Rain World

 PC
User Score
8.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 169 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 148 out of 169
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 169
  3. Negative: 13 out of 169

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  1. Ly_ric
    Jan 3, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Phenomenal game that got ruined by lazy game journalists who can't even finish a the game. I understand they have a tight deadlines but don't judge the game by the first three areas. The magic of the game will come much later.… Expand
  2. Dormin94
    May 22, 2021
    10
    By ignoring generic GameDesign-Decisions of the current Era of video games (Minimap and Markers for orientation, Skilltrees for more success with progression, lots of interchangeable loot to keep you busy with your inventory, clear exposition of programmed values to make you play by numbers ...), VIDEOCULT managed to create an immersive 2D Game. The world is naturally experienced by usingBy ignoring generic GameDesign-Decisions of the current Era of video games (Minimap and Markers for orientation, Skilltrees for more success with progression, lots of interchangeable loot to keep you busy with your inventory, clear exposition of programmed values to make you play by numbers ...), VIDEOCULT managed to create an immersive 2D Game. The world is naturally experienced by using simple comprehensible elements, which have to be applied on the environment and its beings to understand its rules and behaviour. This leads players to act in a more natural way, instead of a typical gamey way.

    Since the game follows its rules beyond players' awareness, it manages to avoid guiding the player through a clearly paced world, while not making the player lost in it. Overall the game fells harmonic through all its decisions and is therefore offering an original adventure. Rain World manages to develop personality with its atmospheric music, mystic vertical world design, emotions it makes you perceive (nostalgia, awe, urge of survival, ...) and world behaviour/systems. This makes it hard to compare with other games and very worthwhile to spend time with.

    I hadn't thought a 2D-game with a small animal-like character displayed on a big view could make me forget, that I am playing a game. I also thought dying in a game couldn't contribute to the experience, other than being proud and happy to have overcome a peak of difficulty. Rain World not only proved some of my assumptions wrong, but changed my treatment of a first impression of video games in general. Therefore, I'm very grateful for game developers to exist, which have their own personal approach on creating a game.    … Expand
  3. Thedian
    Mar 5, 2020
    9
    Not a game for everyone. But if you like brutal and unforgiving with a touch of hope, a deeply atmospheric world and rather experimental gameplay, this is one of the most unique game experiences you may have. The art, the music, the world-building itself, everything in this is gorgeous. The gameplay falls short off a few risky design choices, but it does little to undermine the otherNot a game for everyone. But if you like brutal and unforgiving with a touch of hope, a deeply atmospheric world and rather experimental gameplay, this is one of the most unique game experiences you may have. The art, the music, the world-building itself, everything in this is gorgeous. The gameplay falls short off a few risky design choices, but it does little to undermine the other aspects of the game.… Expand
  4. uniqueusername1
    Jul 4, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Rain World may be my favourite game, yet I hate it an unbelievable amount.

    (First part is relatively spoiler free)
    This game is annoying. You die constantly from everything, finding shelter is hard, and in some midgame areas such as (aka mostly) Underhang, falling to your death is inevitable.

    The music is absolutely beautiful. The lore is hidden behind the scenes so you don’t have to pay any attention to it, but there’s an in-depth story if you look for it. Even annoying areas (*cough* Underhang *cough*) are still fun to navigate when you take advantage of the things you can find in the environment.

    The world that you play in is amazing. I love watching two lizards fight while I hide in a pipe, squidcada pulling leeches out of the water, or scavengers battling their way to victory against lizards. I never thought that just watching the ecosystem of an unfamiliar world would be so enjoyable.

    (Second part: has more major spoilers, no plot details, just gameplay)

    You can interact with the creatures of the environment you’re in a lot more than you might think you can. By feeding a lizard enough they’ll become your friend and will fight to protect you - as long as you keep feeding them. Scavengers are neutral to you at first, but once you attack one or throw a spear in their direction they’ll begin to throw rocks or spears at you if they see you. If you give them pearls - their most treasured item, which can be found laying around the map - and if you save them from predators, they’ll become friendly towards you and will even help you fight.

    Some of my best moments relate around the environment. I’ve purposefully caused a lizard fight to distract one from myself, or I’ve lead a vulture to a lizard so I could escape. Movement in this game can be fun - especially swinging through areas with grappleworms. (Underhang’s only redeeming feature lol)

    Once you’ve played this game for a few hours you’ll begin to learn strategies for survival. There’s more than one way to kill a lizard - you can keep your distance and play it safe or you can go right up to it and ‘stunlock’ it by repeatedly throwing a spear and then grabbing it again until the lizard’s dead.
    Some lizards can climb poles, but you can counter those by throwing a rock or spear at them which will knock them off, or you can jump off of the pole and hit the lizard with a spear on your way down.
    You can get a lizard to follow you into a tunnel/pipe, and then immediately go back though said pipe when you reach the other side, leaving the lizard confused not knowing where you are.

