Every once in a while a game arrives that isn’t content to simply entertain—it wants to elevate. The Rise falls firmly into that category. It’s a cinematic action-adventure experience that blends survival elements, emotional storytelling, atmospheric world design, and fluid traversal into a cohesive journey of struggle, hope, and rebirth.
Set in a world on the brink of reconstruction after a century-long collapse, The Rise is less about the apocalypse itself and more about the fragile spark that follows—the first steps toward rebuilding, reuniting, and rediscovering what was lost. It’s a human-driven narrative grounded by personal stakes, carried by strong performances, and wrapped in gameplay systems that reward both exploration and perseverance.
While not perfect, The Rise is easily one of the most compelling and thematically resonant adventure titles in recent memory.
A World Reborn, but Not Yet Alive
The Rise is set decades after a catastrophic global event fractured civilisation. Survivors now occupy scattered settlements on the ruins of sprawling mega-cities overtaken by nature and time. Government is gone, infrastructure barely exists, and technology is a ghost of its former self.
You play as Liora Vann, a messenger, scout, and survivor tasked with connecting isolated enclaves. Liora’s journey begins as a simple delivery mission but spirals into something far larger as she uncovers a conspiracy that threatens the fragile rebirth of civilisation.
The world itself is beautifully realised. Dilapidated structures blend with lush overgrowth, waterfalls burst through collapsed towers, and quiet shanty towns thrive in the shells of old industrial zones. There is no high fantasy or outlandish sci-fi here—just grounded, believable post-collapse survival with a hopeful tone rarely seen in the genre.
Where most games depict ruin, The Rise depicts gentle recovery. It’s refreshing, atmospheric, and quietly emotional.
Gameplay: Traversal, Stealth, and Survival Working in Harmony
The Rise balances several systems, none overly complex on their own but surprisingly satisfying when woven together.
Traversal: Movement With Purpose
Liora’s skillset emphasizes agility and environmental awareness:
- climbing crumbling architecture
- leaping between precarious ledges
- sliding down wooded slopes
- rope-swinging across ravines
- using makeshift tools to cross gaps or scale cliffs
Traversal isn’t just cinematic flair—it’s essential to exploration and puzzle-solving. Levels are crafted to reward curiosity, and optional routes often yield valuable resources or narrative lore.
Movement feels fluid and polished, with just enough weight to make risky jumps feel dangerous without feeling clumsy.
Stealth and Light Combat
Combat in The Rise is intentionally restrained. Liora is not a soldier; she’s a survivor. The small groups of hostile scavengers and corrupted wildlife you encounter require strategy rather than brute force.
Combat tools include:
- a bow made from reclaimed tech
- improvised traps
- throwable distractions
- stealth takedowns
Direct confrontation is rarely wise, and the game doesn’t punish players for avoiding conflict altogether. This restraint enhances immersion and reinforces the game’s thematic tone: life is precious, resources scarce, and violence never without consequence.
Survival Systems: Light but Meaningful
The Rise never slips into crafting fatigue or hunger-micromanaging. Instead, survival elements focus on:
- collecting materials to repair equipment
- maintaining stamina for traversal
- crafting small upgrades
- managing resources for healing or stealth aids
The balance is tight—enough to make you care about exploration, but not enough to bog the game down.
Narrative: Personal, Emotional, and Thoughtfully Delivered
What elevates The Rise is its storytelling. Liora is one of the most grounded protagonists in the genre—compassionate, scared, determined, and layered with believable vulnerability. Her relationships with characters across different settlements drive the emotional centre of the game:
- an aging engineer who acts as a mentor
- a young child who idolises her courage
- rival factions fighting for ideological control
- a mysterious stranger tied to the collapse
Dialogues are understated but impactful, and environmental storytelling fills gaps with subtlety. Hand-painted murals, ruined classrooms, abandoned rail stations—everything tells a piece of the world’s history.
The main narrative blends mystery, hope, and moral nuance. It explores themes of:
- community vs. independence
- rebuilding trust
- responsibility in a fractured world
- whether humanity deserves a second chance
The Rise doesn’t pretend to offer easy answers, and that moral ambiguity makes it memorable.
Visuals: A Striking Blend of Ruin and Renewal
The Rise excels in visual storytelling. Its world is rendered with gorgeous detail:
- vines and moss climbing over rusted steel
- shafts of sunlight piercing abandoned structures
- weather systems that shift tone organically
- water-logged streets creating mirrorlike reflections
Settlements are warm and inviting, contrasting beautifully with treacherous outer landscapes. Character animations are expressive, and cinematic camera work during key moments adds emotional weight.
The colour palette—lush greens, warm ambers, muted concrete greys—captures the delicate balance between decay and rebirth.
Sound and Music: Atmospheric and Emotionally Intelligent
The soundtrack blends soft acoustic arrangements, low-pressure synth pulses, and gentle orchestral phrases. It’s never intrusive, instead quietly amplifying both tension and serenity.
Sound design is equally strong:
- distant wildlife calls
- soft rustling of leaves in abandoned subway shafts
- creaking steel as buildings settle
- subtle musical cues tied to emotional beats
Voice acting is sincere and nuanced, especially from Liora’s actress, whose performance carries the game’s emotional arc.
Where The Rise Falters
For all its strengths, The Rise does have a few shortcomings:
1. Occasional Pacing Lulls
Some early mid-game sections drag due to repetitive backtracking.
2. Limited Enemy Variety
Combat encounters—while not the game’s focus—could benefit from more diversity.
3. Certain Upgrades Feel Underused
A few survival tools lack meaningful application outside isolated sections.
4. Predictable Twists
While emotionally effective, genre veterans may foresee some narrative beats.
None of these issues significantly damage the overall experience, but they hold the game back from absolute genre greatness.
Verdict: A Beautiful, Thought-Provoking, and Quietly Powerful Adventure
The Rise is an emotional, atmospheric, and thoughtfully crafted game that proves you don’t need bombast to create an unforgettable experience. It’s about healing, rebuilding, and rediscovering hope in a world that forgot it existed.
With its fluid traversal, grounded stealth, nuanced storytelling, and stunning world design, The Rise stands tall as one of the most engaging narrative adventures of the year.
It isn’t just a game about climbing toward a goal—it’s about rising above the world’s scars, and your own.
