- Name
- Riverhill Soft Inc.
- Abbreviation
- Founded
- 6 May 1983
- Location
- Fukuoka Prefecture,Japan
- Website
- http://web.archive.org/web/20030402064308/http://www.riverhillsoft.co.jp
- Aliases
- Riverhillsoft
Riverhill Soft Inc.
Fukuoka Prefecture,Japan
A Japanese developer and publisher established in the early 1980s most famous for its mystery adventure games among other titles.
Company Images Related Pages
History
Riverhill Soft was a Fukuoka-based game developer founded in August 1982 but was not fully established as a corporation until May 6, 1983 [3]. Started by Kazuhiro Okazaki (Person) and Rika Suzuki (Person), the company began as a PC developer where all of their games were published and advertised by Union Planning (Company). In 1986, Riverhill began publishing games under their own name and soon became famous for creating adventure games like J.B. Harold Murder Club and RPGs like Burai (Franchise) [2]. Over time the company branched out into the home console market and became known for creating titles like Doctor Hauzer (Game), Overblood, and Refrain Love (Game). They also published various Western developed games in Japan. In 2004, Riverhill Soft dissolved and many of the company's employees splintered off to create their own companies in the years preceding Riverhill's bankruptcy. These include:
- Level-5 established in 1998 by Akihiro Hino (Person).
- Cing co-founded by Rika Suzuki (Person) and Takuya Miyagawa (Person) in 1999.
- Falstaff formed by the Refrain Love development team in 2000.
- Althi (Company) in 2000 was created by Yoshihiko Miyazaki (Person) who eventually took ownership of several Riverhill Soft IPs after their closing.
- Kazuhiro Okazaki (Person) became president of Tetris Online Japan, Inc.
References
- River Hill Software, which focused on ADVs, and SSK Office Computer, a Valuable Software House in Shikoku (Akiba PC Watch, 2019).
- Small Profile on Rika Suzuki (Game Preservation Society, 2022).
- Riverhill Soft Official Corporate Profile
Developed Games
View all developed games
OverBlood (Game)
An early survival-horror game for the PS1, where an amnesiac wakes up in a derelict research facility full of mutants and discovers he is infected as well.
OverBlood 2 (Game)
OverBlood 2 is an ambitious narrative-focused game for the original PlayStation that tries to combine exploration, platforming, puzzle solving, real-time combat, and even a little racing. It shares little in common with the original entry in the series.
Ogre Battle Gaiden (Game)
A continuation of the Ogre Battle series released only in Japan on the Neo Geo Pocket handheld.
Doctor Hauzer (Game)
An early survival horror game released by Riverhillsoft for the 3DO in 1994. It was the first fully 3D survival horror game, featured an early cel-shaded art style for the characters, and revolved around surviving traps and solving puzzles rather than fighting any enemies.
Nazo no Masquerade (Game)
A murder mystery adventure game that is a heavily modified remake of Riverhill Soft's Kohakuiro no Yuigon.
Published Games
View all published games
OverBlood 2 (Game)
OverBlood 2 is an ambitious narrative-focused game for the original PlayStation that tries to combine exploration, platforming, puzzle solving, real-time combat, and even a little racing. It shares little in common with the original entry in the series.
World Neverland: Olerud Oukoku Monogatari (Game)
The first installment of the World Neverland series. Players are invited to "experience of fiction life".
Klaymen Gun Hockey (Game)
This Japan-only sports game featured the characters from The Neverhood.
Doctor Hauzer (Game)
An early survival horror game released by Riverhillsoft for the 3DO in 1994. It was the first fully 3D survival horror game, featured an early cel-shaded art style for the characters, and revolved around surviving traps and solving puzzles rather than fighting any enemies.
World Neverland 2: Pluto Kyouwakoku Monogatari (Game)
The sequel to World Neverland: Olerud Oukoku Monogatari
