It does have puzzles but they are very simple. I mean, it's not like ICO was ever difficult but at least some of the puzzles encompassed larger areas. This has been super straightforward.
It's a neat little game but I'm not feeling it as much as I would have liked.
It does have puzzles but they are very simple. I mean, it's not like ICO was ever difficult but at least some of the puzzles encompassed larger areas. This has been super straightforward.
It's a neat little game but I'm not feeling it as much as I would have liked.
I don't know if some people just enjoy being pedantic or whatever.
Suggest a different word if you want, Jesus Christ.
Le's take this scenario:
The unknown is chasing you and you have 4 lockers to hide in. Only one of them will actually hide you though because the others don't have a roof. You look them and think: "right, I'll have to hide in that one"
What is that process called? I thought "figuring it out" would apply but I'm not a native english speaker.
Anyway, chapter 5 completed last night and it was fantastic. I love how bite size each chapter is, 15-20 minutes per chapter is fantastic for those who don't have a lot of time to split between games/want to play a slow burning title before heading off to sleep.
By the way, still no luck downloading the dynamic theme. Who would we contact to find out what the problem?
I don't know if some people just enjoy being pedantic or whatever.
Suggest a different word if you want, Jesus Christ.
Le's take this scenario:
The unknown is chasing you and you have 4 lockers to hide in. Only one of them will actually hide you though because the others don't have a roof. You look them and think: "right, I'll have to hide in that one"
What is that process called? I thought "figuring it out" would apply but I'm not a native english speaker.
There are games that have a 100% focus on gameplay and then there are games that want to tell you something, want you to explore a world with its mysteries and that try to go deeper and are art.
I enjoy both of those types and those that are inbetween, so if rain doesn't seem to be yours its fine but there still is nothing to blame I would say.
Finished it. Very cool little title. It's basically like a child's picture book brought to life. Music was fantastic.
Personally found the balance of gameplay to experience just about right. More complex puzzles and more extended challenges and for sure it would be a better game but it would have unbalanced the narrative and lost the charm IMHO.
Will see what the replay with memories adds to the mix now.
Finished it. Very cool little title. It's basically like a child's picture book brought to life. Music was fantastic.
Personally found the balance of gameplay to experience just about right. More complex puzzles and more extended challenges and for sure it would be a better game but it would have unbalanced the narrative and lost the charm IMHO.
Will see what the replay with memories adds to the mix now.
Just watching the credits roll. That's the most beautiful and emotionally engaging game I've played in a long, long time. Dripping with atmosphere and fantastic music too. The gameplay may be a bit linear and the puzzles on the easy side, but I enjoyed the act of playing it as much as I did everything else. There are definitely underlying themes here, I'd love to read or hear what the developers have to say regarding that aspect.
Yeah. After you complete the game if you replay there are "memories" to find tucked away here and there in the levels. I've only played first chapter again and don't want to give too much away but they're pretty simple and expand on the characters and their world. Nice touch although - so far - not anything earth-shattering.
So, I had this pre-ordered but I haven't really had a chance to play it yet. Probably tomorrow night. However, is it a game which will work over two sessions, or is it best done in a single sitting?
So, I had this pre-ordered but I haven't really had a chance to play it yet. Probably tomorrow night. However, is it a game which will work over two sessions, or is it best done in a single sitting?
It's okay over multiple sessions but I suspect that (if you don't mind getting your monies worth in one go) it would have strongest impact over less sessions or even one marathon session a'la Journey.
I played it over three sessions and it all flowed nicely but it was obvious the way the gameplay/narrative builds you'll probably have the strongest experience in one go or close to it.
Finished it. It's very pretty, and the music is amazing, but it's a bad game. The 'puzzles' are completely brain-dead, the encounter design is busy work, the camera transitions are sloppy, the geometry is too dense when you can't see your character besides their feet, and it's boring. Rime, all hope is with you.
Just finished the game too. It left me with mixed feelings but i thought it was well worth buying and playing (if you are interested in this sort of game "experiences").
The music was amazing so i bought the full soundtrack on PSN. It really fits the game and i'm looking forward to listening to the soundtrack again. Also, the visuals and atmosphere are well done and work very well. It looks beautiful and it has a lot of atmosphere.
I really liked the concept of the gameplay. Being visible/not visible is an interesting gameplay mechanic that could have resulted in interesting puzzles and gameplay. However, at that point, i felt that the game did not get the most out of this interesting concept. The puzzles were so easy that they never felt like puzzles. It was all very simple and straight forward. As if the creators intended the puzzles to be a way to traverse the world instead of a principle element of gameplay. I feel a lot more could have been done with this concept.
