Rain World

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 46 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 46
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 46
  3. Negative: 11 out of 46
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  1. GFCat
    Apr 5, 2017
    5
    About 4 hrs playtime. Expected game to be good, was as impartial as possible.

    PROS: -Gorgeous artwork with a consistent design to keep the game world feeling alive and immersive. -Violent and dangerous enemies make the player feel helpless as the bottom of the food totem. Combat exists but is mostly futile. -Unique controls for Slugcat that make the player constantly adapt to    About 4 hrs playtime. Expected game to be good, was as impartial as possible.

    PROS:

    -Gorgeous artwork with a consistent design to keep the game world feeling alive and immersive.

    -Violent and dangerous enemies make the player feel helpless as the bottom of the food totem. Combat exists but is mostly futile.

    -Unique controls for Slugcat that make the player constantly adapt to how his slinky little body moves in tandem with the environment he's navigating.

    -Sprawling MetroidVania world that brings to life the challenge of the game, alongside a sense of being a small creature in a much larger post-apocalyptic world. The player has a map that fills itself out as they explore and discover, making navigating areas easier after making a second pass.

    -Brilliant music. Understands tension and relaxation very well.

    -Basically no railroading. The world is your oyster after finishing the tutorial.

    -Time limits keep the running tense and an omnipresent threat over the player that if the fauna won't kill you, the rain will.

    All in all, a beautifully crafted world that clearly took some heart and soul in crafting, and genuinely does its best to keep the player immersed. Interesting theme and design choices that always want to be in the limelight.

    Unfortunately, this is where the fun stuff ends.

    CONS:

    -Despite my praise of the lack of railroading, there is such a thing as getting your player properly acquainted. The game does the bare minimum of tutorialization for the player and leaves them stranded with only half the information they need to survive. Information is obscure at best, unknowable at worst. The game confuses itself into thinking "show, don't tell" means "do nothing to teach."

    -My appraisal of Slugcat's movements also have their negatives. More emphasis is put in the SLUG part of Slugcat, so he often moves around with this wiggly goopiness that makes the pixel perfect platforming in later areas an active nightmare to micro-manage. Coupled with his below average speed and a pitiful jump height, you'd be forgiven for being confused as to why this species has not gone the way of the dodo yet.

    -Save points are few and far between. In a game as difficult as this where anything can happen, players will often feel themselves losing patience as they die repeatedly, not know wither they were inches from a save-point or close to finding one of the flowers to reset the clock.

    -The rain's time limit coupled with the scarcity of save points means that instead of being a system to punish negligent players for staying outside too long, it is a harrowing race against time every day, making a brisk jog into a ragged and unenjoyable sprint to beat the buzzer.

    -Save points have a required food cost, meaning the player will have to waste additional time gorging themselves on fruit and gnats (or whatever the flying creatures are), which are intensely hard to catch given Slugcat's aforementioned maneuverability issues. It always feels like things are actively stacked in trying to run the player out of time.

    -Death comes with not only the pain of having your progress halted (reset food and maps to their status at the beginning of the day), but actively regresses the player's progress, with a horrid karma system arbitrarily locking the player out of new areas until they have survived X amount of days in a row. Karma is not only reset but depleted upon death, with the exception of finding and consuming a yellow flower.

    -Swimming controls do not rise above the usual brand of horrible that they are in every other video game in existence.

    -Certain enemies hide themselves in ways that are nearly invisible to the player.

    -In my opinion, the worst design choice of all. Randomized enemy spawns each day, often making the game not a test of skill, but of luck. Many times the player will find themselves in a compromising situation in which the enemy not only impedes their progress, but makes it genuinely impossible for the player to progress. This of course means the player will die and will then have their progress taken away, and the player will come out with nothing to show, because randomized spawns mean the player has no chance to learn how to overcome since the thing that killed them will be somewhere else next time. Difficult games should be like obstacle courses, and should give the player the chance to learn and familiarize themselves with the best method for coming out on top. That opportunity is actively denied to the player. Sometimes enemies can even fall into view from offscreen (due to the lack of parrallax scrolling or view expansion) and kill the player mid-flight. Very poorly thought out.

    All in all, a game with a lot going for it that comes away with too many annoyances to recommend. Perhaps if there were a patch I could give it my solid approval, but for now I'd say pick up HyperLight for a relatively similar experience.
    5.5 / 10    … Expand
  2. xiaolinstyle
    Mar 29, 2017
    7
    Rain World is a beautifly constructed platformer that suffers from imprecise controls.

