Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 75 | 13 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 83% | 77 | 525 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 70% | 67 | 1 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 2 reviews sampled · 3 total reviews in window · weighted 0.3 up / 0.1 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (46)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 85
“Checkpoints are frequent and the Game Over message keeps comically cycling between nostalgic pleas to “Insert Coin” or puns based on your method of death (“Kentucky Fried Pilot” if blown up, “What the Hell?” upon burning alive). These grim jokes serve to reassure players that Rive knows exactly what it's emulating (“Cool, a rising lava level” and “That AI activated my auto-scroller somehow!”), and that each scenario, no matter how ludicrous, is beatable.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“While featuring beautiful art, the constant pop culture references and unnecessary punishing gameplay undermine what could've been a classic.”
read full review ↗ - 70
- 80
“For me the proposition in Rive is pretty straight-forward, you either enjoy being challenged and wanting to throw your controller or you don’t. With repetition, experience, and some luck you can absolutely master the levels the game throws at you, it just isn’t a game you’ll be conquering too quickly as there are many sections that required some trial and error to understand and the action simply doesn’t often let up. Fortunately the checkpoints seem to be well placed and spaced, though in a few cases the way the checkpoints are essentially a snapshot of what was happening at the time you passed through it didn’t work out so well. All in all it’s very much a game with its own rules and style though and if you just haven’t been feeling pushed with your shooters it will happily fill that role for you.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“One of the best just got even better! RIVE: Wreck, Hack, Die, Retry! was an exhilarating ride for fans of all styles of space shooters to start with, but now even more genre enthusiasts can enjoy this stunning effort thanks to the extra difficulty mode offered. As for those who signed up for the initial release, they also have some fantastic reasons to come back and enjoy the excellence that Two Tribes has delivered. Will this superb shooter be transferred to Nintendo Switch now, rather than staying on the near enough finished Wii U? Given how amazing this update was, the only thing that could possibly better it would be the promise of further tweaks, and maybe even a multiplayer element, all in time for a Switch release! For now, PC and PlayStation 4 gamers are in for a massive treat with this sublime update…”
read full review ↗ - 80
“RIVE is a masterfully crafted game that can be easily recommended to hardcore shooter fans. It’s high difficulty level may scare away potential players, but those who stick with Two Tribes‘ final game until the end will not be disappointed.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“If this is indeed Two Tribes' swansong, then it's a goodbye wave accompanying tears and smiles. This is a fine way to leave, and it's pertinent to think that its final legacy is accomplished through the use of aspects which are, sadly, already in the rear-view mirror. It takes a lot of commitment for a relatively small game, and it's sometimes a little too eager for you to suffer its wrath. However, the charm, style, and sophistication by which it mixes up so many different styles successfully is a testament both to RIVE's great design and also some of the most beloved games of years gone by.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Rive is an insanely challenging yet satisfying game that is mostly shoot-'em-up, but tosses in a few genre wrinkles as well. It is an unapologeticlly brutal game however, and it could use a handful tweaks here and there, but the overall experience is still a fantastic one.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Rive is a challenging side-scrolling shooter with tight platforming and a tenacious affection for over-the-top action.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Rive doesn’t quite reach its full potential, but shoot ’em up fans should give it a go anyway. The frustrating difficulty spikes are hard to ignore, but when it comes together, it’s a fantastic fast-paced corridor shooter which could have been considered one of the best 2D shooters in recent years. Either way, it’s a good send off and farewell for Two Tribes.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“It's always a shame to see a company hand in their final game, but Two Tribe's RIVE is a fantastic swan song. Featuring some tight shooting and platforming with difficult and creative fights and some really entertaining and well-acted characters, RIVE shouldn't be missed by anyone looking for a fast-paced explosive romp.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Frust und Spielspaß lagen selten so nah beieinander, dazu kommen nervige Abstürze - aber wenn Rive funktioniert, dann richtig! Ein Patch könnte hier Wunder bewirken.”
read full review ↗
Slant Magazine
Hu3br
Kinglink Reviews
Nindie Spotlight
Cubed3
Gaming on PC
Push Square
Chalgyr's Game Room
GameSpot
TheSixthAxis
TechRaptor
pressakey.com…and 34 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Skywhale Drops RIVE's First BIG Update!Sep 30, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Skywhale Drops RIVE's First BIG Update!Sep 30, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Skywhale Drops RIVE's First BIG Update!Sep 30, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Special Missions Update Coming Soon!Sep 28, 2016
- Special Missions Update Coming Soon!Sep 28, 2016
- Update v01.02 released!Sep 24, 2016
- Update v01.02 released!Sep 24, 2016
- RIVE Post-Launch Update!Sep 16, 2016
- RIVE Post-Launch Update!Sep 16, 2016