Riverbond is a cute, dungeon-crawling, “slash-and-shoot” that is sure to delight any player. The colorful, voxel style is extremely pleasing, especially since a lot of things will explode into their individual blocky bits when you attack them. 

Being able to switch between melee and ranged weapons in a game such as this is fantastic. As you progress through a level (composed of smaller boards) you uncover new weapons. These weapons give the player the freedom to play the way that best suits them. There are a variety of options available, as long as the player is willing to look. 

Check out the trailer:

The Gameplay

Riverbond‘s mechanics are simple enough that anyone can pick it up. You have two types of weapons, melee and ranged, and a special attack. There are no special button combinations that translate into powerful combos or finger-fatiguing button smashing. You press a button and you attack. You hold the button, and you keep attacking. It’s that easy.

The movement system in Riverbond is the same as every other console movement system; move the control stick and your character moves. Since the game is in an isometric perspective, this can be a little tricky sometimes. But, with some practice, it is easy to adjust.

The goal of Riverbond is to get to the end of a level. To do so, you must work your way through various boards until you reach the boss. Each board has its own task that must be completed in order to open the exit. These tasks may be collecting eggs, relinking magic terminals, or just killing all the enemies. The tasks are easy to understand are accompanied by a visual element to help guide players.

As players move through the stages, they rack up points based on completing tasks, killing enemies, or finding treasure. The players are rewarded for exploration as there is more treasure to be found off the beaten path. The players are also rewarded for being thorough, as talking to NPCs not only tells some story but grants the players 100 points for each NPC whose story you listen to completely.

As players explore, they are granted access to new weapons to use in that level. Most are melee, but there are some ranged weapons to be found. These weapons each perform uniquely upon use. Some are heavier, slower hammer-like weapons, others are quick and spear-like. One is a literal cartoon hand that you use to slap enemies. This variety is nice because it allows the player to customize how they fight their way through the boards.

The only thing that is off about the mechanics is that you get to have up to 5 weapons. These can be melee or ranged. The weapon switching system is a little clunky and it is sometimes difficult to switch to an appropriate weapon in a timely fashion. This may just be operator-error, but I feel like having to take my hand off the control stick to change a weapon with the D-pad interrupts the flow.

The Environment

Colorful. Blocky. Destructible.

Riverbond‘s world is an absolute delight for any player to hop into. Everything is inviting looking and has the inherent charm that comes with voxel styled games. The minimalism in the design makes it easier to differentiate objects from one another. This is helpful since the boards are populated with a plethora of objects. Most of which can be interacted with by the player.

Most everything in the game can be hit and, subsequently, destroyed. Rarely is the player restricted. Trees can be felled to carve a path for the player. Pillars and bridges fall with a swing of your weapon. When they fall, it is one of the most satisfying things. The style of Riverbond is such that destruction is beautiful.

Since the game is built in a blocky, voxel style, it is enjoyable to watch things break. Objects can be broken down into the individual blocks from which they are built. Nothing is more satisfying in Riverbond than watching everything break into their little, blocky, bits. As a general rule, if it’s in the game, it can be destroyed. And that, makes for a fantastically fun game.

The Skins

Riverbond contains quite a collection of character costumes. The default costume is Max, a bunny in a blue outfit. Very early in the game, the player unlocks some new skins. The tone of the game is driven home when the player unlocks these because they are quite literally pieces of sushi.

The game does not take itself seriously with its skin selection. And that’s a good thing. Some of the skins to be found in Riverbond are food items, animals heads, and actual full-body characters. Each skin is unique, which helps players identify their character when the game gets hectic.

On top of the skins provided by Cococucumber, Riverbond has included some “cross-over skins.” There are skins from Bastion, Psychonauts, Shovel Knight, and more! I was unaware of these skins when going into the game and was pleasantly surprised when I came across them. Be sure to keep an eye out for these and collect them all!

Multiplayer

As with most things in life, shooting and slashing is more fun with a crowd. Riverbond has a drop-in/out multiplayer system that allows for up to four people to tackle this dungeon crawler at once. It is rare to see a game where the multiplayer option is strictly local, and honestly, it’s nice.

Riverbond, though completely playable with one player, is easier and more fun with friends. When you’ve got four people running around destroying the environments and enemies, you see blocks fly everywhere. And it is fantastic. Even having just one more player by your side brings Riverbond to an entirely new level.

The game is set up with different levels, each containing multiple boards within them. Since each board has a specific task that must be completed in order to progress, having friends by your side makes sense. Boss fights are easier, and finding hidden treasure and skins is no problem.

More people = more destruction = more fun.

Riverbond is a fantastic game that can be picked up, played for a half hour, and then put down. Having bite-sized levels makes it easier to want to come back to the game. It also makes it easier to have a “just one more level” mentality. When playing with friends, the bite-sized levels keep from burning out and having to stop before completing the level.

The game is good fun and easy enough that anyone can play. The visual style is appealing and the sound design is fantastic. Even in the most hectic levels, there is still a peaceful, relaxing feel to Riverbond.