Rain World, the massive metroidvania about surviving an alien ecosystem, is out on Switch

[More_Badass]

https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/rain-world-switch


$19.99
​

There's no doubt that Rain World is a divisive game. It's very much a love it or hate it kind of game, but it's undeniably a unique labor of love and if it clicks with you, it's one of the most interesting entries in its genre. For me, Rain World is one of the best indie games ever made.

Gameplay-wise, Rain World is a gargantuan metroidvania, a metroidvania where you have all your abilities from the start and the "keys" that unlock new areas are your skills as a player and your knowledge of the world. It's a metroidvania with hundreds upon hundreds of handcrafted rooms divided among incredibly diverse regions, inhabited by a dynamic ecosystem brought to life with fluid procedurally-generated animations and intelligent AI

Relentless hunters, camouflaged stalkers, creatures at home in the murky depths and open skies, things lurking in places where the sun never shines...Rain World's industrial jungle is home to predators and prey of all kinds. An intelligent civilization existed before, but now only the decayed ruins and eroded infrastructure remain as remnants of that long-gone culture. Oppressive darkness, dank rusting cisterns, rolling hills of detritus, metropolitan ruins, and much more are waiting to be explored

But most importantly, it's a game where you play as prey. It's a game where progress and survival hinges on getting into the mindset of a prey animal, that you're near the bottom of the food chain. If you don't adapt and acclimate to that cautious careful pace, to the feeling of being weak and outnumbered and surrounded on all sides by threats that can kill you in a second, Rain World can be very frustrating. But if that "depowerment fantasy" appeals to you, Rain World is unlike anything else.

I could discuss Rain World for a long time but Kansoku did a fantastic detailed thread write-up about the game last year, covering the design of the world, the complex behind-the-scenes tech behind the AI and animations, the sense of discovery and mastery
https://www.resetera.com/threads/you-should-play-rain-world.11495/

One major aspect of Rain World, is the fact that you have an entire ecosystem simulated. Every individual creature has it's own behavior and they're being simulated even if they're not on the screen. So you have all these creatures, each different from the other, even within the same type of creature (like, some have better vision then others, for example), and they're moving around, interacting with other creatures, all in the background, so when you move to another screen you might not know what you're going to see. It really sells the living world aspect, it really makes you feel that all those creatures are the same as you; they're going around, searching for food until the next rain season comes. And to sell that even more, the creature designs are procedurally generated, and all the animations (including the player) are a mix of handcrafted and procedurally generated. So each creature is unique in it's behavior and appearance, and due to the procedural animations, they can respond to all the different situations they'll get in.

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The technical aspects of Rain World, the complex AI, the simulation in the background, the procedural animation, is what sold me initially on the game. The mechanics of the moment to moment gameplay made me stay, but the beautiful world and the story (especially the ending) elevated a fantastic game to a must play one.

I'm not sure I managed to sell this, as it is quite hard to put into words, especially without spoiling anything. But even if you're not that interest in this type of gameplay, or think this game is ugly, or whatever the reason you have for not wanting to play, I still think it's worth checking it out just to see it's world come alive. The developers managed to do something quite amazing, and it bothers me that it's getting so overlooked.

Click to shrink...

 

[theotherMittens]

I've been interested in this game for a long time, and being on Switch makes me more likely to finally pick it up. My gaming schedule is pretty busy right now, but I'll try to pick it up during a slow season.

 

[Deleted member 8861]

Yeah, give this game a try. It's hard as goddamn nails. I'm very little into it but it's awesome.

 

[icyflamez96]

Your thread titles always amuse me

 

[Reven Wolf]

Yeah, give this game a try. It's hard as goddamn nails. I'm very little into it but it's awesome.

Click to shrink...

I can confirm it's hard as nails, I haven't gotten far into it unfortunately (got too frustrated and stressed from it) but I don't feel the game was unfair, just that I was bad lol.

 

[More_Badass]

Your thread titles always amuse me

Click to shrink...

Why?

