The Epic Games Store started introducing achievements back in October, and one of this week’s free games is the latest to make use of the new system.
Achievements have been a part of gaming for a long time, with the concept arguably going all the way back to Activision’s high score patches from 1982. However, today’s platform-wide Achievements wouldn’t really take off until the Xbox 360 in 2005, soon spreading to Steam, PlayStation, and other platforms. The Epic Games Store is the latest platform to join that list, introducing achievements last October.
The latest Epic Games Store game to get achievements is also one of this week’s free games. Players who feel like jumping into the blocky dungeon crawler Riverbond can now unlock achievements on the Epic Game Store.
Riverbond boasts 57 achievements in all, for a total of 1000 available XP. These achievements were already available on the Steam, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 versions, but they are now available on Epic Game Store as well. Most of them are the standard range of progress milestones, awarding points for completing various quests, bosses, collections, and other tasks. However, there are a few sillier ones, such as Point Taken, which awards 20 XP for dying to traps 20 different times.
Originally released for PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 in 2019, Riverbond’s developer describes it as “a ‘shoot-and-slash’ dungeon crawler.” One to four players can jump into the game’s frantic isometric battles as they quest to free the leaders of the Eight Worlds and bring peace to the realms. Its colorful voxel graphics give Riverbond a look very reminiscent of Minecraft, though the boxy world and bright tone are about where the similarities end. Instead, Riverbond is about players shooting and slashing their way through a diverse range of wacky enemies, with GameSpot comparing it to a boxier and more brightly colored Diablo.
The game has a Mostly Positive rating on Steam, with players praising the lighting and art style. Several users also recommended it as a good game for children, noting that its mechanics are simple enough for young children to learn quickly. The short but fast-paced levels also pair well with Riverbond’s drop-in and drop-out co-op. However, Metacritic scores are decisively mixed, with the different versions all landing in the 60% to 70% range.
Riverbond typically goes for about $25 on most platforms. However, it is currently free-to-play from the Epic Games Store. So, players interested in a short but action-packed co-op dungeon crawler have an excellent opportunity to take Riverbond for a spin. They need to act fast, though, as Riverbond is only free on the Epic Games Store until April 28th.
Riverbond is available on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
Source: Epic Games Store
Daniel’s been gaming since he was old enough to reach the keyboard and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Writing from the University of Tampa.
