RIFTSTORM: extraction-lite, roguelite... the experience is a bit “lite” too

RIFTSTORM is a twin-stick shooter designed to host up to three players in a co-op PvE setting. It can also be enjoyed solo, but in my opinion, it suffers. It has been available in early access for a few days and has some issues to resolve (unstable performance, disconnections...), but these can be worked around, and the developers have promised timely improvements. One of these is the ability to launch it offline, which will certainly help those who don't often play with company.

The title is described by its creators as an “extraction-lite”, because after each mission we will, in fact, have to extract to get out alive, and in case of defeat, we will lose almost everything. The loot is lost, while our equipment remains damaged: one of the active abilities is replaced by a debuff, making it far less efficient.  

Among the Steam tags, you'll also find “roguelite” and this is because during sorties it's possible to collect a series of random power-ups. In reality, they are quite basic, there isn't much variety, and they aren't particularly influenced by the character or weapons in use. Sessions are short (around 5-10 minutes), so don't expect to create elaborate “builds”. In multiplayer, you might aim for a support or area control role, but solo, just go all-in on criticals and you won't regret it.

RIFTSTORM tries to set a tone with a rather pretentious introductory video, but the setting couldn't be more generic: secret agents who have to shoot cryptids and close the portals they come from, amidst ghosts, mutants, and vampires. Most of the dialogue is performed by the shapely artificial intelligence PAAM, our “employer”, who will assign us tasks. Her monologues are as verbose as they are useless, so don't feel guilty if you feel like skipping shortly after the tutorial.  

The goal is to wander around the world, defend strategic points, explore suspicious locations, and eliminate threats, collect rewards, and repeat the process with an increasingly robust arsenal. Basically, we're dealing with a looter shooter: you grind in the hope of getting more powerful weapons (preferably legendary), burn those you don't need, use the materials obtained to gacha others, and so on, while our character levels up. The roster currently includes five agents. In practice, they don't differ much, but each prefers a certain playstyle and can equip gems to enhance it, including parametric increases, passive bonuses, and more effective abilities.

Despite the premise, RIFTSTORM proves to be very “chill” in its approach. Resources are abundant and enemies are never too tough, even when undertaking missions with a difficulty well above the overall value of your equipment. Combat is chaotic, but you can always keep track of your position and incoming shots, except against some bosses or elites with a tendency to teleport onto your head.  

Progression is rapid, and new options are regularly unlocked to repel hordes of monsters in increasingly spectacular ways. The numbers keep growing, as do the volume and frequency of explosions, however, the experience doesn't evolve at the same pace; in fact, half an hour is enough to have experienced the entire package. The problems are numerous: weapons that all behave more or less the same way; a wasted skill tree for extra damage and reduced cooldowns, with insignificant and redundant nodes; maps with repetitive design, despite biome changes, always offering the same attractions...

RIFTSTORM is fun, the “power fantasy” vein clearly shines through and can provide satisfaction, but for me, in short doses. It's a good pastime, with overall solid foundations, but it suffers from an execution that is too elementary and monotonous to be fully convincing. The graphics are clean and pleasant, if a bit sterile, and the soundtrack is catchy when it filters through the gunfire. Artistically, it's good, less so technically, considering the frame rate that often fluctuates, with dizzying drops on mid-to-low-end PCs.  

A few days ago, the game had a habit of crashing at specific points in some missions, a sign that level generation was not optimal, but after the latest patches, this has no longer occurred. One detail I would address? More “informative” skill descriptions. A lot of entries present the upgrade we're taking, but there's no way to know its actual benefits. “More critical chance but less damage dealt.” Okay, what percentages are we talking about? If I take the opposite, do they cancel out? “Projectiles fragment on impact.” What does that mean? Where do they go? With what chance? In many cases, you find the answer by playing, but I think having precise figures would help, as it's one of the focal points of the gameplay.