    I also have to marvel at the way the game is taught to you. You only learn the basics from the tutorial, but that’s nowhere near everything. For example, the green lizard, has very high, if not the highest health out of any lizard (excluding Hunter-exclusive lizards). Despite this, it’s the first lizard you meet. Why? It teaches you to escape predators using poles and manoeuvrability. It will charge at you, but that can be avoided by letting it run into a wall or by jumping over your head. It can’t climb poles, so your best option is to avoid by climbing. Then you meet the pink/purple/magenta lizard, who can climb poles but who has much lower health than the green lizard, only requiring 2 spear hits to kill. This teaches you skills necessary later on in the game - jumping from poles, perhaps hitting it with a spear it slow it in order to run.

    (End of gameplay spoilers)

    In conclusion: Rain World isn’t for everyone. It’s frustrating, painful, and annoying. But it’s still fun - from observing the environment and watching the unique ecosystem, to exploring the map, to that sense of progress you get when you find a brand new region, discover a new creature or overcome a difficult jump.

    I’m sorry of this review is a bit scattered all over the place. It’s late, I don’t have much sleep and I was bored so I wrote this. There’s a whole lot more I want to talk about, but again, I’m tired and should probably sleep.    … Expand
  5. RareEpicness
    Feb 12, 2023
    10
    As soon as you learn how to play correctly it becomes one of the best games you'll ever play
  6. yanyannieyan
    Jul 24, 2021
    10
    I've played this game when it came out and I quit in the first area, The monster encounters scared me off and at the time I thought i couldn't possibly finish it. I decided to pick up the game once again this year, and I'm glad to say that this is one of the best games I've ever experienced.

    The game is terrifying yes, but exploring this post-apocalyptic world made the struggle worth    I've played this game when it came out and I quit in the first area, The monster encounters scared me off and at the time I thought i couldn't possibly finish it. I decided to pick up the game once again this year, and I'm glad to say that this is one of the best games I've ever experienced.

    The game is terrifying yes, but exploring this post-apocalyptic world made the struggle worth it. I was facinated by the amount of detail the environments had and how distinct each area is. I love how ambient the soundtrack is, how the game just lets you listen to the environmental noises without the ost always present. The different interactions that can happen with all the creatures is intriguing yet terrifying to watch.

    The only criticism I have is the karma gates, I think the idea of these gates is to prevent you from progressing an area that is too hard for your current skill level, but I'd rather die a lot in the next area and decide for myself to turn back rather than it being gated off.    … Expand
  7. CafeFrances
    Mar 31, 2022
    9
    um jogo incrivel. um protagonista carismatico, ambientação incrivel, cenários incriveis, graficos lindos.o jogo foi bastante criticado pela movimentação do personagem ser meio imprecisa em certos momentos, mas isso não foi problema para mim; que aprendeu a usar a movimentação do slugcat de forma muito melhor, entendendo que na verdade, se a movimentação foi imprecisa, a culpa foi minha.um jogo incrivel. um protagonista carismatico, ambientação incrivel, cenários incriveis, graficos lindos.o jogo foi bastante criticado pela movimentação do personagem ser meio imprecisa em certos momentos, mas isso não foi problema para mim; que aprendeu a usar a movimentação do slugcat de forma muito melhor, entendendo que na verdade, se a movimentação foi imprecisa, a culpa foi minha. por exemplo: quando você da um pulo carregado, slugcat se joga de uma forma no qual ele fique deitado, enquanto cai no ar, tornando assim impossivel subir a parte de cima de um muro, então se no meio do ar você clicar no botão para ir para cima, slugcat cairia "em pé", e quando batesse numa plataforma, conceguisse se agarrar e assim subir. o que ja tira esse ponto para mim. o design sonoro do jogo foi outro coisa que me impressionou, as musicas combinam perfeitamente com a atmosfera e senário do jogo, além da mecanica da musica para quando o inimigo está por perto. o slugcat, nosso protagonista, é uma das especies mais fracas da cadeia alimentar, mas, ele tem sua inteligencia e capassidade corporal, que fazem com que, mesmo o mais forte dos inimigos possa ser vencido por você, mesmo que o jogo não tenha upgrades, ou seja, você é o mesmo do inicio ao fim do jogo, usando aprenas, pedras e lanças para lutar. o jogo foi inspirado em um documentario, que falava sobre como qualquer animal poderia vencer, ou até sobreviver, contra outros que estariam supostamente a cima na cadeia alimentar. "ta, mas então deve ser bem facil". completamente errado, o slugcat tem sua inteligencia, mas os inimigos de Rain World são assustadores, seja no voo rapido mas pesado do abutre gigante, ou o nado lento, mas impossivel de escapar do leviatã. as animações dos inimigos e do slugcat são feitas de formas procedural. além de tudo isso, o jogo desvia completamente dos designs normais de jogos, como um mapa no canto da tela, um inventário e pontos nos lugares que você precisa ir, te deixando descobrir tudo sozinho, fazendo com que você, o jogador, evolua junto com o slugcat. ambora tudo isso, o sistema de progressão do jogo é longe do ideal, e so por isso, não foi uma nota 10. Rain World, é sem duvidas, o meu jogo favorito.… Expand
  8. Blujai777
    Jul 14, 2022
    10
    This games is an experience you can only try once, it's a magical game that will be tough just like life can be, which makes it so satisfying when you accomplish the obstacle, I love rain world but it's not for everyone
  9. gamingenjoyer
    Jul 30, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. good gaming mechanics +2