    This game was clearly made with love and talent. Art work is superb. Each screen evokes a sense of wonder and builds this alien world of machinery, animals, plants and various beings that defy typical classification. It doesn't do much hand holding past the first few minutes so you are left to figure    Rain World is a beautifly constructed platformer that suffers from imprecise controls.

    This game was clearly made with love and talent. Art work is superb. Each screen evokes a sense of wonder and builds this alien world of machinery, animals, plants and various beings that defy typical classification. It doesn't do much hand holding past the first few minutes so you are left to figure out where you need to go. Though there is regular sign posting and a map so you don't get completely lost. It can be difficult as you can often die instantly from predators and your escape can be frustratingly hampered by controls that seem at times not designed for the intricate paths the game wants you to take.

    If you are looking for something different or even just a challenging platformer I definitely recommend Rain World.    … Expand
  3. Noanopolis
    Jul 29, 2018
    4
    I could write an entire essay about this game, but I'll keep it brief. This game is designed to have you play a certain way and punishes you for failing to do so, with design decisions that on paper seem like terrible ideas. But these were not bad things, and I had fun once I adjusted and felt the thrill of being a tiny animal in a hostile alien world, surviving on my nimbleness andI could write an entire essay about this game, but I'll keep it brief. This game is designed to have you play a certain way and punishes you for failing to do so, with design decisions that on paper seem like terrible ideas. But these were not bad things, and I had fun once I adjusted and felt the thrill of being a tiny animal in a hostile alien world, surviving on my nimbleness and knowledge of the terrain.

    However, in order for a game like this to work, it has to make sure that if you die, it's because you screwed up somehow. The thing about this game is that sometimes, enemies will bug out. And because of the way the game is designed, this often leads to inescapable death, which just leads to a chain-reaction of frustration. Other death-inducers that weren't as bad included dead enemies blocking the exit, and controls that may or may not have been just a little too finicky.

    This all being said, there's no other game quite like it, and it somehow has a very positive on steam. So if you really like artsy hard games, and can brush off deaths that weren't your fault, you might have fun with it. MIGHT.    … Expand
  4. Nathan1423
    Apr 7, 2017
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I hate this game....I hate this game so much....lol naw not really, not literally. Here's what happened: I saw the game, the art style, the premise, and thought, "WOW that looks super cool mann far outt!!"....lol...bought the game for $20, played it for 40 minutes, died 5 times, quit, looked up videos and articles explaining the game and how to play it and do well, since the game has no tutorial or narration. I then hopped back in and played a total of 2 hours knowing the game mechanics. I became utterly put out, deleted the game off my ps4, and highly regret spending the $20 dollars as I am a value fanatic and can get a TON of game time for that price. Why did I do this? Well the art style and the premise are literally the ONLY things I enjoyed about the game, 2 things I knew before even starting the game. Controls are SOOOO much garbage. Game play mechanics are highly questionable to say the least. No narration, no tutorial, no cut scenes. This game is like hyper light drifter but with only 25% of what that game has going for it. The sound design is not even very good, which is surprising since I use some awesome $140 headphones. Biggest downside is the controls. Mannn....I can play just about any sack of garbage if the controls are good, but I literally could not take the frustration of these nonfunctional controls, especially when jumping into a tunnel that is next to another tunnel or hiding spot. So basically this game is dark souls SNES cat edition, but instead of a cool warrior you're like an 8-bit cat....meow.… Expand
  5. dubloon7
    Apr 5, 2017
    5
    Gave my playtime effort a total of roughly 8 HOURS, review is based off of impressions of that timeframe:

    -WONDERFUL beginning world, and explorability -Controls are fine, until slouching into a pipe to escape enemies pursuing but CLUNCKY when turning corners in said pipe. DO NOT attempt jumping in pipe to gain momentum as character stays still until letting go of joystick and    Gave my playtime effort a total of roughly 8 HOURS, review is based off of impressions of that timeframe:

    -WONDERFUL beginning world, and explorability

    -Controls are fine, until slouching into a pipe to escape enemies pursuing but CLUNCKY when turning corners in said pipe. DO NOT attempt jumping in pipe to gain momentum as character stays still until letting go of joystick and reassert pressure in direction.

    -Annoying death mechanics: death from 1-hit from some random enemies (often); death during heavy rain 100% (rain is cool at first, but annoying soon after), randomization of enemy placement as I had died countless times entering a new screen and immediately dying in the pipe from another creature eating me within a single frame.

