One can listen to only so many knock-knock jokes. This is not to say knock-knock jokes are bad. They form the foundation of our humor as children, alongside farts and “Why did the chicken cross the road?” The problem with knock-knock jokes lies with its restrictive structure. No matter how many funny puns you can think up, the joke will always start with, “Knock knock,” and “Who’s there?” Such repetition can only breed madness, a torture second only to dad jokes.
Reventure fairs much better than a book of knock-knock jokes but struggles with its own limitations. Each of its 100 endings offers a serving of comedy, the majority of which are strong enough for a laugh or a grin. Its action-adventure gameplay also acts as a varied and inventive set up to each delivery. For 30 or so endings, the formula shines. Comparatively, enduring the full 100 requires a level of patience and a passion for the game’s absurdist humor. For gamers lacking both of these, Reventure is a silly comedian who doesn’t know when to leave the stage.
What is it?
The Dark Lord has captured the princess, and you’re some schmuck that needs to save her. Well, “need” may not be the correct word. This isn’t Zelda after all. Only a few endings actually involve you rescuing the princess, so you’ll have quite a few adventures sans maidens as well. Finding the ending often requires you to literally end yourself or someone else, so feel free to kill a guard or throw yourself off a cliff for the sake of completion marks.
On its surface, Reventure styles itself as your rote 8-bit 2D action-platformer, but the gameplay has far more to do with puzzle-solving than with jumping obstacles or slaying enemies. Each adventure starts with you in your home, and you must collect items (swords, bombs, chickens, etc.) scattered across the world in order to aid your quest. You must then figure out what combination of items is needed to complete what action at which location. Do that, and Reventure will reward you with a goofy ending explaining your exploits.
At first, the map can be a little daunting, especially because you have free rein to go almost anywhere from the start. You’ll stumble upon quite a few endings naturally as you traverse the terrain or die to it. Eventually, once you get your bearings, you’ll get a feel for the map and which items are necessary to get you past certain roadblocks. The game also scatters hints liberally throughout the map which can be collected and referred to later when you need a clue to progress. This system allows you to stay on the path toward 100 endings, however long that path may be.
What’s good?
- The map evolves as you find more endings, alleviating some of the repetition of beginning again and again. Some changes are only cosmetic, such as a splatter of blood on the ground or a boarded-up roof. Others make subsequent playthroughs easier, like the appearance of a teleporter or an item being relocated to your room. You eventually unlock items which also make it easier for you to find new endings, ensuring you’re never stuck for too long.
- The items form a strong basis for Reventure’s puzzles. You can only carry a certain number of them at any one time, and each reduces your jump height and speed. This system forces you to re-evaluate what order you grab the items and to take new paths to reach your goal. As a result, you’ll find yourself discovering new shortcuts and adapting to the map naturally.
- Although not quite as uproarious as There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension or Untitled Goose Game, Reventure still has some solid comedic chops. The humor tends to skew toward the absurd and slapstick, so if you liked the silliness of What the Golf? or Guacamelee 2, you’ll be entertained across the 100 endings.
What’s bad?
- With 100 endings, repetition is inevitable, but the redundancy in endings is less forgivable. VERY MINOR SPOILERS HERE: for instance, you’ll quickly learn stabbing an NPC results in an ending. Logic dictates that stabbing other types of NPCs will trigger different endings. Consequently, any new NPC must be stabbed. You’ll find another item along the way which interacts with NPCs similarly, unlocking another slew of endings. The process feels like adding ketchup to every dish you eat: you can claim you made a new recipe, but no one is going to recognize your ketchup donut as ingenious or palatable.
- A well-designed map still can’t save you from the pain of backtracking. The game has a rudimentary checkpoint mechanic, but the bandage barely covers the wound. Once you know the solution to an ending, each run will still only take a few minutes, but the majority of that time will be spent on travel, especially with the last batch of endings.
- With so few tracks, the music stands out as the most repetitive element of Reventure. The 8-bit soundtrack is comprised of standard fantasy ditties which would normally fade into the background if you encountered them once or twice. If you’ve been following me this far, you know you won’t listen to them only once or twice, so the mute button becomes far more appealing after a few hours of “Time for Adventure!”
What’s the verdict?
My criticism of Reventure’s repetition is somewhat of a folly, on par with criticizing superhero movies for always having the good guys win in the end. Reventure caters to the completionist crowd who relish the consistency and incremental progress. Its bite-sized adventures will also appeal to gamers looking for a quick laugh during breaks or transitions. Where the game ultimately falters is in its lasting impression. Regardless of whether you discover 10 endings or all of them, you’ll most likely find a more satisfying conclusion in a game with considerably fewer endings.
Arbitrary Statistics:
- Score: 7
- Time Played: Over 5 hours
- Number of Players: 1
- Games Like It on Switch: The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe; Minit