A Puzzle Adventure Lost In Space And Time
Apollo 11 command module pilot Michael Collins is often described as the ‘loneliest man in history’. While Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were walking on the Moon together, Collins was orbiting on the far side, completely cut off from contact with Earth.
In video games, the idea of being alone in space, whether aboard a ship or stranded on a distant planet, is a familiar one. From Deliver Us the Moon to Outer Wilds, we seem to love the idea of being left to our own devices in the great unknown. Rivage takes that concept and mixes it with a space station, time loops and a healthy dose of puzzle-solving. What could possibly go wrong?
Unravelling The Mystery Of The A.R.E.S.
In Rivage, it’s the 25th century, and humanity has been forced to venture beyond the solar system in search of a new home. The crew of the A.R.E.S. discover a possible candidate in the form of a planet called Vesta, which could offer the promise of a fresh start. The space station enters orbit, but then something calamitous happens. A strange phenomenon leaves the crew scattered, with Miranda, the character you play, seemingly the only one left behind. Alone and trying to piece together what has happened, Miranda also finds herself caught in a mysterious time loop as she attempts to uncover the truth.
I liked the overall setup and the promise Rivage holds. However, there’s a part of me that, if I weren’t reviewing the game and pushing through it, might have felt a little nonplussed during the opening stages. The story gradually reveals itself as you progress, uncovering clues and navigating the time loops. Information about the crew and what might have happened is scattered across audio and text logs that you discover along the way. It’s only towards the end that the story begins to reach a satisfying conclusion.
A Race Against The Clock
Puzzle-solving is the heart and soul of Rivage, and a word of warning: things can get pretty tricky for Miranda and your brain cells alike. You begin in Miranda’s pod, which doubles as her apartment aboard the station. Here, you can access her belongings and the instructions for a very useful neural interface. Once activated, this appears on screen like a HUD, allowing you to store video and audio files, as well as take pictures. It’s a handy tool for collecting clues, whether you’re hunting for passwords or gathering other investigative evidence. You can also scan items, including keycards, which are used to unlock doors and access new areas.
There’s a problem, though: power is in short supply. A bar on screen shows how much energy remains before the station plunges into darkness. You start with four bars, and actions such as opening doors can use one, while other activities might consume two. This means you need to plan your movements carefully, because once the lights go out, you have to restart the time loop.
Thankfully, the knowledge and keycards you’ve collected carry over into the next loop, so it’s not all bad news. Still, I can’t help thinking that I wouldn’t have minded if the time-loop mechanic had been left out altogether. It’s an interesting idea, but the puzzles are so engaging in their own right that the time loops and energy management sometimes feel like they get in the way.
The puzzles themselves offer a nice mixture of challenges. Some are relatively straightforward and logical, such as finding password clues in documents scattered around the station. Others are far more complex, involving multi-stage problems that occasionally make you feel as though you need an M.A. in logic to crack them.
Thankfully, the puzzles never really grow old. There’s always something new to get your teeth into as the game progresses, and the sense of discovery keeps things moving.
First-Person Exploration And Impressive Space Station Design
Rivage is played in first person, and the controls generally work well. However, there were moments when I found myself thinking that the experience might have been easier on a PC, particularly when grabbing and interacting with objects. I also wondered whether the game had originally been designed as a VR experience, as certain sections have that unmistakable feel.
It is impressive in how it looks though, especially considering it comes from a two-person development team. The space station looks fantastic, with clean, detailed graphics that bring its various rooms to life. The sheer amount of work that has gone into filling each area with documents, objects and other things to pick up is particularly impressive.
The audio is just as strong, with a good soundtrack and some excellent sound effects. The game is fully voiced, and the European cast does a great job of bringing the material to life.
A Satisfying Puzzle Adventure
I like a good puzzler, and in that regard, Rivage doesn’t disappoint. Its initial story setup isn’t quite as accomplished as it could have been, but as the game progresses, it delivers some strong writing and a fascinating premise. And whilst the time-loop mechanic is interesting, in my opinion, it isn’t essential.
Overall, Rivage offers some brilliant visuals and engaging, complex puzzles that should keep you occupied and, hopefully, invested right through to the end.
Important Links
Rivage Traps You In A Beautiful Space Station Where Time Has Gone Wrong – https://www.thexboxhub.com/rivage-traps-you-in-a-beautiful-space-station-where-time-has-gone-wrong/
Buy from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/rivage/9nzvrp8qqz6n
