Rise & Shine review

In theory, the idea of intermingling the run-and-gun and puzzler genres might seem unnatural. After all, success in shooters typically depends on quick reflexes while puzzle-based titles tend to operate at a more methodical pace, as players confront each successive conundrum. But unexpectedly, the recent Steam release of Rise & Shine merges mechanics from each type of game, resulting in a distinctive experience that feels remarkably fresh. And save for an abbreviated play time, developer Super Awesome Hyper Dimensional Mega Team has crafted a devilishly difficult but rewarding experience that’s deserves a place on every masochist’s Wish List.

Recalling the Hyperdimension Neptunia series, Rise & Shine establishes a comical context in Gamearth, a realm populated by parodies of popular game characters. During the game’s duration, you’ll meet caricatures of celebrated protagonists, from The Legend of Zelda’s Link, Gears of War’s Marcus Fenix and even visual refences to Flappy Bird and Portal’s Companion Cube. Impetus stems from when the peaceful planet is invaded by the belligerent Space Grunts, a legion of no-goods who hail from a land known as Nexgen. The sole possibility of liberation rests of the shoulders of a young boy named Rise, who along with his sentient sidearm, Shine, seek to repel the robotic raiders.

One of Rise & Shine’s most conspicuous qualities is the game’s detailed visual style, which delivers a luxurious hand-drawn backdrop that shirks the repetitive tiling that often accompanies sprite-based titles. Not only is the game’s lead fluidly animated but his opponents also move gracefully, even when they are screen-filling ships, tanks, or robots. Pleasingly, the game moves sinuously as well, with a framerate that stays obediently steady on even a mid-range laptop.

An obligatory tutorial introduces players to most of the rudiments of survival, from taking cover behind the occasional environmental object, switching ammo types, to using the right stick to aim your weapon. What the training won’t tell you is that using a mouse and keyboard control method is an exercise in frustration; you’ll definitely want to use a controller if you hope to persevere against Nextgen’s mechanized military. Not only does success require shooting antagonists, but you’ll also have to target and take-down their regular barrages of bullets.

And it’s here that Rise & Shine flaunts polished play, with a number of mechanics that fit together near flawlessly, permitting players to confront the game’s cascade of challenges. Sure, players can expect a steady number of respawns, as enemies don’t always foreshadow their actions, whether it’s a mortar round that creates of tower of flame after its initial explosion or a flying foe that zaps nearby players with a death ray. Beyond a damage meter which allows Rise to absorb a few glancing blows, survival stems from learning how to evade or dispel each attack. The tools of persistence are all there, but you’ll have to die repeatedly to get a handle each attack. Like most respected games, Rise & Shine’s action is demanding but it’s also reliably fair, as long as you get past the lack of telegraphing.

Occasionally, the action will pause for a puzzle, other times, you’ll be expected to use your smarts while shooting. But most of the time, the game’s conundrums stem from Shine’s versatile ammo supply, with shots that can even be steered around by players. One early dilemma places a switch far beyond the reach of a single shot, forcing gamers to make down several machines, effectively stretching the range of your bullet. Pleasingly, your shot scope is always shown by translucent overlays- which help when you’re forced to angle the last bit of your bullet’s trajectory. This last technique can be a bit difficult to pull off the action heats up. One boss battle requires players to hit a remote weak point and if players miss, it regains all of its health. Later, you’ll be tasked with switching ammo types while fighting, which will put your multitasking skills to the test.

With moments like these, Rise & Shine will inevitably exasperate, but gradually you’ll master each new mechanic and memorize how to handle each new hardship the game throws at you. Ironically, the torment doesn’t last as long as it should, with the game extending about two and half hours of playtime. At that point, players will likely long for new challenges instead of just confronting the game at an even high degree of difficulty. As such, frugal gamers that scrutinize dollar-per-hour entertainment ratios, might want to wait for a larger price drop than the twenty-percent launch week discount.

In theory, combining the run-and-gun and puzzle genres seems like a consummate test of balance, with one set of mechanics outshining the other. But near seamlessly, Rise & Shine congeals the two into a cohesive, and enjoyable whole, forming a distinctive and largely enjoyable experience that ends all too quickly.

Rise & Shine was played on the PC with review code provided by the publisher.