 

[Deleted member 59]

It's been on my "i want to play this" list ever since i first saw animations for the creatures a long time back. I'll probably buy it, didn't realise it was supposed to be so difficult though!

 

[Deleted member 3017]

This will probably be my next Switch purchase. I've been interested in this game for a long time, but the reviews scared me off. The updates to the game, plus the incredibly positive word of mouth from Steam users and folks like More_Badass have convinced me to finally check it out.

 

[More_Badass]

It's been on my "i want to play this" list ever since i first saw animations for the creatures a long time back. I'll probably buy it, didn't realise it was supposed to be so difficult though!

Click to shrink...

There's definitely a learning curve. I had more experience with it than most, because I was a backer so I had a few dozen of hours of play before finally playing the final game. And a lot of those hours were spent in doing arena fights of my own making so I had a lot of combat experience.

Best advice I can give is to play with the mindset of a prey animal. You're weak. Pretty much everything else in the world can kill you easily. Every foray should be made with caution. You need to always be sure you have a route and a plan (is this cycle for scavenging or exploring, where's the nearest den, etc). Hiding and fleeing should always be your first choices, fighting back a last resort. Your agility, wider perspective as a player, and knowledge of how animals interact are your greatest weapons.

 

[I KILL PXLS]

This is one of those games that I've been super interested in for forever but not sure if I'd actually enjoy. Kind of wish I could play a demo (does a demo exist?). It being on Switch makes me a lot more likely to pick it up though.

 

[wrowa]

Was gonna ask how difficult it is, but the first few replies took care of that. "Hard as nails" is a bit of a shame, since I prefer my Metroidvanias to be exploration-focused rather than combat-focused. Rain World looks wonderful and special, but if it's too stressfull I rather wait on a sale.

 

[-PXG-]

This game is legitimate really hard. Rarely do I ever say that too.

 

[wrowa]

This is one of those games that I've been super interested in for forever but not sure if I'd actually enjoy. Kind of wish I could play a demo (does a demo exist?). It being on Switch makes me a lot more likely to pick it up though.

Click to shrink...

You could buy it on Steam and fill for a refund if you don't like it, I suppose.

 

[Enforcer]

How is the Switch performance? I know it's 30 fps but are there any dips and whats the resolution. If anyone know thanks.

 

[Elfotografoalocado]

Oh, will definitely being picking this up. I remember being in awe of pre-launch videos. Looks like one of the few games out there that have been advancing in the kind of interactivity you can expect from a game.

 

[More_Badass]

Was gonna ask how difficult it is, but the first few replies took care of that. "Hard as nails" is a bit of a shame, since I prefer my Metroidvanias to be exploration-focused rather than combat-focused. Rain World looks wonderful and special, but if it's too stressfull I rather wait on a sale.

Click to shrink...

Rain World is absolutely exploration focused. It isn't hard as nails because of combat, it's hard of nails because of how you're weak prey and almost everything else is a predator. When the devs call this a "depowerment fantasy", they aren't kidding. The harsh nature of the world isn't sugarcoated; you have to play by the rules of the world or you die.

And half of the challenge is just learning how species operate, what's dangerous and what's useful, learning routes and how to safely explore.

Honestly, I'd argue that Rain World is as focused on exploration, if not more so, as Hollow Knight. Exploration is progress and survival in Rain World, it's how you observe and study the ecosystem, how you find where food and dens are, the best routes to travel, etc

 

[Garlic]

Did they ever ditch the terrible karma system that absolutely ruined the game

 

[BarryFishFinger]

It's balls to the wall hard. I tried numerous times to love it on PS4, there is such a good game there but I couldn't get past how unforgiving it is. I restarted numerous times, but always got to the same area and was unable to progress. It's a game built around incremental steps of exploration, you're supposed to carefully push out from the safe space and each time go a bit further, but I found the exploration so unforgiving I never really felt like I was going anywhere. You have to be aware of when the rains coming so you can hibernate, but I always found I'd get slightly too far away to get back to the safe zone, or I'd lose health in the way and be unable to hibernate or I'd run into something on the way back and die. And dying makes you drop a level so sometimes a small mistake or a surprise enemy would undo an hour's careful progress. It got quite wearing and eventually I gave up, reluctantly, because I love the idea and the AI stuff and the enemies and sense of being a prey animal were fantastic. Generally the world was great too, although the aesthetic made some of the overworld quite confusing/irritating to navigate. Lots of dead end holes for slug cat to get snagged on and combined with unpredictable AI I had more than a few deaths which felt desperately unfair and combined with the level drop on death, sapped any inclination to continue.