    fantastic map +3

    good replayability +1

    10/10

    fantastic AI +2 (some bed movemends)

    fine movement 0

    full of fantastic AI mobs +2

    some bugs -1 (mobs that stuck in a spot that stop your progressing and time stop)

    playability fore new players -1    … Expand
  10. tenkee
    Feb 2, 2023
    10
    This game is like a gourmet steak that has been drowned in ghost pepper sauce, and that's fine because I like spicy food.
  11. Saraine98
    Jul 14, 2023
    9
    Rainworld holds a special place in my heart,the game isn't like any thing i have played.And while i am probably goin to miss spell every thing just stary with me where.
    The game starts with you playing one of the characters get a cutsine ,you learn how to move,eat and how to pass the circle and why the rain is a treat and...then the game just says "alright..figuire it out.".
    And this    Rainworld holds a special place in my heart,the game isn't like any thing i have played.And while i am probably goin to miss spell every thing just stary with me where.
    The game starts with you playing one of the characters get a cutsine ,you learn how to move,eat and how to pass the circle and why the rain is a treat and...then the game just says "alright..figuire it out.".
    And this is were most poeple when the game first come out got alot of bad reviews,becasse the game doesn't give you any other objetives and do to the game's creatures and nature this is why poeple say that it is a rage game.But this is what makes Rain world and its DLC so good,if you keep on goin and keep trying you will find one of the greatest games you have evern played.
    Now i can't really say alot about the game play but the animations and cutsines is some thing i can say and now what i am talking about.Rainworld having procedural animation means that living creature and the player characters fells more natural as the creatures same as you must drag them selfs in to the world to survive.Speaking of the creatures their designs are great with the world of the game being post-potalilic kinda,the creatures having neon colors,metal parts and strage anatomy makes since with the story which if i did get in too i would ruin alot of the game but the background story telling is just very good.How ever it isn't perfect like very game,one of the bigest probablems is one of the things that makes good but also bad for new players,that being cominication for the poeple who opened the game for the very first time can fell pretty lost and don't get me wrong the first charetor you play as is lost but at the same time poeple who have played for a hour or so felling lost is the thing that makes people probably refound it.A other thing is the games's strong points can be negative aka AI,i am goin to bring to exp of this the AI and creatures are a bit random they can reclain "dens" , fight for territy , hunt and of couse die and it is likey they would't show up for the next cicle or two if you kill them or they died by a other creatures and gain it makes the game fell more natural HOW EVER...some times it can be unfar,you can just get killed by any thing becasse you aren't fast enought and while this is just the base game and not the DLC i will say one of the DLC characters was this problem more then the other slugcats,and the other is for all the slugs and it is more of a AI probroblem then any thing aka,the Rain deer yes i spelled that correctlly-You need the Rain deer to get in some parts of a region of the game by grabing in to their hourns ,where's the thing the ai for them can just not work in your favor becasse of the nature thing,like lefting you behided after you feed them,turning around form the poin you need becasse they said so,just siting for about the hole circle and you dying becasse of it,just getting stuck in other raindeer , sitting on top of you, bowing to a raindeer who is just standing still intail the rain comes and kills you,etc.But besides that i can't really find alot to conplain about that doesn't have to do with them and that one DLC charactor.It isn't for everyone but its strong points can out matchs its weak point,and with the stream work shop aded and the kind fandom it as , i would say Rainworld is a game for poeple who like different types of games,that stand out form every open world game that exists theses days with the DLC or not the game , story ,creatures , vibes , tune and most of the time AI makes it one of the greats games i have ever played    … Expand
  12. MedliFurry
    Jul 11, 2023
    10
    by far my number 1 most played, and favorite video game of all time
    I can only recommend this game for anyone and everyone!
    the game may be hard at first, but as soon as you get used to the control, and you get good at dealing with enemies, this can become one of the most fun experiences around, I am also a great fan of the amazing modding community of this game, and the steam workshop    by far my number 1 most played, and favorite video game of all time
    I can only recommend this game for anyone and everyone!
    the game may be hard at first, but as soon as you get used to the control, and you get good at dealing with enemies, this can become one of the most fun experiences around,
    I am also a great fan of the amazing modding community of this game, and the steam workshop of the game as a whole, and how easy they made it to mod this game
    try it out!and check out its Steam-workshop    … Expand
  13. alceb
    Jul 22, 2023
    10
    This is one of the best adventures to grace gaming since Metroid Prime, Thief II, and Deus Ex. Other people have said this, but this game doesn't care about making this easy for you in any aspect. It's a hardcore experience from the first few minutes: unforgiving and complex, yet rewarding and utterly beautiful. From the animations, to the music, and the AI, everything comes together intoThis is one of the best adventures to grace gaming since Metroid Prime, Thief II, and Deus Ex. Other people have said this, but this game doesn't care about making this easy for you in any aspect. It's a hardcore experience from the first few minutes: unforgiving and complex, yet rewarding and utterly beautiful. From the animations, to the music, and the AI, everything comes together into a 10/10 package. Nothing I've played in the last 15 years comes close to it, not even Demon's Souls nor any of Bethesda's or Rockstar's title. This should be the standard for what a "living world" is in videogames.… Expand
  14. DrPoop
    Aug 10, 2023
    10
    Is game is clearly not for everyone something. The game is really hard and gives you most of the time, just a next loose, angainst something you can't win. But it's definitly one of the most fascinating and uniqe games I ever played.
  15. sailermoonhater
    Mar 28, 2017
    7
    What I like about the game:

