Arise: A Simple Story Reviews

Very relaxing game! The soundtrack is beautiful, and pairs so well with the story. The game itself is pretty simple, running and jumping but the time mechanic is something new for me so that was fun

Nice gameplay revolving manipulating time. The heartfelt story is told in images accompanied with subtle piano music.

It's a beautiful game with colorful atmospheres and distinctive representation. It contains a deep, engaging, and sad story at the same time

Starts off a bit slow, but it really picks up. The level designs are super creative and fun. The art is beautiful and the music fits perfectly, it adds a lot to the experience. Storytelling is done without words, but the meaning comes through clearly, maybe even clearer. A short, emotional, and worthwhile game. Definitely recommend playing it.

absolute cinema. the story is one of the best ive seen in a story game ever.

As someone who generally loves adventure games, Arise: A Simple Story initially charmed me with its beautiful storyline. However, the gameplay became a real drag, and it eventually led me to uninstall the game after Level 3. My biggest issue was how collecting items worked. If you missed something, you had to restart the entire level. This wouldn't be so bad, but the control feels sluggish, and you often have to cover huge distances. It turned looking for collectibles into a chore, not a fun challenge. Spoilers Ahead! [spoiler]For example, in Level 3, a recent patch changed how you climb. Instead of a solid platform, you now have to balance on a shaky wooden trunk. With the character's slow movement, this section became super frustrating and annoying, especially for someone like me who tries to get everything.[/spoiler] While the story is touching, be ready for a very slow pace that might test your patience, especially if you, like me, like to find every secret.

I'd say this game is a 6.5/10 in my book. Amazing music, storyline is very archetypal but it works, the graphics are cute, the levels are very unique and immersive. It could be really amazing but the mechanics and the character's own gravity and lack of agility is AWFUL. There's such inconsistency in the way he dies : sometimes a 5m fall is okay and sometimes he dies from his own height !! That can be incredibly frustrating and it took us 8h to complete the whole thing whereas with better mechanics it would have taken maybe half. So I'd say, enjoy the music and graphics, but bear in mind that the main character is a literal rock with 0% agility.

A beautiful, emotional journey that left a strong impression on me. I'm especially fond of the art style — it's painterly, whimsical, and perfectly complements the tone of the game. The OST is another standout, gently guiding you through moments of joy, sorrow, and reflection. The puzzles are simple, but they’re not the point — they’re more about pacing and feeling than challenge. They keep you engaged without ever getting in the way of the story. Speaking of which, the narrative is quietly powerful. It’s a story we’ll all face eventually: life, love, and loss. And Arise tells it with grace. This isn’t a game that tries to overwhelm you with mechanics or complexity. It’s about pausing, feeling, and remembering what it means to live. Live, love, laugh, everybody — and maybe cry a little too.

Games like Arise come along and show how the medium is truly an art form when the right studio is at the helm. Hats off to Piccolo Studio as they knocked it out of the park.

atmospheric, great musics, simple gameplay. highly recommended