So yeah, great game if you have the patience and the mindset, but I'd probably end up punching my switch.

 

[Deleted member 11413]

Was gonna ask how difficult it is, but the first few replies took care of that. "Hard as nails" is a bit of a shame, since I prefer my Metroidvanias to be exploration-focused rather than combat-focused. Rain World looks wonderful and special, but if it's too stressfull I rather wait on a sale.

Click to shrink...

The game is hardly combat-focused, it is almost entirely focused on exploration and survival elements. The reason it is hard is because enemies are extremely dangerous, so avoiding combat when possible is the best way to survive. Combat is a last resort, always.

 

[Dommo]

It's one of the most unique and brilliantly cohesive gameworlds I've ever experienced and regardless of any other shortcomings I can say this without a doubt. It's painfully punishing sometimes, often necessarily to drum home the complete sense of the oppressive and indifferently cruel world, but I do sympathise with those saying it was too frustrating to bear.

In my experience, letting go of my fears and fear of losing my resources was vital in my enjoyment. Naturally I'd be as careful as I could be, but when I realised it wasn't the end of the world dropping in karma and that risking death to make progress was far more rewarding I began to enjoy myself more.

But goodness gracious, is it worth it to experience this weird and wonderful place that feels completely devoid of pandering assistance. On the contrary - you feel like another small cog in a giant, unflinching organic machine of predators and prey. You start to realise that these enemies aren't bad, they're just animals looking to survive, and they'll happily consume anything in their path, including other animals in the wild. Then you realise that you yourself are just as much a predator, just lower on the food chain, consuming smaller flies as the only means of survival.

And even in gameplay terms, the difficulty pays off - when you manage to slip by unscathed in a thrilling emergent encounter, there's nothing like it. An adrenaline rush you rarely feel in video games.

And then there's that dastardly rain that ties the whole thing together. Traversing this world is so extremely intimidating that it buries into your brain and won't let up. And it's not just intimidating from an aesthetic point of view like something like Bioshock where the core gameplay loop is a piece of cake. The gameplay being as tough and as focused as it is really adds to the experience.

Yes, it can be frustrating and I empathise with those who don't have the patience for it. But damnit, it's rare to see a game aim for such specific and creative feats and pull off exactly what it wants to do.

EDIT: I'll say more broadly that it does kind of annoy me that indie games like this don't get the same kind of patience awarded to them by players and critics alike for potentially frustrating gameplay. I'd say this is no more or less frustrating than a Souls game, the latter often feeling painfully limiting in how I can approach a situation, so I feel like I'm just doing the same over and over until I 'git gud' whereas at least Rain World always has a plethora of different paths to go down so you can tackle areas in different ways. Likewise, because of the simulated, procedurally generated AI, no repeated encounter will quite be the same, and there'll be different opportunities to manoeuvre depending on their placement, although I do understand how this can lead to feelings of 'unfairness' when the world can feel so randomly indifferent. Regardless, games as unique and cohesive as Rain World (and Souls for that matter) deserve attention and patience and a fair go. Just because it's a difficult, somewhat obtuse indie game doesn't mean it should be flung to the wayside as it seemingly has by so many people.

 

[Opa-Pa]

Game is definitely something unique. I was always curious about it but never really grasped what it was about, so boy was I surprised when I got it on Switch recently, I had never seen something like it.