    Gameplay: -using the creatures as weapons and tools to interact with the environment(as flashlights, stun grenades,grappling hooks...)That's a very clever and unique version of a "power up/item system" -Every creature behaves different, has really its own personality and needs to be approached with a different strategy.Some are peaceful, some are    What I like about the game:

    Gameplay:

    -using the creatures as weapons and tools to interact with the environment(as flashlights, stun grenades,grappling hooks...)That's a very clever and unique version of a "power up/item system"

    -Every creature behaves different, has really its own personality and needs to be approached with a different strategy.Some are peaceful, some are predators and some are inbetween.And its not always clear on the first view which creature is what.

    -When two or more creatures hunt you at the same time , the game really gets intense.Often one creature begins to hunt you and then suddenly one or two more drop down and join the hunt onto you or begin hunting each other.That makes for a intense experience.And it really does immerse you into believing you are in an "alien" ecosystem.

    -The games does not handhold you like many other games nowadays do. The tips of the worm companion are cryptic enough that you really have to/ are allowed to explore and figure out things on your own instead of getting told everything by the game.

    Visuals and Atmosphere:

    -The atmosphere in this game is so dense.There are many triple A games with a way more complex graphic engine which have not half of the atmosphere of this game.

    -The dynamic lighting and water effects in this game are so good.Never saw them so good in any other 2d game.Especially the shadows of the clouds moving in the background.Awesome!

    -Best physicaly based animations i have ever seen in a 2D Game

    -The creatures feel so alien like and strange which is totaly awesome especially with the procedural generated animations, great creature design

    -The postapocalyptic setting with the overgrown industrial ruins inhabited by those strange creatures and every area has its own look and ecosystem with different creatures creates such a moody feeling.

    What I don't like about the game:

    The timelimit:
    -The timelimit through the "deadly rain is coming every x minutes and you have to go into hibernation to survive" does totally not work together with the exploration nature of the game.The hibernation places are very unevenly spaced. There are some areas and routes where the hibernation places are very close together and some where you have to walk almost half a level in distance to find one. There is nothing more annoying to find a new area and really want to explore this new area with all the new creatures in it,but have no time left. and then you come to a parting of the way into two different directions and you go into direction one,but the desperately needed hibernation place would have been into direction two and then you die and have to walk half through the level again just to get through the newly found ecosystem .

