Roia review - "Make way for water"

• Shape the mountains to guide the water
• Lead water to help the land and shape the land to help others
• Take in the tranquil ambience and activity

Water is both so calm and so powerful at the same time, but what changes our perspective is how we experience it. In Roia by Emoak, the team wants us to see the effects that water can have over so much time but condensed into a matter of seconds. It's a 3D casual mobile puzzler that puts you into the role of someone who can shape the ground. As the water flows, you use your power to help the water flow from the top to the bottom. You can see what impact these water effects will have on you as you play.

What is Roia?

Relaxed puzzles and God sims are made to be enjoyed on a rainy day or in a quiet environment where you have some free time. Roia isn't trying to draw you into a deep and complex narrative - it's presenting a scenario. Water flows from the peak of a very tall mountain but is being held back by the ground. Though it can erode over time, you can help it by speeding up the erosion process and helping the water flow into the world. A friendly white bird is there to act as a guide for where the water should flow. The water is in your hands, and those hands can move mountains.

Roia your Boat

A clear sign of high-end graphics in a game is how it depicts water, a very common feature in most worlds and environments. Though the water in Roia is not the most detailed, it makes use of its movement to draw you in. At face value, you're just watching it flow and that's all you need to worry about. You want to see how far the water can go, and - if you can help it - flow even better or in more creative ways. In a sense, the game is a playground and the water is your playmate that wants to play in the world you've made for it.

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• Top-notch iOS puzzle games

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This is the charm and power of such a game. It doesn't weigh you down with a ton of mechanics or resources to keep track of - it just gives you the water and the power to shape the land. You can increase or decrease the ground's elevation at specific points or across a wider area. As you get further down the mountain, more elements will be added like animals, athletes, farmers, and more who are all depending on your water flow. It's satisfying in a relaxing way when you're able to water-bend through all your goals and lead smoothly into the next chapter. There's a whole serene vibe that is maintained from start to finish, the whole game being prime loop material for a Lofi playlist.

Roia roughly down the stream

What makes Roia difficult to review is whether it can be called a game. There is certainly an objective in getting the water from one area to the next, but there's no tension or complex challenge. You can rub the mountains in random patterns around the water and chances are you'll stumble across a way to keep it flowing.

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• Meteor Dash review - “A calming endless runner experience”

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The additional elements add a bit more strategy and dynamics, but they're mainly there as a spectacle. Looking at it like that and bringing in its calming nature, you can view it as a therapeutic experience. There's nothing wrong with that, though it runs the risk of reducing its accessibility and appeal - which is a shame since it's quite lovely in multiple ways.

Roia is a dream

Roia is a casual puzzle game about redirecting flowing water through the mountains by reshaping them. It's low-stress, relaxing, interesting, and appealing as you help the water flow for the land and the many beings who depend on it. It's more of an activity than a game that doesn't demand much thought, and that's okay. Just like rowing a boat, Roia is something you should merrily experience.