The fauna and their behavior really helps sell the game's world, it feels like an actual ecosystem you have to survive in, and I'm a big fan of the so-called depowerment fantasy. Something I've always loved about Metroid is feeling threatened in a mysterious world where your not welcome, and here in Rain World you can experience that tenfold.

It's indeed quite a challenging experience, but even small victories like making it past an enemy alive and into a shelter before rain comes feel like huge, extremely satisfying accomplishments, I love it.

I have no idea if I'll ever beat it, really I'm pretty bad at it, but it's one of those games that are so impressive and unique that you just have to experience them, so I'm pretty glad I caved either way.

How is the Switch performance? I know it's 30 fps but are there any dips and whats the resolution. If anyone know thanks.

Click to shrink...

I've been playing it a lot in handheld mode and the only frame drops I've noticed have happened when rain comes, which shouldn't be a problem because if rains caughts you in the wild then you're dead unless you were very close to a shelter. Game looks very crisp too so it seems to be native resolution (720p).

 

[Deleted member 419]

I ragequit this game about seven times and picked it back up again about seven times. The conclusion of a thread I had made about the game back when Era first started was that I had ragequit at a certain part (that I still think is kind of poorly designed to be fair), but after that I picked it back up again and went through another half dozen hate-it-or-love-it cycles.

What I can say about this game is that there is nothing else like it and that it should be remembered for the sheer ambition of its vision and how utterly it belabors itself in service of that vision, and those themes of disempowerment but, also, of the fragile zen state of coexistence with a world that is deadly, unpredictable, often cruel, but ultimately your home. The progression design is simply mind-blowing and one for the textbooks; it eschews the notion of advancing through attaining a series of goals, and instead emphasizes progression through learning how to truly exist in each ecosystem before moving on to the next. It may not be a game you end up liking, but it is a game that everyone should play, and its DNA needs to be preserved in the cultural mindshare.

EDIT: For this reason, if you are specifically a game developer, I cannot recommend this game enough, as a design document it is one that will give you an incredible amount to ruminate on and potentially incorporate into your own work should it ever prove prudent to do so.

 

[Young Liar]

yeah, i'll get this now that i don't feel that totally irrational pressure to finish it within the year it came out.

it intrigued the hell out of me when i first saw it, but yeah, 2017 was already stacked as hell with all the legit great games released then. i wouldn't have had the patience for this.

but yeah, it's a bold creative work, no doubt, so i'll give it the proper attention it deserves!

 

[Elodes]

It's one of the most unique and brilliantly cohesive gameworlds I've ever experienced and regardless of any other shortcomings I can say this without a doubt. It's painfully punishing sometimes, often necessarily to drum home the complete sense of the oppressive and indifferently cruel world, but I do sympathise with those saying it was too frustrating to bear.

In my experience, letting go of my fears and fear of losing my resources was vital in my enjoyment. Naturally I'd be as careful as I could be, but when I realised it wasn't the end of the world dropping in karma and that risking death to make progress was far more rewarding I began to enjoy myself more.

But goodness gracious, is it worth it to experience this weird and wonderful place that feels completely devoid of pandering assistance. On the contrary - you feel like another small cog in a giant, unflinching organic machine of predators and prey. You start to realise that these enemies aren't bad, they're just animals looking to survive, and they'll happily consume anything in their path, including other animals in the wild. Then you realise that you yourself are just as much a predator, just lower on the food chain, consuming smaller flies as the only means of survival.

And even in gameplay terms, the difficulty pays off - when you manage to slip by unscathed in a thrilling emergent encounter, there's nothing like it. An adrenaline rush you rarely feel in video games.

And then there's that dastardly rain that ties the whole thing together. Traversing this world is so extremely intimidating that it buries into your brain and won't let up. And it's not just intimidating from an aesthetic point of view like something like Bioshock where the core gameplay loop is a piece of cake. The gameplay being as tough and as focused as it is really adds to the experience.

Yes, it can be frustrating and I empathise with those who don't have the patience for it. But damnit, it's rare to see a game aim for such specific and creative feats and pull off exactly what it wants to do.