    The controls and spawning system of the creatures:

    -Some of the controls feel clunky and way to cumbersome to use.

    +Why do i have to press down for charging up the leap jump when pressing down is also used to crawl down pipes and sticks.There is often the situation that a downward leading pipe or pole is directly placed beside a spot where you want to leap jump from.So you try to charge up for a leap jump but slugcat instead tries to crawl down the pipe.
    +slugcat controls like a slow moveing truck and you const. fall of of sticks and ledges accidentally or crawl accidentally into enemy spawning pipes because the game misinterpret your movement constantly
    +Some leapjumps or reaching slippery poles you have to perform with an movement accuracy which is very hard to achieve with clunky controls like this.Even compared to difficult games like the contra/probotector or battletoads games for snes and megadrive.Those games are all harder/more difficult then rainworld but none of them felt so frustrating controlwise.
    +enemys spawning directly behind you or camping at the end of the next pipe.
    . If you get chased by a creature and have to deal with things like clunky controls,level geometry placed in a way that it messes up the movement options and enemy's spawning in pipes or camp direct at the exit of pipes at the same time... It can get very annoying.

    The unreliability of certain gameplaymechanics:

    --somethimes you jump down a cliff and you live and sometimes you jump down a cliff and you die and there is no way of telling which cliff you can jump down savely.
    -Throwing objects can also be a real mess. Especially if you have one item in each hand,the game has a very convoluted rock–paper–scissors like ruleset on which item is been thrown by slugcat first when you press the throw button! Why cant the game give the player two keys , one for left hand throw and one for right hand throw?
    -Also many of the "using the plants and animals as tools and weapons(flashlight,stun grenade,grappeling hook...)" mechanics do not work in practice in game in a reliable and reproducable way.Often its a 50/50 chance of them not doing what they are supposed to do even if you handle them correctly.    … Expand
  16. DmitroGof
    Jan 19, 2019
    10
    The only survival game where you cant just craft shіt and build antroposphere in order to protect yourself , and forced to adapt and learn your environment to survive.
    The most unique survival action-platformer i ever played in terms of artstyle , gameplay , movement , lore and plot.
    Beware - difficulty level somewhere near Real Life ™ , and there will be minimum handholding besides    The only survival game where you cant just craft shіt and build antroposphere in order to protect yourself , and forced to adapt and learn your environment to survive.
    The most unique survival action-platformer i ever played in terms of artstyle , gameplay , movement , lore and plot.
    Beware - difficulty level somewhere near Real Life ™ , and there will be minimum handholding besides sometimes "inescapable" encounters (later in game you'll learn how easily some creatures can be avoided), so dont be shy to play as Monk if you have troubles embracing it's difficulty.
    Also , creature spawning is not random , they move through level as they want , but they always spawn in their "hibernation chambers".    … Expand
  17. Traderman
    Apr 9, 2017
    10
    This is the most ingenious and inventive game of this generation. People that don't like it are simply too bound to conventional gaming. It's intelligent, challenging and awesome. I have played it through, and if you have done that aso, you know exactly what I mean
  18. Munck96
    Oct 25, 2018
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. ***SMALL SPOILERS AHEAD***

    My experience with Rain World has been that of being a creature that is lower on the food chain, and wonderfully so!
    It is truly fascinating to explore this dark and twisted world. Every time you find a new creature it's such a delight! A very scary delight, as you don't always have an idea what said creature/creatures do. Some are friendly, some will just straight up murder you.

    The easiest one to avoid are the obvious ones. Don't walk straight up to that big green lizard who's snapping their massive jaws against you. Just climb away on a pole away from the danger. Wait, what's this, a purple lizard? Ok, just climb to safety again, except the purple lizard can climb poles, run!

    Then you have the more snake-like enemies, not in the literal worm sense (sort of is though, in this example), but the ones who ambush you when you least expect it. Imagine you're just parkouring around trying to get to the next part of the room; when all of a sudden the pole you just vaulted to grabs you and multiple small graspers spread out from the whole thing pulling you closer to the "pole". In a flash it has dragged you down to it's chamber and proceeds to eat you; its slugcat lunch. I can't help myself from sitting there with a massive grin on my face after such occurrences.

