If you need that quick way out, out of the real-life world and you don’t have the time or energy to take on a more in-depth video game then Rupert and Riley will gladly catch you in their safety net.
Rupert and Riley Shipwrecked is a 2D game where you team-up to catch fish in order for survival. The cat and the dog are shipwrecked and it’s up to them to keep them alive until help arrives. This interesting duo finds themselves out in the open waters with a couple of islands to go through. In order for them to outlive their situation, they’ll have to find food and since they’re surrounded by nothing but water, the most obvious idea is to go fishing. Normally, a dog can easily jump into the water while a cat stays on the high ground watching every move. In this case, it’s the other way around. Riley, the dog, hates the water so it’s up to Rupert, the cat, to suit up and go for the rescue. Rupert is only equipped with a bubble gun and an oxygen tank. The cat will have to face the fish and creatures in the deep while Riley keeps an eye on all things.
The game concept is very simple and can be quite addicting. Most of the time, you’re playing as Rupert in its scuba suit and oxygen tank. You swim in the deep catching the fish that’s ordered by Riley. With your bubble gun, you catch the fish and when you release the fish that’s captured in a bubble, it rises to the top and it’s up to Rupert to gather the fish. It’s also up to the player to follow the right order. Catching fish that’s not on the list or not in the right order will also be gathered by Riley but will only reward you with points and no progress. The dog will decide the pace during each level. You’ll have to catch the fish but also stay by Riley’s side. If you’re not seeing Riley on your screen, a countdown timer will appear, and you’ll have to catch up with Riley. It’s also been thought out, in the way the boat’s moving. Sometimes, the dog’s on a normal boat that floats on the surface. This boat offers the opportunity to release the bubbles with the fish in it and you don’t have to do anything about it, the dog will catch it. However, when the dog’s following you with a submarine, chances are high that the released bubbles with fish in it, rise above the submarine and will float to the top level of the cave. This is a bad thing because the bubble will burst and your fish escapes. It is a very simple concept, but the developers made sure that the journey can be challenging. If you didn’t get the order before the level runs out, you’ll have to restart the level. If you’re oxygen tank depletes, it’s also game over. Your oxygen tank will deplete when you’re hurt by object or creatures. You start off small and easy, but each island has a “boss” to defeat. The mechanics of each boss fight has been thought out and will make up for some interesting battles. Each island also has a new type of weapon that Rupert can use. Most of the time, you’ll have to use this specific weapon to defeat the boss. During each completion, you’ll gain coins. These coins can be used to upgrade Rupert’s arsenal or items that can definitely help with the difficulty of a certain level.
The game has been designed in a very simple way, but I don’t see why this can’t work. I’ve enjoyed my time with Rupert and Riley but in the end, it’s fairly quite the same. I do think the future of this game will be positive. It’s the type of game, I would play on my mobile. I’m convinced that the mobile market will probably be a better way to gain some community. It’s simple and it doesn’t acquire a lot of thought process and this is something a lot of new games fail to see. It doesn’t always have to be “groundbreaking” or “time investing” to create a good game. Technical speaking: the game runs great and doesn’t use a lot of your computer’s tech. I didn’t have any issues whatsoever.
Conclusion:
Rupert and Riley Shipwrecked is definitely a good game but it won’t be for everyone. The game focuses on a younger public due to its aesthetic and setting. The developers created something simple and innovative. The mechanics of the game and the bosses have been well designed. I’m convinced that the developers made a game that’ll definitely have a market, but I don’t think that the market should be PC. This game should continue in the way of “mobile” gaming. Launch it on mobiles or handheld consoles and they’ll definitely create a community for it.