EDIT: I'll say more broadly that it does kind of annoy me that indie games like this don't get the same kind of patience awarded to them by players and critics alike for potentially frustrating gameplay. I'd say this is no more or less frustrating than a Souls game, the latter often feeling painfully limiting in how I can approach a situation, so I feel like I'm just doing the same over and over until I 'git gud' whereas at least Rain World always has a plethora of different paths to go down so you can tackle areas in different ways. Likewise, because of the simulated, procedurally generated AI, no repeated encounter will quite be the same, and there'll be different opportunities to manoeuvre depending on their placement, although I do understand how this can lead to feelings of 'unfairness' when the world can feel so randomly indifferent. Regardless, games as unique and cohesive as Rain World (and Souls for that matter) deserve attention and patience and a fair go. Just because it's a difficult, somewhat obtuse indie game doesn't mean it should be flung to the wayside as it seemingly has by so many people.

Click to shrink...

I ragequit this game about seven times and picked it back up again about seven times. The conclusion of a thread I had made about the game back when Era first started was that I had ragequit at a certain part (that I still think is kind of poorly designed to be fair), but after that I picked it back up again and went through another half dozen hate-it-or-love-it cycles.

What I can say about this game is that there is nothing else like it and that it should be remembered for the sheer ambition of its vision and how utterly it belabors itself in service of that vision, and those themes of disempowerment but, also, of the fragile zen state of coexistence with a world that is deadly, unpredictable, often cruel, but ultimately your home. The progression design is simply mind-blowing and one for the textbooks; it eschews the notion of advancing through attaining a series of goals, and instead emphasizes progression through learning how to truly exist in each ecosystem before moving on to the next. It may not be a game you end up liking, but it is a game that everyone should play, and its DNA needs to be preserved in the cultural mindshare.

EDIT: For this reason, if you are specifically a game developer, I cannot recommend this game enough, as a design document it is one that will give you an incredible amount to ruminate on and potentially incorporate into your own work should it ever prove prudent to do so.

Click to shrink...

These are really fantastic posts. It warms my heart to see this kind of sentiment about Rain World be spread.

I'll add my voice to the chorus: Rain World is the single most memorable, most satisfying gaming experience I've ever had. Crucially, it is *so* different from anything else on the market, that really the only way to figure out if you'd like it, is to play it yourself. If it clicks with you, it might just prove itself to be irreplaceable.

The game is a gargantuan achievement. Whenever I think of the ambitions of its mechanics, its world, and especially its narrative themes, I get overwhelmed; it is so much to take in. I can't stress enough how astounding I found this game, and what a fresh breath of air it is. Definitely full of flaws; but what a diamond of a game this is, and how fierce its cracks make it.

 

[Crispy75]

It's worth pointing out that the Switch version (and all versions, now) have Easy and Difficult settings now (Monk and Hunter, respectively). Playing as the Monk, you miss out on some of the more exciting creatures, but you get an easier time of things. You don't need to eat as much, food respawns more often, predators are less aggressive etc.

If the world intrigues you but you don't want to bang your head on it, play as the Monk.

EDIT: And yes, it's incredible. The depth of the world simulation, the bizzare spectrum of creatures and especially the way the game's themes are tied up tight with the core gameplay loop make it very special.

The development was blogged in extreme detail on this Tigsource thread. It's an "outsider" game really. The main developer had never made a proper game before, and started out making it in Macromedia Director in 2012. Just an interactive art toy. That thread will spoil things for you if you want to meet all the creatures in-game, but it's an absolutely fascinating read. I don't think there's AI like it out there anywhere.

 

[Kadath]

I'm still waiting for the final PC patch. A whole year ago they released 1.5 and said right away they were doing a few adjustments to patch a few weeks later. It never happened.

Now a full year later there's rumor of a 1.7 patch, but from a thread on Steam they say it will only have minor fixes and all the new content they planned will be postponed.

It's kind of sad, it's always stuck in some sort of limbo.