    With a dynamic music system, the game tries to warn you when creatures are close. It may start off with a couple of hi-hats, giving you a sinister feeling. Then you enter a room and see no creature in particular, but the music has ramped up. Hmm... Shouldn't there be a creature in this room? Before you know it a camouflaged lizard shoots its tongue at you from across the room and barely misses. The music ramps up even more and is now an enthralling, yet terrifying war beat, and you jolt away to safety. With adrenaline flowing through your tiny slugcat body, you ready your spear and throw it at the lizard and hit its head. The spear gets deflected by its hard skull and it comes hurdling back at you and land in front of you again, the lizard obviously stunned and dumbfounded. Quickly it gathers itself and prepares for another attack, but you're not as lucky this time, and its long tongue grabs you with its sticky end. Panicking you manage to grab your spear on the route to certain doom, but this time you manage to throw it at its body. The lizard jolts in pain and releases its firm grasp.

    Instincts take over; and you frantically pull the spear out of its body and you stab it again... And again and again, until your rage comes to an end, and the lizard spazzez out one last time as its life force is drained, leaving it limp and colorless on the ground. A moment of silences passes, until you jump up and down like a monkey triumphantly celebrating your successful defense, as if you are the greatest god damn creature this world has ever conjured.

    2 minutes later a massive bird like creature swoops down from above and murders you before you can get your wits back from its terrifying presence. You think to yourself: "Looks like I have even bigger beasts to master," and you're back to your the same humble slugcat self you were before you killed the camo lizard.

    This game is truly a masterpiece. It barely has any narrative, but the world- and creature design is so on point that it tells you things implicitly, much like Dark Souls. The game really fascinates me and makes me want to learn more about all the nooks and crannies it has to offer.    … Expand
  19. KEGmaster3000
    Dec 30, 2020
    10
    rain world is the sort of experience you only get once in a lifetime, truly a stupendous game
  20. Cleoh
    Feb 4, 2022
    10
    Best game i ever played, the exact opposite of soulless AAA games, a bit hard to get into but it's deffinitely worth it.
  21. Acanthu7
    Mar 15, 2022
    10
    This game definitely isn't for everyone, but that doesn't make it a bad game. It's a game that pushes you to your limits, it wants to piss you off, it wants to give you a challenge, and if you're not up for it, then it's not the game for you. The AI in the game is absolutely wonderful, each and every creature feels like an animal that'd exist in the real world, the movement for everythingThis game definitely isn't for everyone, but that doesn't make it a bad game. It's a game that pushes you to your limits, it wants to piss you off, it wants to give you a challenge, and if you're not up for it, then it's not the game for you. The AI in the game is absolutely wonderful, each and every creature feels like an animal that'd exist in the real world, the movement for everything is so fluid. Even if it looks awkward or goofy, it still feels authentic. The pixelated style isn't lazily put in there for the sake of looking different like other indie games, but its implemented in because it genuinely works with the alien-like theme, and it's highly detailed to where you forget about the fact that its pixelated most the time. The point im trying to get across here is that the world building in this game is phenominal, every region has a purpose in the grand scheme of things, and each manages to feel different from the others, while still feeling like a small fraction of the expansive world behind it.
    Gameplay wise, I've never seen a game more confident in both itself and its playerbase than rain world. It throws new creatures at you and tells you to expirement with it, rather than putting it in some controlled environment or telling you what to do to avoid it or how to kill it; thats for you to decide. A perfect example of this is the Brother Long Legs found in Garbage Wastes. I fell into a pit within the region that was infested with these monstrocities, but rain was coming so I had to hibernate in the nearest shelter. I then proceeded to struggle to make it out for hours, until I found out that they're sensitive to sound due to the way they moved, and I then used an explosive fruit to scare them away and make it out. This is one of many experiences you, the player, make in this game, and the game does nothing to help you or lead you on; you're given a small set of tools, and a ton of obstacles, with no clear goal other than to get past them, and you're not told how to do just that. It's absolutely beautiful.
    This game is an absolute masterpiece, and deserves far more recognition than what it got. I personally have dug over 230 hours into a playthrough on the switch alone, there's so much you can do with the game, and the lore is masterfully made. My only pieces of criticism are the horrible screen transitions and the way the lore is told to you. Everything beyond that is gorgeous, and this game deserves at the very least a 9/10 here.    … Expand
  22. Wizelf402
    Apr 23, 2017
    9
    I don't know why people dislike this game. It's genuinely brilliant. It's pretty hard at times, and there are some things that are a bit hard to understand for some, but when you're intelligent enough to understand the game's mechanics, which are simple yet amazing, it's a genuinely incredible experience.
  23. lm6d
    Jul 2, 2017
    10
    I love this game.

