I realise I have very little time in the game, which is not at all because the gameplay or concept is bad. I was enjoying the puzzles. However, it was maxing out my GPU and I am a fair bit above the recommended specs. The game needs to be optimised before it is able to be played on mid- or low-end PCs. I will absolutely change this to a positive review if the issue can be fixed.
Ryder
- Release Date:
- Aug 6, 2025
- Developer:
- Yellow Tree Games
- Publisher:
- Yellow Tree Games
- Platforms:
- Windows
Game Tags
About This Game

In Ryder, you’ll embark on a journey through a vibrant, low-poly world filled with puzzles and creatures waiting to be restored. As a Ryder, you can bond with over 60 creatures, each with unique traits that help you solve more than 100 puzzles. Explore four colorful regions, use creature abilities to overcome puzzles, complete your bestiary, and climb the Sanguine Mountain to fulfill your destiny.

Step into the role of a Ryder—an ethereal being with the ability to inhabit living creatures through a process known as bonding. You are tasked with restoring the souls of creatures hidden away long ago and must journey to the summit of the mystical Sanguine Mountain.

Each creature’s soul is stored behind a Sacred Site puzzle. Puzzles are solved by retrieving and intermediately using orbs from within the puzzle area. Strategically switch between your party of creatures in the right sequence to get the orbs to the Sacred Site. Completing a Sacred Site brings the creature back into the wild.

Each creature in your party has abilities that are crucial for solving puzzles, but no two creatures are exactly the same. While many may share similar abilities—such as wind jumping, teleportation flowers, or freezing objects—their individual characteristics, like weight and size, make them uniquely suited to specific challenges. Some creatures can reach hidden areas by fitting into small gaps, while others with heavier weight can trigger pressure plates to open new pathways. Understanding how each creature’s abilities and traits interact with the environment is key to mastering the puzzles on your journey.

Collect 300 creatures, including special variants, and build out your Bestiary. Every creature you bond with strengthens your party and unlocks new possibilities for solving puzzles and progressing through the game.

Explore four vibrant regions, each teeming with distinctive creatures and collectibles, before embarking on your final climb to the summit of the Sanguine Mountain, where your ultimate destiny awaits.
Features:
Immerse Yourself in a Unique Puzzle Adventure: Experience an open-world puzzle style blended with the creature-collecting genre.
Play as Over 60 Creatures: Control creatures of various sizes, each with abilities that reflect their region and unique traits.
Solve Over 100 Puzzles: Face increasingly challenging puzzles that require strategic combinations of creatures and abilities.
Complete Your Bestiary: Discover and collect 300 creatures, including special variants, to expand your party and unlock new abilities.
Explore 4 Colorful Regions: Journey through vibrant, low-poly regions filled with hidden creatures, collectibles, and secrets.
Utilize Puzzle Accessibility Aids: Toggle camera views for a clearer look at puzzles or activate the puzzle visualizer, which briefly draws connections between important elements on the screen.
Screenshots
User Reviews
As a fan of the "creature collector" games, I am enjoying Ryder quite a bit! The puzzles are fun and relaxing, not so difficult as to become a chore. Some of them can be cheesed though - I'm pretty sure I shortcut some of them simply because I could. Also, collision is funny at times. But hey, all that just adds to the charm. Keep up the fantastic work! P.S. Something's up with the achievement counters. The one for "earning all other achievements" is somehow more "achieved" than a dozen others.
Nice, cozy relaxing puzzle game - the puzzles start off easy, but ramp up in difficulty. Nothing to hard at this point, but I've only played around 2 hours and am in the first region. I dig the low-poly graphics. Glad I stumbled upon this gem.
Only been to the first area so far, but it seems to be a good collection of puzzles based around unlocking creatures with special abilities to be used in more complex puzzles built around one or more of the animals/abilities unlockable in the areas. There's some further collection aspects, in that there are multiple varieties of each creature you can find in an area, as well as some small statues/carvings to find with additional lore snippets. If a puzzle game dependent on getting the right characters into the right situations, this game will work for you.
I have only completed the first "world" so far, but I have really been enjoying the game. The puzzles are interesting and make you feel clever when you figure them out, and I love how the animal species have different abilities that help you solve the puzzles. The low poly art style is super cute and it's fun to look for the species variations as you explore the area. One addition I think would be useful is a map of the area that fills in as you discover new shrine locations. The sign posts are helpful, but I often found myself running around trying to find that *one shrine* I knew I could solve now, checking every sign post to see if it had the critter I wanted on it. Overall super great game and I am looking forward to completing it!
System Requirements
Minimum
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: 64-bit Windows 10
- Processor: 4 core CPU @ 2.5 GHz
- Memory: 6 GB RAM
- Graphics: 4 GB VRAM; GeForce GTX 970
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 3 GB available space
Recommended
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: 64-bit Windows 10
- Processor: 6 or 8 core CPU @ 3.0 GHz
- Memory: 12 GB RAM
- Graphics: 6+ GB VRAM; GeForce RTX 2070
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 3 GB available space
FAQ
How much does Ryder cost?
Ryder costs $19.99.
What are the system requirements for Ryder?
Minimum: Minimum: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system OS: 64-bit Windows 10 Processor: 4 core CPU @ 2.5 GHz Memory: 6 GB RAM Graphics: 4 GB VRAM; GeForce GTX 970 DirectX: Version 12 Storage: 3 GB available space Recommended: Recommended: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system OS: 64-bit Windows 10 Processor: 6 or 8 core CPU @ 3.0 GHz Memory: 12 GB RAM Graphics: 6+ GB VRAM; GeForce RTX 2070 DirectX: Version 12 Storage: 3 GB available space
What platforms is Ryder available on?
Ryder is available on Windows PC.
Is Ryder worth buying?
Ryder has 80% positive reviews from 5 players.
When was Ryder released?
Ryder was released on Aug 6, 2025.
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