    -Save areas few and far between (which is a nice explorability fast run method), but method to save appears broken sometimes as required food meter is met but does not hibernate, food save system is HIGHLY not preferred, and food locations are randomized

    -ANNOYING and FRUSTRATING RANKING SYSTEM - PLEASE do away with this mechanic

    -Music is wonderful once enemies become near, and chase is on

    Overall 5/10: for great visuals, music, and lovely enemy animations but dislike for controls, save system, pointless ranking system, and randomization of enemy placement during each day cycle run    … Expand
  6. comuse
    Jul 10, 2021
    9
    Easily one of the best games i have ever played.

    the first thing a player is likely to notice is the graphics; this game is stunningly beautiful. Rain World's world is filled with the desolate ruins of a civilization long lost, every area is uniquely beautiful and intriguing. the creature design is no slouch either, ranging from simple lizards to much stranger things. The world is    Easily one of the best games i have ever played.

    the first thing a player is likely to notice is the graphics; this game is stunningly beautiful. Rain World's world is filled with the desolate ruins of a civilization long lost, every area is uniquely beautiful and intriguing. the creature design is no slouch either, ranging from simple lizards to much stranger things.

    The world is dangerous and very much alive. No experience in an area will be exactly the same, the available food sources are not guaranteed and the a.i. simulates a living ecosystem well. Every interaction you have with the creatures in this world has consequences. For instance if you make a habit of killing creatures then those creatures will come to see you are a predator and eventually run at the sight of you.

    The basic controls are simple and efficient, but a whole suit of options are never explained in game. Unfortunately only some of these are simple and easily discovered. The only thing required to beat the game from start to finish is the basic moveset, but learning the more advanced controls will make the game much easier.

    Difficulty; The game is fairly difficult, but not overwhelmingly so. Death in rain world, through predation or the rain itself, is almost always the fault of the player. Danger is meant to be avoided and your limits are meant to be respected, not pushed.    … Expand
  7. curzon_dax
    Jan 1, 2021
    7
    This game is definitely not my cup of tea: though I'll try to be fair because it is subjective. The game appears to be good for its platforming genre with a decent set of movements and a large free-roaming world. However where it loses me is that in its desire to be free roaming it becomes too disconnected from any sense of good progress and storytelling that it ends up being mainly anThis game is definitely not my cup of tea: though I'll try to be fair because it is subjective. The game appears to be good for its platforming genre with a decent set of movements and a large free-roaming world. However where it loses me is that in its desire to be free roaming it becomes too disconnected from any sense of good progress and storytelling that it ends up being mainly an exercise on platforming exploration without much boundaries which can be considered a positive for many players but for many others it would be desired to have more structure.… Expand
  8. MEMESAREPEOPLE
    Feb 22, 2021
    8
    Rain World is, without a doubt, the most unique game I’ve ever played. It is also the most mixed game I’ve ever played. On one hand, it is incredibly vague and punishing for mistakes that are sometimes not even your fault. On the other hand, it’s an amazingly unique and ingenious game that stands in the face of convention and actively defies it. If you can endure it’s harshest moments,Rain World is, without a doubt, the most unique game I’ve ever played. It is also the most mixed game I’ve ever played. On one hand, it is incredibly vague and punishing for mistakes that are sometimes not even your fault. On the other hand, it’s an amazingly unique and ingenious game that stands in the face of convention and actively defies it. If you can endure it’s harshest moments, then Rain World is a true gem in the catalogue of indie games.

    First things first, the game looks astonishing. Environments are beautiful eye-candy, and procedural animation makes every creature that inhabits this world feel alive and reactive. The soundtrack also does an incredible job of conveying when you could be in danger and when you are. The out-of-combat tracks are also amazing to listen to, although I will admit to being scared when I first heard it.

    In Rain World, your main goal is to survive in harsh ecosystems, and somehow escape an endless cycle of death and rebirth. Days are boiled down into cycles, where you must scavenge food and reach a shelter before the rain comes and lingers long enough to crush your bones. Every successful hibernation raises your level by one, and death decreases it by one. You will need to survive many consecutive cycles to discover new regions. You will also have to cope with numerous predators and other threats to survive. Food takes time to respawn after being consumed, so you are often encouraged to branch out of your comfort zone to find more food, and inevitably reach more shelters.

    However, the game tells you next to nothing about what is edible, what can kill you, and what route takes you to the next area or shelter. You are left on your own to figure it all out with nothing but wits, caution, and a spear to your name. This hands-off approach helps the player realize their role in the world. They are not an unkillable badass. They are just a confused slugcat, fighting tooth and nail just to make it to the next cycle. Eventually, you will learn of everything this game can throw at you, and you become a true survivor, which is one of the most naturally satisfying progression systems I’ve ever seen in gaming.

