The demonic forces of Utgard defeated the gods of Asgard during the massive conflict known as Ragnarok. Grim Angels are warriors with black wings armed with sacred weapons called “Diviners.” To rescue the rest of the world from being overrun by demons, the gods gave their lives to create Grim Angels. Following the victory over the monsters, the Grim Angels transformed Utgard into a lovely paradise known as Riviera.
A thousand years later, a story of the return of the demons begins to spread throughout the land. Grim Angels Ein and Ledah are dispatched to Riviera by Hector, one of the seven Magi who have been given the responsibility by the gods of watching over Riviera. Hector instructs Ein and Ledah to unleash the “Retribution,” a power that would annihilate the demons but also destroy Riviera. Ein suffers a loss at the hands of Ursula, the protector of Riviera, and wakes up with amnesia, oblivious to his history and the part he will have to play in the unfolding of events in the country.
The role-playing game Riviera: The Promised Land is modeled around those found in Japan. It is unlike other role-playing games in that it does not let the user physically control a character while exploring the game world. Instead, the player spends unique trigger points they acquire throughout battles to activate “triggers.” Triggers are occurrences in the game that lead to cutscenes, fighting, objects, and other things. This is accomplished by traveling from screen to screen to investigate different locations.
When a turn-based fight is initiated, the player can select three active combatants out of five, choose a formation for the party that is either attack- or magic-oriented, and decide which four items to bring into the conflict. The objects can activate abilities for a variety of characters. If a character has been trained with a particular item, they can employ more powerful “OverSkills” when the OverDrive gauge is steadily filled. There is a maximum number of times that an item can be used before it is destroyed.
Additionally, there are dating-related gaming features in the game. The player can make choices for Ein concerning his female companions, increasing or decreasing the level of trust that each of the young women in his party has in him. These choices will eventually lead to one of the several endings that are dependent on the nature of the relationships between Ein and the young women in his party.
