Type:Rider

Developer: Ex Nihilo | Publisher: Bulkypix / Plug In Digital | Release Date: 2013 | Genre: Casual / Indie | Website: Official Website | Purchase: Steam / itch.io

The last time we saw a game in which the lead character is a punctuation mark was probably back in the era of ASCII titles, so Type:Rider definitely piqued our interest. The fact that Type:Rider is about the history of typography in platform game form also sounded too unique to pass up. With a distinctive concept and some very stylish visuals, we hoped that the gameplay would hold up to the ambitious ideals of the game.

After playing only a few levels, it became clear that while Type:Rider has a bit of a learning curve, it also has very solid gameplay and is quite addictive to boot. You control a pair of dots as you journey through ten worlds that portray the evolution of fonts and typography. There are no enemies to get in your way, but the levels are made up of fonts and characters that players must traverse. Rolling around the dots is tricky at first until you learn to stop thinking of them as a character but more like the wheels of an invisible motorbike. The dots have weight and momentum, making jumps tricky, but the rewarding gameplay and generous checkpoints mean the frustration factor is relatively low.

As you explore the levels, you collect letters of the alphabet and the occasional asterisk that reveals more information about the font, which is the theme of the world. Ampersands are also hidden away in tricky spots, but levels are pretty linear, so you cannot wander off the beaten path too much. The alphabet letters and ampersands have no purpose beyond being collectibles but are tied to achievements, and finding everything adds to the sense of accomplishment. The information revealed by the asterisks is quite fascinating and makes Type:Rider somewhat of an educational title as well. Of course, players not interested in these facts can also skip all the reading and concentrate on the game. We suggest that you leave all the reading until you have completed a world, as it can break the flow of the levels to do so while exploring.

It is clear that the game was designed by folk who know and love typography, as each level is a mini work of art. Worlds are themed according to the font they portray, so Garamond has a very Western look, while Gothic is a moody and rainy world. There is even a hidden Comic Sans level that is appropriately annoying.

The abstract backgrounds portraying scenes and artwork of the typography era are very stylish, and overall, the game looks very polished. There are only ten worlds, and while these are broken up into sub-levels, the overall experience is a bit short. Because each world is so unique, we found ourselves finishing everything in almost one go just because we were curious to see what was coming next.

The audio in the game is quite good, and we recommend that you follow the developers’ advice by using earphones while playing. Like the visuals, the tunes are tailored to the era and mood of the world you are playing, which makes the experience very atmospheric. Some basic puzzle elements exist, but the abundant checkpoints and infinite lives make Type:Rider a mostly relaxing game. The biggest obstacle to overcome is the controls, as moving slowly or standing still is quite tricky. Once you master it, you’ll be pulling off wall jumps and slinging your dots around the level like a pro, although we do recommend a controller.

Type:Rider is a great game, but its unique concept may deter some players looking for something more traditional. The game might have its roots on iOS, but it looks fantastic on the big screen and comes with all the Steam extras, such as trading cards, Steam achievements, and Steam Cloud support. Type:Rider was released in 2013 along with plenty of other great platform titles, but at the time, we still found it to be one of the most immersive.
*Review originally published November 2013.