Indie developers and publishers go demo crazy during Q1, and it’s hard to keep track of the cream of the crop — especially as this trend toward playable previews continues to intensify. Still, a handful of games have proved worthy of wishlist status, including a retro-inspired platform title from a new German studio.
Ruffy and the Riverside, a hand-painted, gloriously colorful and personality-packed open-world action adventure, draws from the fifth generation of console platforming; specifically, the likes of Banjo-Kazooie, Spyro the Dragon, and Super Mario 64. It’s not just inventive, satisfying, and effortlessly fun to play — it’s beautiful, original, and has a killer soundtrack to boot. Still, given the game’s origins, this isn’t too surprising.
It’s the debut creation of Zockrates Laboratories, a German team of designers, programmers, and musicians based in Nuremberg. They started out as video game artists, but after conceiving the Ruffy idea in 2017, they established themselves as a studio to chase their dream of creating a debut release with “extraordinary gameplay, aesthetic enjoyment in visuals and music, and, most importantly, a lot of fun.”
After playing its limited demo, there’s every chance it could become a real hit when it finally lands on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch sometime in April, not least because of its fantastic core mechanic.
Players take on the role of Ruffy, the “Chosen One,” on a quest to stop the villainous Groll from disrupting the World Core. Along the way, Ruffy teams up with loads of quirky characters, traveling across seven distinct regions, where players can shift between 3D exploration and 2D platforming.
Ruffy and the Riverside emphasizes creative problem-solving, discovery, and playful experimentation, specifically through its pretty incredible “SWAP” mechanic. This allows players to copy and paste textures to alter the environment, such as changing ice into lava, transforming waterfalls into climbable vines, and all manner of other trickery that helps to solve puzzles, defeat baddies, and unlock new areas of Riverside.
There’s also plenty of side quests and minigames promised, including a particularly baffling haybale-riding competition that draws on Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. There’s also a boatload of collectibles like butterflies, so-called “Etoi” creatures, and coins.
Right now, the demo only promises a taste of what’s to come — Zockrates continues to change the formula all the way up to its vague April release date — but its short teaser shows just how vast the game will be, and shows the sheer amount of potential it has, particularly with its SWAP ability. While it’s a huge comparison to make, Ruffy is very reminiscent of Super Mario Odyssey: a game that looks like it will reward players for ingenuity, while giving them the freedom to do things in their own preferred way.
Look out for my review of Ruffy and the Riverside once it finally lands on PC, Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox — and in the meantime, check out the demo on Steam.
