Rain World

🎮 Steam ⏳ 30 hours ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Hostile Beauty #

This game is a survival platformer that places you in control of a fragile slugcat navigating a hostile, post-apocalyptic ecosystem. Its standout qualities are the gorgeous pixel art, fluid animations, and the haunting atmosphere that emerges from its dynamic world, filled with predators and relentless rain. it’s art is what made me want to play this game, and I stayed because of it’s amazing gameplay loop.

Living Ecosystem #

The game’s ecosystem feels alive, with procedurally animated creatures that behave unpredictably, creating tense and immersive encounters. Exploration is at the heart of the experience, with storytelling left mostly to environmental clues rather than dialogue or cutscenes, which adds to its mysterious tone. I find that the pixel-art is something from another world since the animations and fluidity feels like it is not a pixel-art title at all, it is truly one of a kind on this regard.

Unforgiving Survival #

However, Rain World is notoriously punishing, death often comes suddenly, and the scarcity of guidance means you must learn through trial and error. It’ll make you want to quit several times over, this is truly one of the hardest games I’ve ever played, and it absolutely does not feel unbalanced or cheap, it is just trying to convey the idea of you playing as a fragile living being in a hostile environment. This combination of harsh difficulty and opaque mechanics can be frustrating, especially for those looking for a more forgiving experience, so I advise you skip this one if you don’t like this idea.

Cult Classic Journey #

The reception was mixed at first, with some people praising its artistry and atmosphere while others criticized its severity. Over time, though, it has gained a cult following among players who appreciate its unique approach to survival and its uncompromising design, even launching some DLCs afterwards, with more playable characters that can drastically change how you play the game. And I highly recommend playing those, even though, particularly speaking, I never came back to it after I finished it for the first time. For those willing to endure its challenges, Rain World delivers a singular, unforgettable journey.