    It's kind of a mix between another world and dark souls. I don't find the controls clunky as some said : you need to learn how to move your slugcat, but after a while, the controls reveal how precise they are and you can move exactly how you intend to move. You just need to learn. And that's all what this game is : learning, patiently. Each time you die, you learn    I love this game.

    It's kind of a mix between another world and dark souls.

    I don't find the controls clunky as some said : you need to learn how to move your slugcat, but after a while, the controls reveal how precise they are and you can move exactly how you intend to move. You just need to learn. And that's all what this game is : learning, patiently. Each time you die, you learn something, and won't die as easily the next time.

    And I love how it looks. Every screen is unique, with a lot of tiny details that makes it feel like a real place, a dreadful one though. The slugcat animations are a joy to look at, and everything moves smoothly, there's a real feeling that everything you see is alive.

    This is a demanding game, and not for everyone, but for what it is, it is somehow perfect. A true little gem.    … Expand
  24. smattathias
    Feb 3, 2018
    10
    I grew up playing Metroid and Zelda, two of my favorite games from childhood, so that should tell you where I'm coming from when I say that Rain World holds its own against these classics.

    I was not given a tutorial of Rain World. My housemate started playing it before me, and much of the early parts of the game include short how-to moments built into the game play which are pretty    I grew up playing Metroid and Zelda, two of my favorite games from childhood, so that should tell you where I'm coming from when I say that Rain World holds its own against these classics.

    I was not given a tutorial of Rain World. My housemate started playing it before me, and much of the early parts of the game include short how-to moments built into the game play which are pretty important. But I'm the kind of person who disregards the instructions and jumps right in anyway. In this case, it worked to my disadvantage. One improvement would be to simply have a separate small world for learning the ropes. That said, you can still learn along the way, but it's easier to know your options in this unforgiving world.

    Let me stress that again. Rain World is unforgiving. You are not the top of the food chain. You're somewhere in the middle, and in the early stages of the game, I would suggest flight over fight at least 90% of the time. This aspect makes you respect the world that you are in.

    Besides knowing your controls, I hesitate to say anything else about the game. It was a wonder. You know that moment in a movie or book when something incredible happens and you're swept up by it, just blown away at the awesomeness of it? That happens all the time in Rain World. It keeps blowing you away by new creatures, new landscapes, new weird things to learn, and it goes on forever.

    Actually, the length is something I should point out. It's long. Never mind the speedruns that people do. A normal play of the game will take hours and hours and hours. The world is huge. Beyond huge. I think there are about ten different sections of the game, and any one of them can take hours to explore. I was nervous about this at the onset because I normally like a smaller world, but in the end, I'm glad it went on forever. It made the end that much better.

    A top complaint in the other reviews seems to be the sometimes frustrating control of the character and the fact that you die a lot. Both are true. The controls take some getting used to, but they're not as bad as people claim. Yes, you will die due to the controls. It sucks. But like any other game, you get used to it and get better at them. And yes, you will die a lot! However, my threshold for needless deaths was set by Cuphead, during which I died over 2,000 times, and let me tell you that Rain World doesn't come close to this. The world spreads out in all directions, and you have infinite lives. If you didn't like what happened in one direction, take a different path. It's that simple.

    One of the best things I enjoyed was that I kept learning. I beat the game last night, which opened up the "hunter" level of playing. So just I kept playing this morning, and amazingly, I'm still learning! There is so much to learn about the game, the story, how the world works, what things are, where to go, how best to fight, how best to run away, which enemies you can take on and under what circumstances. You play, you learn, you probably die, and you play again. I really really love this about the game.

    Rain World is easily one of the best games I've ever played. Explore, kill, eat, die, learn, run away, jump. What's not to love?    … Expand
  25. ricniclas
    Dec 4, 2020
    10
    It's one of the most unique experiences you could ever live, I recommend it, but you need to accept that life is simply unfair, and this game does not change that
  26. Oh_Hi_Mark
    Apr 26, 2019
    10
    I love it.
    I love post-apocaliptic, heavy atmosphere
    I love detailed pixel-art graphic
    I love design of enemies and learning their weaknesses
    I love gameplay loop of "eat and don't be eaten" and surviving in this harsh world

