http://analogaddiction.org/2013/08/2...xclusive-rime/
One of the most interesting games to be revealed at this years Gamescom event was
Rime; when it was unveiled at the Sony press conference and announced as a PlayStation 4 exclusive.
Rime is created by Spanish developer
Tequila Works, who released their debut project
Deadlight last year during Microsoft’s Summer of Arcade promotion on Xbox 360.
Rime’s debut trailer took many by surprise due to its astounding beauty, vibrant landscape and evocative orchestral sound.
CEO & Creative Director at Tequila Works,
Raúl Rubio, recently took the time to answer some questions regarding his studio’s latest project.
Analog Addiction: How excited was your team to finally release Rime’s debut trailer at Gamescom? Obviously it must have been a huge moment for the team.
Raúl Rubio: It’s like coming out of the (creative) closet! We were relieved to share with the world this feeling we have kept in secret for so long! Really excited and the best start we could imagine.
Analog Addiction: After watching your debut trailer I got a strong sense of classics like Ico, Shadow of the Colossus and even The Legend of Zelda: Windwaker. Were any of these titles inspiration for Rime? If not, what titles inspired your team to create it?
Raúl Rubio: That’s a compliment for us. Movies like
Jason and the Argonauts,
Spirited Away,
Princess Mononoke, the work of Joaquín Sorolla, Salvador Dalí and Giorgio de Chirico have been our main influences. Being compared to those giants is simply awesome. All of them look simple on the surface but they are deeply evocative and moving experiences that touch you deep inside. That’s the kind of experience we aim to achieve so maybe we are following the right path.
Analog Addiction: Your previous title Deadlight has a very strong emphasis on story. Will we also see a strong on narrative in Rime?
Raúl Rubio: Rime tells a story with no words. The environmental narrative is key because the island itself is a character. And that’s all I can tell for now
Analog Addiction: Rime is an open-world adventure game, with that being said will players have full access to the open-world environment from the start of the game?
Raúl Rubio: This is not a “flat” sandbox. You are required abilities to progress. If you lack them, it will be really difficult to traverse the island!
Analog Addiction: Visually Rime is a drastic change from the dark, realistic world of Deadlight. Was this a change your team felt was best, rather than working on a title with a similar art style?
Raúl Rubio: We always aim to offer unique visual experiences.
Rime is all about light just like
Deadlight was about darkness. Life in
Deadlight was defined by the silhouettes that the light left. There was light in darkness, beauty in ugliness and life in death.
Rime is just the opposite.
Analog Addiction: Personally the musical score that accompanied the debut trailer was beautiful, it really set a whimsical tone for the world being shown. May I ask who you have doing the score? And how important getting that great magical sound was for Rime?
Raúl Rubio: David García, the composer of
Deadlight, made the debut track. Akira Yamaoka (
Silent Hill) is composing the OST as well. Sound is everything in
Rime. You’ll eventually understand what I mean.
Analog Addiction: From the trailer it looks like there will be traversal elements as we explore, what other methods of gameplay should we expect to see from Rime? Any games similar?
Raúl Rubio: As I said before, traversal is key to move around the island. Not just running and jumping.
Analog Addiction: I also have to ask, at the end of the trailer we see some shadowy creatures heading towards our character, before they start waving fire to keep them away; before we end with a massive enemy of some sort. Any details on what these enemies are? Or what other methods can be used to protect yourself?
Raúl Rubio: Light is essential in Rime. And when night comes, light goes away… and there are things wandering in the dark… Remember, you are a young helpless boy, not a muscled hero. That said, people just take for granted so many things about good and evil.
Analog Addiction:We know Rime will be releasing on PlayStation 4 as a first-party exclusive, but your studio has previously worked closely with Microsoft. What made this change come about? Was there a reasoning behind PlayStation 4 being its destination?
Raúl Rubio: I’m not the person who you should be asking that question. What I can say is that we are delighted to be part of it. PlayStation 4 and XDev are the perfect match for an indie studio like Tequila Works. They really understand entertainment.
Analog Addiction: How have you found developing for PlayStation 4? Has it been an easy process getting used to a next generation system?
Raúl Rubio: It’s really straightforward. We always aim for the best in terms of visual quality, and PlayStation 4 has everything we need to achieve our goal.
Analog Addiction: Does your team have an expected time-frame for Rime’s release?
Raúl Rubio: Too soon to announce anything. Please be patient.
Analog Addiction: Rime has gathered a lot of excitement, but where can fans go to follow every single thing Rime related?
Raúl Rubio: They are setting up the website. In the meantime, please visit us on Twitter
@RiMEGame @tequilaworks or on
Facebook.
Thank you so much and thanks for the attention Rime is receiving. The team is so happy!!! Now, back to work!
Like me, are you also excited for Rime’s PlayStation 4 release? Until then keep it tuned to Analog Addiction for all things Rime related.
