubt, one of the essential games of this year.

Rime is a competent puzzler, but its real strengths are in its ability to draw emotions from the player using the combination of great art, music, and a thought provoking ending.

In a year that has been filled with some of best games this generation, RiME finds a way to stand out thanks to its unique world and impactful story. While it might not contain the most original gameplay of all time, its beautiful vistas and fantastic soundtrack will keep you coming back for more just to see if there’s a corner of the island that you haven’t discovered yet.

Rime is an exceptional game. It nails almost everything it tries to do, from the excellent graphics and heartwrenching music, to the interesting puzzles and engaging story beats. What really sets the game apart though, is the environments, with all their stories and secrets. Thus, Rime is a truly spectacular game experience that deserves to be played.

An intoxicating, memorable journey, with smart puzzles and a resonant story.

I haven't played anything like this since Journey. It is a stunning game to explore and exist in, and the story is going to move a lot of people.

Tequila Works has created an adventure full of exciting moments and unforgettable scenes. Its music and artistic style turn it into a masterpiece. There is no doubt that it will become one of the best titles of this current generation..

Rime is a beautiful ode to life, loss and childhood that's as much a pleasure to behold as it is to play. Genteel puzzling and exploration make for great bedfellows in a memorable adventure only let down ever so slightly by some minimal frame rate stutter and a final act that while emotionally resonant provides little challenge or escalation in terms of gameplay. Nearly four years on from its much-hyped debut, Rime proves itself to be have been absolutely worth the wait.

Rime is a triumph of storytelling and game design. The beautiful hand crafted world is a joy to explore and the puzzles are fun to complete. Stunning visuals and a stellar score, combined with a deeply personal and emotional story create a truly unforgettable experience that will resonate with players for years to come.

RiME is a memorable game. A simple and attractive one that really moves us and leaves us as speechless as its protagonist once we realize the true meaning of the whole adventure.

While it’s reminiscent of Journey, The Wind Waker and Ico, RiME is so much more than a grab-bag of borrowed ideas. Combining art, craftsmanship, enigmatic storytelling and engaging gameplay, it does what the likes of Bound and ABZU couldn’t: wrap a powerful experience inside a compelling game. I’m still working out whether RiME is a masterpiece and, if so, where it sits in the pantheon of greats – but one thing’s for sure: if you love the games it’s inspired by, you’re going to love RiME as well.


Rime captures the essence of adventure through its mysterious locale’s various paths, inviting visuals, and well-designed puzzles, but it also seeks to use its gameplay mechanics as a storytelling device. While variety isn’t strong throughout its run, the world created offers an experience that—at least for one playthrough—is worth taking.

Rime is a game about loss. Rime is a game about grief. Rime is a game that I’m not ashamed to say made me cry. It’s a beautiful journey and doesn’t seek to simply entertain, but rather to touch the player’s soul on a deeply emotional level through engagement and interaction.

Even though Tequila Works’ poetic adventure is fun to play, it’s real strength lies in its story and how it’s told.

In pairing back its design and focusing on only a few key elements, the studio has created an uncommonly beautiful, open-hearted game. The team's self-deprecation and shaky confidence belies an assured, courageously executed vision. The resulting adventure will give you chills and should stay with you for a very long time indeed.