Riviera: The Promised Land

"A wonderful blend of fantasy, mythology, and FUN"

Riviera is most definitely one of the most well-constructed, well-thought-out games ever made for the GBA. With its unique blend of a Disgaea kind of fantasy, Norse Mythology, and gameplay never before seen on just about any console (much less a handheld), Riviera is one of the best RPG's out there at this time.

Story: 10

The story is reminiscent of Norse mythology, which is that there are seven worlds all connected by the world tree (yggdrasil), and that the gods (who live in Asgard) will come down to our world (mythgar) to fight against the evil demons and giants of Winter and Old Night. This battle is Ragnarok, and it makes Norse mythology what it is. The gods lose. Nothing is left. Riviera builds on this, and says that there is something left (Asgard, and Riviera), and that there are still gods, but in a different form. Riviera is where they left there knowledge and power, and if Demons were to take over, it would become another Utgard (which is the castle of demons in the Norse world of Muspelheim). The main character, Ein, must prevent this. I won't spoil the rest. It's good.

Gameplay: 8

Not quite as good as the story, but still very unique. A battle system based off Overskills (gained through using weapons), weapon durability (rapier x50, for example), and an enemy Rage meter makes for some interesting battles. However, this is quite confusing when one first plays the game. That is the only reason I give it an 8. The rest of the game is vaguely like a point-and-click adventure, where one "looks" and finds items and events. It's far more relaxing than running around in circles pressing A until you find an item.

Sound: 10

The music is a little fast, I guess to make up for the fact that you don't directly control your character. Each chapter has different music, and in each it fits perfectly. The music itself is very well-composed, almost like a mini orchestra, with bass lines, tenor, alto, and soprano parts all playing either at once or in solo sections. The battle sounds (such as killing an enemy, swinging a sword, etc) are fitting for what is happening, and one couldn't really ask for more. Voice acting is a very rare plus in this case. Not only is it there (you could count the number of GBA games with voicework on one hand), but it is well-done and used at the proper times. Very nice.

Length: 9

For those of us who can't play a game 10 hours a day, the length is just fine. Not extremely long (like Golden Sun), but not extremely short. Overall, it's about a 17 hour game. Compared to some of the others out there, that's pretty damn good.

Replay: 8

The game is very linear, which helps considering how you're playing it, but replaying the game is going to be a whole lot less fun than the first, unless you really sucked the first time around. Extra content can be unlocked, and it will take a minimum of 5 playthroughs to get everything. If you really like it, then keep playing.

Buy/Rent: Buy it. NOW

You probably won't find this game after about a month, unless it becomes insanely popular (which it won't). Atlus is a bastard about these things, but only because of money concerns. Just go and get it.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/06/05