    When combat is necessary, it is also equally satisfying. It is deceptively simple on the surface, but there is a ton of movement that you can pull off to get the slight edge on your adversary. I won’t spoil it for spoiler reasons, but just know that there is a lot you can do. While you generally die in one hit if you’re unlucky, it never really detrimented the combat. In fact, it keeps you on the edge of your seat at every moment. Knowing that I’m just one false move away from death kept my adrenaline high.

    One thing that surprised me the most was the AI. Simply put, it’s very good. Every creature goes off on it’s own to scavenge for food, and engage in territorial scraps when some of them meet. There is a clear ecosystem in place, and every creature acts and reacts appropriately. The lizard, for instance, is a predator, and will hunt you down if you’re found, but they will often flee around larger predators. This system goes even deeper, to where you can even change the way some creatures react to you. For example, lizards can be befriended by feeding them other food that they eat. When befriended, they will follow you around, sleep with you in shelters, and will sometimes even try to save you if you are caught by another predator. It’s this level of depth that greatly contributes to full immersion in this ecosystem.

    However, not all of this game is sunshine and rainbows, as this rose has some razor sharp thorns that will stab you again, and again. While the AI of this game is phenomenal, there have been moments where I traveled through a pipe, only to be greeted by a hungry lizards maw. That’s just one of many unfair scenarios this game can throw at you that can make leveling up very difficult and even frustrating. You will need a fair amount of tolerance for repeated failure, and a decent degree of skill to make it through these barriers and get the most out of this game.

    While the lore of this game is rich, I highly recommend reading it on the wiki, unless you like traveling extended distances to do so. To uncover lore, you must take colored pearls scattered throughout the world to a specific NPC, who will read it for you. While it feels incredibly cool to pick away at the lore until you eventually reach a revelation, the process of gathering and delivering pearls can be tedious and time consuming.

    Rain World is not for everyone. It’s a hard game that will punish you for things you sometimes aren’t even in control of. However, there is brilliance below it’s rock hard surface, and if you have a little patience, then this game will stick in your mind, long after you’ve finished it. It’s an ingenious work of art that other games in this medium can not compare to.

    Overall score: 8.5/10    … Expand
  9. AxoStorm
    Dec 5, 2022
    9
    This is a brutal ass game and you probably know that already. At the start, the lil scug's controls feel a tad weird at the beginning however I think they'll grow on you as you keep playing, especially with it's extended **** fighting game ass move set. The environments and how the creatures interact in it are perfectly crafted and the AI is one of the best parts of the game. The music isThis is a brutal ass game and you probably know that already. At the start, the lil scug's controls feel a tad weird at the beginning however I think they'll grow on you as you keep playing, especially with it's extended **** fighting game ass move set. The environments and how the creatures interact in it are perfectly crafted and the AI is one of the best parts of the game. The music is atmospheric and amazing and is able to perfectly fit into the game and the dynamic threat music is able to tell you what creatures you should be scared of. The pixel art is amazing and all of the animations are smooth and life-like. This game isn't perfect however, one of the creatures has truly awful AI and since it's the only thing that can get you through one of the areas it's really annoying to try and get them across some of the rooms. The Exterior is the WORST area in the game, it SUCKS, I HATE IT and it's the only reason I go through Chimney Canopy to get to a story specific area.
    This is an overall amazing game and I suggest it. Can't wait for the Downpour Expansion coming January 19.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
59

Mixed or average reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 18
  3. Negative: 2 out of 18
  1. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    Jul 7, 2017
    70
    Rain World may not be the most forgiving adventure, but stick with it through its trickier times, and when it all comes together it’s capable of producing some genuinely brilliant moments. [June 2017, p76]
  2. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    May 29, 2017
    70
    A visually stunning and often satisfying game, but one with more than its fair share of irritating moments. Put up with its nonsense and you'll be rewarded. [May 2017, p.89]
  3. PlayStation Universe
    Apr 16, 2017
    65
    The bountiful promise of Rain World’s grim world and the assortment of cunning creatures which inhabit it are summarily undone by fiddly controls and an overwhelmingly punishing level of difficulty. Underneath it all there’s an assuredly decent effort here; it’s just a shame that all but the most masochistically inclined will ever summon the requisite determination to plumb its intimidating depths.
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