 

[Crispy75]

The 1.7 patch brings all the platforms into alignment with a common codebase, which was quite a lot of work, if I understand it right. Previously, the PC version was "prime" and then PS4 was ported by a 3rd party. The extra content is still coming, but when it comes, it'll come to all three platforms simultaneously.

 

[Oni_J]

I'm thrilled about this game, if performance is solid I'll be there to suffer like everyone else.

 

[Dascu]

Will pick this up and play it on the 'easy' difficulty setting, which I understand they added.

 

[cucholix]

It looks really beautiful, and the animation is superb, I really wanted a predator-prey sim since I'm fan of Cubivore, flOw, Sparkle. But if it's as hard as people say then I'm not sure if I'm going to enjoy it, happened something similar to with Teslagrad...

 

[ZeroX]

"Massive" and "gargantuan" are not words I like to hear in regards to Metroidvania. I like it tightly paced. Hollow Knight was way too big. Good to know I should pass on this game.

 

[1upsuper]

It's one of the most unique and brilliantly cohesive gameworlds I've ever experienced and regardless of any other shortcomings I can say this without a doubt. It's painfully punishing sometimes, often necessarily to drum home the complete sense of the oppressive and indifferently cruel world, but I do sympathise with those saying it was too frustrating to bear.

In my experience, letting go of my fears and fear of losing my resources was vital in my enjoyment. Naturally I'd be as careful as I could be, but when I realised it wasn't the end of the world dropping in karma and that risking death to make progress was far more rewarding I began to enjoy myself more.

But goodness gracious, is it worth it to experience this weird and wonderful place that feels completely devoid of pandering assistance. On the contrary - you feel like another small cog in a giant, unflinching organic machine of predators and prey. You start to realise that these enemies aren't bad, they're just animals looking to survive, and they'll happily consume anything in their path, including other animals in the wild. Then you realise that you yourself are just as much a predator, just lower on the food chain, consuming smaller flies as the only means of survival.

And even in gameplay terms, the difficulty pays off - when you manage to slip by unscathed in a thrilling emergent encounter, there's nothing like it. An adrenaline rush you rarely feel in video games.

And then there's that dastardly rain that ties the whole thing together. Traversing this world is so extremely intimidating that it buries into your brain and won't let up. And it's not just intimidating from an aesthetic point of view like something like Bioshock where the core gameplay loop is a piece of cake. The gameplay being as tough and as focused as it is really adds to the experience.

Yes, it can be frustrating and I empathise with those who don't have the patience for it. But damnit, it's rare to see a game aim for such specific and creative feats and pull off exactly what it wants to do.

EDIT: I'll say more broadly that it does kind of annoy me that indie games like this don't get the same kind of patience awarded to them by players and critics alike for potentially frustrating gameplay. I'd say this is no more or less frustrating than a Souls game, the latter often feeling painfully limiting in how I can approach a situation, so I feel like I'm just doing the same over and over until I 'git gud' whereas at least Rain World always has a plethora of different paths to go down so you can tackle areas in different ways. Likewise, because of the simulated, procedurally generated AI, no repeated encounter will quite be the same, and there'll be different opportunities to manoeuvre depending on their placement, although I do understand how this can lead to feelings of 'unfairness' when the world can feel so randomly indifferent. Regardless, games as unique and cohesive as Rain World (and Souls for that matter) deserve attention and patience and a fair go. Just because it's a difficult, somewhat obtuse indie game doesn't mean it should be flung to the wayside as it seemingly has by so many people.

Click to shrink...

I agree wholeheartedly. The game is unquestionably a masterpiece. I sincerely respect its unyielding devotion to the overall project of simulating an oppressive world where you have to struggle to survive. The game doesn't fit the rubric or tick the boxes that lots of fans and critics seem to depend on, but that's half the point. Lots of metroidvanias are empowerment fantasies where you grow stronger and faster. In Rain World, you grow smarter.

