The idea of bringing back a loved one from death is not an uncommon trope in fiction, and I think it draws on a common human fear - that you'll be left alone by the people you love. This concept is tackled in different ways in different stories - sometimes it's embraced, and sometimes it's challenged. "The River of Rebirth" aims to explore this concept in quite a nuanced way that I haven't really seen done before, by focusing not on the bereaved's journey towards bringing their loved one back to life, but on the moment when the loved one DOES come back to life.
I'll cover the technical aspects first! The background is beautifully rendered, with a painterly quality that lends to the "fairytale" atmosphere. Ambrose's sprite is also well-rendered, with a stylized yellow color that really makes him look otherworldly (and contrasts well with the cool tones of the background). The little floating particle effects really contribute to the magical feel as well, and the yellow borders also give the game a "storybook" quality. The "once upon a time" intro is lovely, immediately cementing you in a fairytale atmosphere, and I appreciated the switching between the NOVL mode and the ADV mode for narrative and dialogue heavy sections.
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I think that it's easy to construe "bringing back your loved one from death" as a selfless act - after all, you want your loved one to be alive and happy. That would be much better for them than being dead, wouldn't it? So the construction of ROR is very clever - all those years ago, River lost both their husband AND their son. And, right from the start - Ambrose asks River: "Then why am I the one you are reviving?" This immediately cements their motivations not as purely selfless, but at least partially selfish (if they were selfless, they would bring back their son - with his entire life ahead of him) - they don't want to have the burden of supporting their child alone, without Ambrose's support, while grieving Ambrose themself.
There are many stories that deal with someone trying to bring back their loved ones for years - even as they themselves age. However, ROR is the first story that I've seen (that I recall) that actually DEALS with the consequences of this decision. Almost 50 years have passed since Ambrose's death - River has lived a long time compared to Ambrose. They're convinced that they're still stuck in the same place they were when Ambrose died (unable to move past their grief - symbolized by the fact that they even named themself "River" after the thing that killed their husband and child), but at the same time - it's undeniable that River has changed (even changing their gender identity). At this point, Ambrose would be coming back to love almost a complete stranger - one who has lived a lifetime wtihout him. Moreover, River is old now, and even if Ambrose comes back to life, then they'll only have a short time together. If anything, Ambrose will be placed into the role of a caretaker - and after River's death, he'll have to grieve, just as they did. Ambrose even brings this up in one of the endings - whether River wants to doom him to the same fate that they suffered.
Overall the game is set up with two sets of "good endings" and two sets of "bad endings." The bad endings result when River tries to pressure Ambrose into coming back to life, whether he wants to or not - and it's fitting. Ending 4, while it didn't have as much going on as other endings, was also one of the saddest to me - after all this time spent grieving for Ambrose, River doesn't even know what they want anymore. And as a result, on the cusp of bringing Ambrose back to life - their efforts dissipate into smoke: 48 years wasted.
My third favorite would be Ending 1, which is probably the ending that people would expect from this tale. Ambrose, recognizing the selflessness in River's pain, agrees to be brought back to life, and the two are reunited. However, despite its sweetness and the "happily ever after" - there's something melancholic in it too. After playing the other endings and digesting the consequences of this decision, you know that Ambrose will suffer, being brought back to life. It won't be an easy existence for him. Knowing that he decides to live and love River, knowing the inevitable pain of losing them - tugs at your heartstrings. And yet I found myself drawn to this idea as well - "it's better to love and have lost, than never to have loved at all."
My second favorite is Ending 2, which is the ending that I expected! Ambrose recognizes River's suffering but doesn't come back to life - instead, he encourages them to move on. I think it's the ending that's the most thematically meaningful. It's the only ending where, after all these years spent obsessing over their dead husband and child, River is finally able to let go of their grief and move on with their life. I loved the progression, where River resolves to live - to do all the things that Ambrose couldn't do so that they can tell him about it when they reunite. It's bittersweet knowing how elderly River is at this point, but it's empowering too - at any point, you can take control of your life. And Ambrose's encouragement throughout this ending is very touching - his selfless desire that River is happy and lives for themselves.
And my favorite ending is Ending 3 - I completely didn't expect it! In this ending, River pressures Ambrose into coming back to life - not caring for his feelings, instead focusing entirely on their own grief and loneliness. And in the end, Ambrose leaves them alone, wallowing in their anger and sorrow. I really loved this take on the "bringing back a dead loved one" trope because of how fresh the concept was. How it really delves into the realities of obsessing over your loved one for years and years, wanting them to come back to assuage your own loneliness. Like I mentioned before, this is the ending where Ambrose acknowledges the suffering that River will inevitably bring upon him when they die before him. And reading through this ending really made it hit me - this act is selfish. River is lonely and grieving, and they want companionship at any cost - not caring about their child or about how Ambrose will feel. (Ending 2 is probably canon, but Ending 3 is canon in my heart. The execution was just too good.)
Overall, this was a really thought-provoking exploration of a common media trope that dealt very well with its themes of life, death, and grief. It was well worth the wait!