    If you have a few bucks, I highly recomend it

    P.S
    It's hard game, Prepare To Die
  27. Gegatron
    Jul 20, 2019
    10
    Probably my favorite 2d platformer on PC. many people give this gave the negative eye because they die often and lose progress. This game is a hard cookie, and only gives the most basic idea of what you need to do, and lets you go after the tutorial. its start is similar to breath of the wild, but with no old man to guide you and start you off. you are prey to the lizards at the start, andProbably my favorite 2d platformer on PC. many people give this gave the negative eye because they die often and lose progress. This game is a hard cookie, and only gives the most basic idea of what you need to do, and lets you go after the tutorial. its start is similar to breath of the wild, but with no old man to guide you and start you off. you are prey to the lizards at the start, and you have to learn to respect, hide and escape from them. this game feels unfair at times. it can feel like it only wants you to suffer. But that is what i love about it. it feels like you really are prey, and that you are on the lower end of the food chain. it's meant to be unfair, because THAT IS HOW NATURE WORKS. nature doesn't help you, nature doesn't care for you, and nature wants to eat you alive. You need to master the movement and the throwing mechanic. You need to learn what each creature does. Most importantly, YOU need to master nature.… Expand
  28. yertre
    Feb 14, 2021
    10
    There is really nothing quite like this game. I can't 100% recommend it in good faith, as the game's unfair nature can put a lot of people off. The game is unfair because nature isn't fair. The game's enemies aren't enemies, they're creatures, trying to survive just like you. It can be hard to get into, but if you do, this game can reach something approaching perfection.

    This is one of    There is really nothing quite like this game. I can't 100% recommend it in good faith, as the game's unfair nature can put a lot of people off. The game is unfair because nature isn't fair. The game's enemies aren't enemies, they're creatures, trying to survive just like you. It can be hard to get into, but if you do, this game can reach something approaching perfection.

    This is one of the few games I love with all my heart. If you're used to conventional games, Rain World is a risk. But it's a risk that can really pay off.    … Expand
  29. Daresarn_
    Mar 3, 2021
    10
    What I liked:
    +Despite not being monolithic, the world is vast and consists of regions and sub-regions interconnected to each other. Detailed and immersive.
    +Gameplay is unique. There are almost no permanent power ups/upgrades. Only things that can make you progress are experience and item/map knowledge. +Rain is elaborate and established game mechanic. For example, when the rain    What I liked:
    +Despite not being monolithic, the world is vast and consists of regions and sub-regions interconnected to each other. Detailed and immersive.
    +Gameplay is unique. There are almost no permanent power ups/upgrades. Only things that can make you progress are experience and item/map knowledge.
    +Rain is elaborate and established game mechanic. For example, when the rain begins, you have still time to reach shelter, since rain can't hit you in enclosed spaces but you can be drowned since rooms are flooded. What I try to mean is that it is not just a simple "Game Over" screen appearing when the timer runs out. You may have more than one minute still, depending on your position.
    +Advanced movement tricks are cool, thanks to physics-based nature of the game.
    +Animations are detailed and controls are fluid.
    +Visuals are splendid. I can't mark the exact locations due to spoilers but they were obviously made by a touch of true artist.
    +Sound design is solid and music kicks in cleverly. Tracks are fitting to specific areas they are used in.
    +Background story, lore and other kind of data are obscure and there for you to dig. The further you go, more complex it gets.

    What I disliked:
    -Couple of fixed camera issues in certain levels.
    -Overseers (hologram-like guides) are useless and this is very important since their job is to direct you. You may have ended up in places where you shouldn't be or you may feel lost and exhausted to continue.
    -Scavengers are wacky.

    TLDR: I would recommend this to only other stoic god gamers.    … Expand
  30. OxenFree
    Jul 4, 2021
    10
    I love this game to the bottom of my heart I think even though I kinda suck at the game and have not beat it I knew what I was getting into so I was prepared to be annoyed but in the end I feel like ever death was doubled in victories and mistake taught me a new lesson this is the kind of world I would want to study and learn everything about it
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Awards & Rankings

46
#46 Most Discussed PC Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
66

Mixed or average reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. PLAY! Zine
    Jun 9, 2017
    65
    Beautifully crafted game with unique depressive atmosphere, but unfortunately the core gameplay mechanics are simply wrongly presented and designed.
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  2. CD-Action
    Jun 7, 2017
    80
    It frustrated me, it treated me unfairly, but after I got the hang of the rules I simply couldn’t tear myself away from it and kept chasing momentary triumphs among incessant nervous breakdowns. [06/2017, p.60]
  3. Riot Pixels
    Jun 5, 2017
    80
    An impressive bestiary of rogue DNA horrors, a charismatic hero and a huge world to explore. This is enough to forgive Rain World for a few weird design choices and at times wonky jumping mechanics.
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