Rain World is not for everyone, and that is absolutely to its benefit. If this game tried to cast a wider net, it would have had to compromise its integrity and ambitions which are absolutely crucial to its success as an overwhelming and overwhelmingly beautiful experience.

 

[Triggerhappytel]

It's a game I admire for lots of different reasons but I don't actually find it fun to play. I wish it was a lot more lenient with its learning curve to ease you in. My experience was like the guy who did the Giant Bomb Quick Look; one of constant frustration.

 

[1upsuper]

The 1.7 patch brings all the platforms into alignment with a common codebase, which was quite a lot of work, if I understand it right. Previously, the PC version was "prime" and then PS4 was ported by a 3rd party. The extra content is still coming, but when it comes, it'll come to all three platforms simultaneously.

Click to shrink...

Wait, what is this extra content? I didn't know there were plans for stuff beyond the easy and hunter modes.

 

[Deleted member 37917]

Quite disappointing for pixel-art games to be 30fps on Switch. Are these so performance hungry?

 

[ManniUncanny]

Have to wait a bit more before the EU release.

I can see myself struggling without Monk Mode, but I'll have to play normal mode just for the iconic white slugcat.

 

[Deleted member 2834]

30 FPS on Switch? Damn, that's a no from me. I'll check it out on PS4.

 

[Turin Turambar]

Quite disappointing for pixel-art games to be 30fps on Switch. Are these so performance hungry?

Click to shrink...

In this case, there is a good amount of AI driven ecosystem (even outside the player screen) and physics driven animation, so maybe it's justified?

 

[Crispy75]

Quite disappointing for pixel-art games to be 30fps on Switch. Are these so performance hungry?

Click to shrink...

This one has a ton of physics and AI going on, and the backgrounds have all sorts of clever post-processing/lighting going on. Hardly any traditional "pixel art" at all.

30 FPS on Switch? Damn, that's a no from me. I'll check it out on PS4.

Click to shrink...

I believe it's 60 (with the odd dip) docked? (can't confirm)

I've got back into it again recently, due to the Switch announcement, so I thought I'd share some short stories:

In Garbage Wastes, out in the open in one of the dry areas, I come running out of the pipe and immediately get lassoed by a white lizard who'd been hiding camouflaged under a ledge. I manage to grab a pole, so there we are; the lizard with its tongue grabbing me, struggling up this pole, just about maintaining my distance. I've got a spear, but I'm higher than the lizard; I can't make my shot. The rain will come eventually and kill us both. Stalemate. The music's thumping. Then I see a green lizard enter from the open edge of the screen. My saviour! It's agonising, waiting for it to slowly plod over to my side, but when it sees me, it picks up the pace. It gets close, leaps forward and at the same time, I let go of the pole. Green goes over my head and collides with White, who releases me from its grasp. I sprint away and leave them to it.

The rain is coming soon. Just a few pips left on the timer. There are two refuges in the area, but one is too far to reach in the time remaining. The route to the other, I find out with a sinking stomach, is being guarded by a pink lizard. Those things can climb poles, so I can't just zip up and over it. I'm unarmed. The music fades out. The screen starts to dim. The rain is coming. And then I see a shadow sweep across the background. A vulture! It swoops in and literally plucks Pinky off the poles and off the top of the screen. I scramble up the poles, the rain starts, I stumble through the next screen and just about make it into the shelter. Only just enough food in my belly for the game to save, but I'm alive and my Karma goes up. I call that a win.

Garbage Wastes again. Underground. I go through a pipe and am immediately eaten by a Daddy Long Legs. No time to react whatsoever. FUCKING CHEAP FUCKING GAME. And breath. I live again. I'll go to the easy hunting area and re-up my karma.

 

[TheTruth]

I completely forgot this game exists on the PS4, added to my wishlist already as it looks quite interesting. Is there any schedule for additional content, like easy mode etc?

 

[Disclaimer]

Were impressions of the difficulty before "Monk" mode was added, unaware of its existence, or using it?

Thinking about getting this, but I think I'd prefer a mode that wasn't quite as frustrating as people are describing.

