Type: Rider is a PC game created by Ex Nihilo that takes its audience through a typographical journey as the player takes on the role of a colon ( : ). The sole mechanics including jumping and rolling around. Each level in the game represents a different font as well as the setting it is famous for. Each font is thoroughly incorporated within its level. Not only can the font be used in the background, but it is often used as obstacles the colon has to get around. One specific incorporation can be seen when the colon has to navigate through the Gutenberg Bible.

Similar to Never Alone, as the player travels through the levels they can collect stars that will unlock historical information about the font level they are in. Unfortunately, these snippets of historical information are written in long paragraphs, which I quickly grew bored with and stopped reading.

The other collection aspect within each level gives the player the opportunity to collect the letters of the alphabet in the font of the level. Collecting all the letters does not have any ulterior reward besides being able to say you collected them all.

Type: Rider does a great job setting up the atmosphere that best represents the font you are traversing through. This can be seen through the background, obstacles, puzzles, and music in each level. For example in the Clarendon level, the atmosphere is an Old Western setting and one of the puzzles involves using dynamite.

The Futura level, which was one of my favorites, has a black and white background but bright color shapes. The music of the level giving the feel of an old school mystery movie. I probably loved this level as much as I did becomes it mimics parts of the 1920s era which is one of my favorite time periods.

In regards to the levels as a whole, they most definitely get better as you go. After the first level I had worried all the levels would be of that sort and that I would have to force myself to finish the game. However, there was definitely extreme improvement in the level department as the game goes on. The puzzles become more interesting and quirky and the atmosphere becomes more compelling and immersive.

After you reach the end of Type: Rider, you have the ability to unlock a secret level that is a complete joke (literally) just like the font it is portraying. As a hint on what the font is, the level includes cats with lasers.

Type: Rider is definitely an entertaining game. I cannot say I learned too much about typography, due to the fact that the game’s way of sharing information was dull and in need of a compelling revamp. However, it was nice seeing each font with its respective setting. Honestly, I never would have imagined myself having fun playing with fonts, but Type: Rider proved me wrong.

 

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