Also, not including the memories seems like a cheap way to make people replay the game. I think it would have been interesting if there were things to collect/read/do that flesh out the mysterious world a bit more. Now, i haven't found any memories yet (haven't restarted playing yet), but i assume that is what they are doing. There was no exploration to be done in this game and nothing to discover or do other than traverse the world. It all felt a bit empty.
Also, i wasn't a fan of the sections were time was limited and you were forced to find a solution fast or die.
All in all, an interesting experience with great atmosphere, music and visuals. At the core, the gameplay mechanics could have been interesting. But it never took off in a manner that was satisfying from a gameplay point of view. I felt that the gameplay was only there to support the world/story/experience that the creators wanted to tell. Gameplay most certainly didn't feel like the primary focus that the creators had in mind. With better puzzles, this could have been a great game. As it is, it was a rather enjoyable game experience.
Finished it. It's very pretty, and the music is amazing, but it's a bad game. The 'puzzles' are completely brain-dead, the encounter design is busy work, the camera transitions are sloppy, the geometry is too dense when you can't see your character besides their feet, and it's boring. Rime, all hope is with you.
I'm still enjoying it (mostly the atmosphere, the visuals and the godly OST), but it's hard to disagree with a number of your complaints. I didn't want to be as blunt as it's only a B/C tier game, but if there's ever a sequel, they really do need to address just how decidedly one dimensional the gameplay is, not to mention work on making the game a lot more responsive...
I was hoping it might improve, but chapter 6 and 7 completed last night/this morning confirms that's really not the case. It's pretty much the worse C.A.M.P's game I've played, but it's not all bad, there's significant room for improvement and I'm far less inclined to recommend it to others than I was Puppeteer...which is significantly better at almost everything, but perhaps it's not fair to compare the two.
Just finished the game too. It left me with mixed feelings but i thought it was well worth buying and playing (if you are interested in this sort of game "experiences").
The music was amazing so i bought the full soundtrack on PSN. It really fits the game and i'm looking forward to listening to the soundtrack again. Also, the visuals and atmosphere are well done and work very well. It looks beautiful and it has a lot of atmosphere.
I really liked the concept of the gameplay. Being visible/not visible is an interesting gameplay mechanic that could have resulted in interesting puzzles and gameplay. However, at that point, i felt that the game did not get the most out of this interesting concept. The puzzles were so easy that they never felt like puzzles. It was all very simple and straight forward. As if the creators intended the puzzles to be a way to traverse the world instead of a principle element of gameplay. I feel a lot more could have been done with this concept.
Also, not including the memories seems like a cheap way to make people replay the game. I think it would have been interesting if there were things to collect/read/do that flesh out the mysterious world a bit more. Now, i haven't found any memories yet (haven't restarted playing yet), but i assume that is what they are doing. There was no exploration to be done in this game and nothing to discover or do other than traverse the world. It all felt a bit empty.
Also, i wasn't a fan of the sections were time was limited and you were forced to find a solution fast or die.
All in all, an interesting experience with great atmosphere, music and visuals. At the core, the gameplay mechanics could have been interesting. But it never took off in a manner that was satisfying from a gameplay point of view. I felt that the gameplay was only there to support the world/story/experience that the creators wanted to tell. Gameplay most certainly didn't feel like the primary focus that the creators had in mind. With better puzzles, this could have been a great game. As it is, it was a rather enjoyable game experience.
This is clear example of an is/or scenario. On one hand, they could've built the levels around it's gameplay mechanics - this, on the other, is exactly what you are observing. The question is, which of those would suit well to the theme, story and message the game developers are trying to convey? Not many developers would make the latter decision which is why that makes this game even more special.
And finished. I thought it pretty decent. The visuals, soundtrack and incredibly short chapters are all fantastic, but the gameplay is very one dimensional and the suffers tremendously because of it.
As mentioned, the gameplay really is lacking, I thought it might have been a case of the game trying to find its feet at first, but the developers didn't bother or couldn't figure out how to make the gameplay more compelling, this is really disappointing as there's huge potential that's never really explored to any degree.
The OST is sublime, so much so I hope we get an official release at some point, the sound work in general is great too as are the visuals, but the rest of the game is a disappointment and not I'd recommend to anyone unfortunately. I hope this doesn't seem too negative or harsh, but I really expected a lot more, but the game simply doesn't deliver on any of the promise it shows. The controls aren't that great either and can be a nuisance at times too with certain actions not triggering due to there being such a small window for activating certain objects.
I doubt I'll be replaying it any time soon...It's a fantastic experience, but a very poor game. (if that makes sense)
The thing that really disappoints is that this is from C.A.M.P, the team behind echochrome, Trash Panis and Tokyo Jungle...I can't help but wonder what went wrong here.