 

[Deleted member 37917]

In this case, there is a good amount of AI driven ecosystem (even outside the player screen) and physics driven animation, so maybe it's justified?

Click to shrink...

Maybe it is in this case. I was saying this in general, because there are other game for which performances issues are hardly justifiable, like Mark Of the Ninja, yet the developers straight up told us that nothing was going to be done about it. I feel like the Switch being notoriously underpowered as compared to the 2 other consoles entices this kind of port.

 

[Kansoku]

I still think about this game from time to time. Such a great game.

"Massive" and "gargantuan" are not words I like to hear in regards to Metroidvania. I like it tightly paced. Hollow Knight was way too big. Good to know I should pass on this game.

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It's not much of a Metroidvania in the usual sense of getting upgrades and coming back. The world is massive but there's absolutely no reason for you to explore every single room. not even explore every area. It is big to give you a ton of options, so that if one path is too dangerous right now you can have an alternative path.

Were impressions of the difficulty before "Monk" mode was added, unaware of its existence, or using it?

Thinking about getting this, but I think I'd prefer a mode that wasn't quite as frustrating as people are describing.

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Yes. Monk was added quite a bit later and it streamlines a lot of the issues people have with it's difficulty.

 

[More_Badass]

I completely forgot this game exists on the PS4, added to my wishlist already as it looks quite interesting. Is there any schedule for additional content, like easy mode etc?

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That was already integrated into the game months ago, at least on PC. There's an Easy (the Monk) and Hard (the Hunter) mode, and Hard mode adds new mechanics and creatures

 

[More_Badass]

These are really fantastic posts. It warms my heart to see this kind of sentiment about Rain World be spread.

I'll add my voice to the chorus: Rain World is the single most memorable, most satisfying gaming experience I've ever had. Crucially, it is *so* different from anything else on the market, that really the only way to figure out if you'd like it, is to play it yourself. If it clicks with you, it might just prove itself to be irreplaceable.

The game is a gargantuan achievement. Whenever I think of the ambitions of its mechanics, its world, and especially its narrative themes, I get overwhelmed; it is so much to take in. I can't stress enough how astounding I found this game, and what a fresh breath of air it is. Definitely full of flaws; but what a diamond of a game this is, and how fierce its cracks make it.

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I agree wholeheartedly. For about 5 years, Rain World was my most anticipated game of all time. It was the game that introduced me to TIGSource and devlogs and the notion of following a game through its development. The first game where I reached out to the devs for interviews when I got my first job writing about games. Rain World, indie games, and my interest/deeper exploration of the medium were pretty closely linked for those years, and it finally releasing felt like the end of an era.

So even beyond its dedication to its unique vision and the amazing blend of tech and art and design, Rain World has a special place among indie games and games in general for me. I don't think there will be anything else like it again

 

[GDGF]

I'm going to watch some vids but I think I'm down. Sounds like one hell of a game.

 

[dunkzilla]

I can't imagine how difficult this game is with the switch d pad. Great game.

 

[TheTruth]

That was already integrated into the game months ago, at least on PC. There's an Easy (the Monk) and Hard (the Hunter) mode, and Hard mode adds new mechanics and creatures

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Thanks, I will try it sooner then! Easy mode will be a really good way to get familiar with the game and come back to the hard mode later on down the road.

 

[Deleted member 33571]

Mentioned this in another thread, but I have had the Switch version of the game crash on me once, and I've run into some minor but seemingly consistent stuttering shortly after entering a room sometimes or when water effects are on screen. Neither has been a huge issue, but if I run into many more crashes it'll be hard to stick with it.

Loving the game so far though. One of the most intense and scary games I've played in awhile, which is impressive considering it's not terribly fast-paced or anything. And very, very beautiful.

 

[Phabh]

It's the animations that made me interested in the game, but the reception was too poor to take the plunge. I heard there was some update and now it's on Switch, but I doubt it's a fun game. It's a Metroidvania with no real reason to explore, just surviving. What's the end goal?