Riviera: The Promised Land is a role-playing game that revolves around embarking on an epic journey to shield Riviera from the havoc of “the retribution,” a secret power of the Gods to banish the demons that returned to the land after a thousand years of peace. 

This is the remastered version of Riviera: The Promised Land, originally released in 2002 by Sting Entertainment for WonderSwan Color as the first episode of the Dept. Heaven game series. Two of the latest games that belong in the said series are Gungnir and Knights in the Nightmare. 

Complete with new features 

In Riviera: The Promised Land, you must protect the land from the supreme power capable of eliminating demons but also threatens to turn the place into ashes. In this turn-based game, a selection of playable characters is available to kick off your adventure, each with distinct looks. In addition, the items you possess determine your character's skills, making it a unique battle system. 

This remastered version boasts new elements for an improved gaming experience, separating it from its original release. Now, you can play this fantasy game five times the default speed for quicker results in gameplay. You can even skip event functions now if you want to. The best-added feature, however, is the auto-save function. This means you can resume your game wherever you last left off. 

With the game’s enhanced UI, it’s easier to toggle between the new Japanese and English voice switches. This matches the BGM change function, containing five sound sources. However, there have been reported cases of start-up crashes that don’t get fixed even by the reinstalling method. With that said, this remastered version is worth trying if you are a fan of the original game.

A remastered version worth trying 

Overall, Riviera: The Promised Land is a fun, remastered game of the same name with an interesting storyline and bonus features that deserve a shot. In this version, you can still enjoy the elements of the original game while discovering new features that can give you an improved playthrough. The only unsatisfactory part of this game is the possible start-up crash that can happen.