Rise & Shine (Xbox One) Review

The adventure of the little red-hooded Rise is a non-stop explosion of bullets. What starts off as a normal trip to the mall suddenly turns violent. A group of Space Grunts are invading Gamearth and it is up to Rise and his new gun, Shine, to save everyone. This is the story of Rise & Shine.

What The Heck Is Gamearth?

In a far-off place, there exists a parallel earth full of video game characters. It is on this Gamearth, that heroes shall rise to lead its people to safety. Every single citizen of Gamearth will have the opportunity to save the day. Players will see homage to almost every game ever designed. Rise’s best friend in the opening title is a little character that looks an awful lot like a Space Invader. While exploring the levels, a giant statue of a mustached plumber can be seen in the background. Rise & Shine will see a lot of familiar faces on their way to see the king and save the day.

It Started Off As A Normal Day

Rise has a normal life on Gamearth. He puts his pants on one leg at a time. He spends most of his time with his mother as his father is in the army and always on leave. What started as a normal day with a trip to the mall turns into a rather violent outing when a group of Space Grunts attacks the mall. Rise’s mother shields Rise from the spray of bullets. It starts to look grim for Rise and his mother when in jumps the Legendary Hero, complete with his green tunic, pointed ears, spectacular shield and a mighty sword.

The Legendary Hero also has with him, a foul-mouthed little talking gun, Shine. During the showdown with the Space Grunts, the Legendary Hero saves the innocent people in the mall, but not without giving his life in return. Then with his last dying wish, he gives Shine to Rise and tells him to go to return the gun to the king. Now it is time for Rise to get up and shine.

Along the way players will see a plethora of giant bosses, interesting characters and hilarious dialogue. Players will experience a bit of déjà vu running through the levels. Some areas will be inaccessible until a giant wall is demolished. Does that scene sound familiar? Though for the purpose of this game, it works really well. While the story is a little thin, it does contain a shocking reveal. Once which will not be spoiled in this review. The mission for this game was simple, to create a good platforming 2D bullet hell experience and Rise & Shine has is a shining example of fun gameplay.

Get Ready To Run And Gun

The formula for success is simple. Players will traverse from left to right and jump and dodge their way past a spray of bullets. Rise has the ability to double jump and slide out of harm’s way. He is also stronger than the average picnic bear and will not die after one hit, most of the time. Shine is the other star of the show. Rise can upgrade Shine in a number of ways.

Rise can load Shine with different types of ammo, such as electric bullets. Robots in the game and other things mechanical in nature, have a soft spot for electric bullets. Along the way, Rise will also outfit Shine with grenades and a remote controlled bullet. Further progression into the story requires intricate series of button pushes. Players will have to switch between the types of weapons and bullets for each situation Rise may encounter. Some of the adversaries Rise & Shine will face are the typical giant bosses expected in a platformer such as this one.

Verdict

Rise & Shine is a great adventure and a fun experience. Get ready to die a lot, but the level of frustration is not out of this world. Some parts are easy while others will require several attempts. The visuals of the game and it constant ability to enlighten a memory from my past is just one of the reasons I kept coming back for more with Rise & Shine. The script is well written and does a great job of mixing in self-deprecating jokes while keeping the mood of the game nice and light. This is definitely a game to kick back and play through during a long weekend. Make sure to give Rise & Shine a chance and you might be pleasantly surprised.