Riverbond

 Xbox One
User Score
5.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 16 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 16
  3. Negative: 4 out of 16

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  1. eboy71
    Jun 17, 2019
    9
    My daughter and I were looking for a couch co-op game to play last weekend, and Riverbond was a new release at XBox Gamepass. We had no idea what to expect, but the stylish voxel look of the game appealed to us, and so we gave it a try.

    What a pleasant surprise! In a word, the game is just fun. Riverbond is basically a dungeon crawler that supports 1-4 players. There are 8 quests in    My daughter and I were looking for a couch co-op game to play last weekend, and Riverbond was a new release at XBox Gamepass. We had no idea what to expect, but the stylish voxel look of the game appealed to us, and so we gave it a try.

    What a pleasant surprise! In a word, the game is just fun. Riverbond is basically a dungeon crawler that supports 1-4 players. There are 8 quests in total, and each is divided into 5 or 6 smaller pieces with a basic task to complete in each and a boss at the end. Along the way, there are skins to unlock and new weapons to find. Pretty basic stuff.

    But while the structure is fairly standard, it's style & whimsy sets Riverbond apart. For starters, the environments are brilliantly crafted and are a joy to explore and ultimately, to destroy. Plants, buildings and furniture all explode in a shower of voxels, an effect that never got old, especially when you defeat an end boss. Beyond the cosmetics, a wonderful & quirky sense of humor envelopes the whole game. From the skins that you unlock, to the unique weapons (squid on a stick!) in each level, to the dialog with the characters you speak to along the way, Riverbond is playful and whimsical throughout.

    Combat is easy to pick up. Each character is identical in terms of their playability, but you can customize your attack style with different weapons that you find. The combat system is designed to be fast & fun, rather than super-challenging. There are certainly enemies that are harder to defeat than others, but you can easily get by defeating weaker enemies by mashing your melee weapon, and tougher enemies & bosses can be dispatched with a combination of a projectile weapon and some well-timed dodging. The low difficulty curve makes Riverbond very accessible, however, and it's an easy game to pick up with a friend (or daughter, in my case) for a few hours of dungeon romping.

    Any criticisms I have are minor. There is not a lot of variety in enemy styles. End bosses all basically play the same way, and lower level baddies follow the same general patterns on each level. It's also a very quick playthrough (4-5 hours) without much incentive to replay. Even having some high score boards, or end-game challenges would be nice additions.

    But those are minor quibbles. This is a FUN, gorgeous game, and well worth a few hours of anyone's time.    … Expand
  2. Jonnyblond77
    Jun 17, 2019
    8
    I had a lot of fun playing this game. Sure it wasn’t the most difficult at all but that’s it’s charm. If I was looking to play this with anyone to young to understand the mechanics of diablo 3 or any other dungeon crawler then this is perfect. If you die then you don’t have to start all over. There’s no penalty for dying. You get an objective every level and do it and move on. PrettyI had a lot of fun playing this game. Sure it wasn’t the most difficult at all but that’s it’s charm. If I was looking to play this with anyone to young to understand the mechanics of diablo 3 or any other dungeon crawler then this is perfect. If you die then you don’t have to start all over. There’s no penalty for dying. You get an objective every level and do it and move on. Pretty simple and straightforward. If achievements or trophies are your thing. Then it’s pretty easy to blaze through this game and get them fast. The difficulty might turn off the hardcores but with a name like riverbond..what did you expect. I got it for free on Xbox gamepass so it didn’t hurt me to try it and it was fun. Is it the type of game you buy. Depends. If you have kids, a girlfriend or wife then sure..it’s pretty pick up and play. But if you’ve played roguelikes or harder dungeon crawlers then you might want to stray away from this one but if you got gamepass then give it a try.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

86
#86 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
67

Mixed or average reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. TheXboxHub
    Aug 29, 2019
    70
    If you can look past the repetitive edge, there is no reason not to pull friends and family together to sit down with this cutesy adventure.
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  2. XboxAddict
    Jul 15, 2019
    70
    If you have kids in the house, or friends that come over often, Riverbond can be a fun way to spend a few hours. While there’s little reason to continue playing after completing all the worlds, aside from trying to get a better high score, there’s potential within, even if it is basic at its core, as I know I would have stuck with it for a few more playthroughs if it had online co-op. Even still, if you have Gamepass, it’s free, so you might as well get to swinging that voxel sword.
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  3. COGconnected
    Jul 8, 2019
    70
    While I wish I could have experienced Riverbond with a group of four friends to its full potential, I still managed to get a lot out of the game and I enjoyed the silliness the creators had intended for their players. At this price point I could certainly recommend the game for a party with friends, as there is much fun to be had with just the crazy weapon designs and plethora of character skins available, but I would be hesitant as only a solo gamer. The fast paced gameplay, mixed with the interesting visuals is sure to please a crowd, but don’t expect to get in too deep with the story, as it is only meant to give slight purpose and context to the hacking and slashing that ensues.
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