Ruffy and the Riverside review

It’s been ages since I’ve dove deep into a 3D platformer. I grew up with several over the years, leaving me excited every time a new one launches. With Ruffy and the Riverside having a peculiar mix of hand-drawn 2D characters and 3D environments, it intrigued me from the get-go.

I was also a little scared, admittedly. For every incredible platformer I’ve played, I’ve tried just as many that fell flat or aggravated me beyond belief, leaving me apprehensive about what was to come here. Fortunately, while it wasn’t quite a perfect experience, Ruffy and the Riverside was a joyful blast to the past that left me feeling satisfied, albeit bored at times.

The highlight of Ruffy and the Riverside is Ruffy’s swap ability, allowing you to switch textures around to solve puzzles and progress the story. One moment, you might be turning a waterfall into vines you can climb. A minute later, you might be transforming an entire ocean into lava. With enough creativity, you can make this chaotic and hilarious. For the most part, though, it’s fairly tame.

The puzzles you encounter throughout Ruffy and the Riverside are also enjoyable, ranging from simplistic and straightforward to complex enough to stump even the most experienced puzzle solvers. You have to think (and swap) outside of the box for many of them. Sometimes, you’ll have to take this literally by traversing a 2D box that requires jumping back into the 3D landscape for more swapping. It’s a lot to take in, but Zockrates Laboratories manages to pull it off well.

Along the way, you’ll encounter various side quests and collectibles to pass the time, turning an otherwise short experience into a full-on collectathon. Although you can skip this entirely if you wish, those who thrive on traveling every nook and cranny of a world to find all of its secrets will love this.

All of this is tied together by an adorable, hand-drawn art style and an equally cutesy soundtrack that makes you feel like you’re back in the ’90s. Ruffy himself dances around the map throughout your travels, adding another layer to this lighthearted, carefree tale.

At least, that’s how it appears on the surface. In reality, you’re quickly introduced to potential world-ending doom, with our titular character being the “Chosen One” to save the day. Although this sounds like an exciting catalyst for an adventure, it comes off more as a generic plot device we’ve seen time and time again.

I felt the urge to skip certain conversations, especially when characters would reiterate the same points about Ruffy being the only one who’s capable of stopping the current situation. Some moments were quite funny, but most felt bland. Combining this with forgettable enemies that you’ll just hit once or twice before moving on makes the overall storyline somewhat lackluster, despite the gameplay being very entertaining.

Ruffy and the Riverside has the pieces in hand, with an appealing artistic style and unique swapping mechanics paving the way for an in-depth puzzle game series. Although I didn’t find its story or enemies particularly interesting, everything else about the title felt refreshing and fun, leaving me feeling hopeful that potential sequels can build upon this blueprint and create something truly captivating.