The finale to this story ends in fantastic conclusion that concludes as strong as the game first started.  Rise and Shine is a brilliant 2D platformer that references some of gaming’s most iconic franchises while offering a unique experience all of its own.  It’s packed with non-stop action, twists and the art style and animation make it one of the most gorgeous games on the Nintendo Switch to date.  It’s certainly a “Git Gud” game as there is no hand holding here and only the most determined gamers will finish this one.  The experience one gets from the campaign makes every death and respawn completely worth it and it’s easily one of my favorite games of 2018.

Rise & Shine es un juego bastante interesante que sabe mezclar adecuadamente los run & gun, los bullet hell, las plataformas, y los puzles, todo ello sobre una base de ensayo y error, propiciada por las vidas ilimitadas de las que dispondremos. Un juego de bella factura técnica, que brilla en su apartado artístico y con una jugabilidad sólida aunque le pesen los cambios de ritmo y dificultad. Si te gustan los géneros que aquí se combinan, este es tu juego, y si no, el propio fan service al mundo del videojuego te hará darle una oportunidad.

If you’re a shooting fan who is up to some crazy battles where you’ll need to use your brains as much as your reflexes Rise & Shine is a pretty good match. It won’t coddle you hardly at all, which will be either a positive or a negative depending on the type of gamer you are. I don’t recall ever having played a shooter that has had puzzle elements to it like this, so that does help it stand out from the crowd. Just keep in mind the caveats that come along for the ride when you decide whether to check it out.

Avec une direction artistique aux petits oignons, un humour et un univers assumé, le jeu propose un divertissement intense, qui mettra vos réflexes et votre sens de l'adaptation à rude épreuve. À réserver surtout aux amateurs de culture vidéoludique et n'ayant pas peur de jouer à un jeu à la difficulté bien troussée.

Overall, Rise & Shine takes a very common genre and tries to turn it all upside down with unique bullet mechanics and story. It attempts to do something new with a gun that can think, and it will be easy for anyone to enjoy who is looking for an interesting mix of puzzle arcade shooting and bullet-hell action. Unfortunately, some of the gameplay mechanics did not feel right and while it tries many things, it never excels at any of them. Still, Rise & Shine looks great and the shooting felt satisfying and fun.

Rise and Shine is a colorful and hilarious, if a bit short, adventure through an incredible gaming inspired world. Arcade fans, indie fans, those who aren’t afraid of a few hundred deaths, all will have a lot of fun with this title. If you haven’t checked out this title yet, it would make a great addition any indie gamer’s library.

A solid, if uninspiring run ‘n gun title with some very nice visuals. The game’s length and difficulty make it hard to recommend without reservation but if you are after something a little quirky you might enjoy your brief time with this.

Rise and Shine is undoubtedly one of the best-looking games on the Switch. The animations, level design, and characters are nothing short of a feast for the eyes. While this is all well and good, the rest of the game never really finds its footing because of its brevity and lack of focus. If you’re planning on jumping into this adventure, be prepared for a game with elements of an action platformer, with bullet hell moments, that is constantly stifled by the need to be everything all at once.

When everything is put together, Rise and Shine is incohesive, and no aspect of it is compelling enough in its own right to make the game more than the sum of its parts. It probably isn’t a waste of an afternoon to play Rise and Shine, but it's probably better to do anything else instead.

Taken individually, these issues were not that bad on their own. However, they start to add up, especially in so short a game. Despite all of this, I did enjoy my time with Rise and Shine. The shooting encounters, puzzles, and huge boss set pieces were great. Having all of that in a beautifully rendered world was awesome. This makes it even more unfortunate that Rise and Shine feels more like a demo for a full game. Nearly everything that the game attempts, it does exceedingly well. However, there is just not enough of it to be fully satisfying.

To be a successful parody a game needs to just as good if not better than the games it is mocking. The controls need to be precise, the genre laser-focused and there should be at least one wholly original gameplay element. Rise & Shine doesn't check of any of those boxes. Rise & Shine is a disappointment of a game that could've (and should've) been so much better.