Yes, you can. I transferred the soundtrack to my ipod. You just need to run the installer and the music gets installed into the music section of the XMB. You can then transfer it to a usb storage thingie.
Yes, you can. I transferred the soundtrack to my ipod. You just need to run the installer and the music gets installed into the music section of the XMB. You can then transfer it to a usb storage thingie.
Finished it. It's very pretty, and the music is amazing, but it's a bad game. The 'puzzles' are completely brain-dead, the encounter design is busy work, the camera transitions are sloppy, the geometry is too dense when you can't see your character besides their feet, and it's boring. Rime, all hope is with you.
It's not too bad. In my case, I really let myself become too hyped and now that hype is lifting, I'm a lot less forgiving and can see the game really isn't that good. It's really bumming me out to be honest...
i dont understand how people can call this mediocre because of "style over substance" but give a game like Journey 10/10(dont get it twisted, I loved journey as well)
I don't get this either, there was like zero gameplay shown for this and expectations should be in line with that. People love games like Gone Home and Journey when the 'puzzles' are non-existent and it is all about the story. Rain had more exposition (and gameplay) than Journey in that regard yet is being treated more harshly.
I just finished this and loved it, with the ending
being a twist in the sense that I was sure the girl was going to die. The fact her 'light' had gone out from the unknown's attack. Btw, that has to be the most brutal foe in a game for a long time. It just. kept. coming. Although I am still open to the possibility that both of the children died from the flu or whatever and this was their journey through to a better world. Mostly due to simple things like you never see their parents and I think at the end the city being 'alive' the people are all just shadows. I might be remembering that incorrectly however. I prefer to think everything ended up ok.
The music was something special and deserves some kind of award, the story was very elegant and the graphics supported that. I think this game will age very well as the art is both realistic and dream like, some amazing backgrounds and scenes. Saying that, I would love a PS4 remake with all the particle effects and volumetric lighting it can support. With real dynamic water/rain and effect on their bodies.
A couple things that did distract me was the jittery loading when moving through a scene causing freezing and the camera angle changes. Sometimes very disorientating and takes you out of the moment.
This is a beautiful and compelling title, another one to the list of Sony games they are trying to blur the line of game and art. It is a very simple game as people are saying but I think that opens it up to all age groups and level of gamers. Experienced gamers find that grating, while others would find it welcoming. I can overlook the lack of gameplay for the story and art, just like Journey as mentioned and other games in that vein. The length would of bothered me, but I broke this game up into about 4 sittings so seemed about right when I did that.
Would give this an 9/10 personally, although if I went in expecting something different I would give it a 7/10 so certainly understand the reviews.
Btw, has anyone got their dynamic theme yet from the preorder? Still showing mine as 'automatic download' whereas everything else is ok, but mostly wanted this.
I just finished this and loved it, with the ending
being a twist in the sense that I was sure the girl was going to die. The fact her 'light' had gone out from the unknown's attack. Btw, that has to be the most brutal foe in a game for a long time. It just. kept. coming. Although I am still open to the possibility that both of the children died from the flu or whatever and this was their journey through to a better world. Mostly due to simple things like you never see their parents and I think at the end the city being 'alive' the people are all just shadows. I might be remembering that incorrectly however. I prefer to think everything ended up ok.
I was also sure that when the game ended the girl would be dead; we saw that the boy was sick and by the end the girls was coughing - so I assumed that in her reality she was also sick - and the whole game was them fighting to stay alive...and the made it and she didn't. However, I was glad when they seemed to be both OK.
I don't get this either, there was like zero gameplay shown for this and expectations should be in line with that. People love games like Gone Home and Journey when the 'puzzles' are non-existent and it is all about the story. Rain had more exposition (and gameplay) than Journey in that regard yet is being treated more harshly.
I just finished this and loved it, with the ending
being a twist in the sense that I was sure the girl was going to die. The fact her 'light' had gone out from the unknown's attack. Btw, that has to be the most brutal foe in a game for a long time. It just. kept. coming. Although I am still open to the possibility that both of the children died from the flu or whatever and this was their journey through to a better world. Mostly due to simple things like you never see their parents and I think at the end the city being 'alive' the people are all just shadows. I might be remembering that incorrectly however. I prefer to think everything ended up ok.
The music was something special and deserves some kind of award, the story was very elegant and the graphics supported that. I think this game will age very well as the art is both realistic and dream like, some amazing backgrounds and scenes. Saying that, I would love a PS4 remake with all the particle effects and volumetric lighting it can support. With real dynamic water/rain and effect on their bodies.
A couple things that did distract me was the jittery loading when moving through a scene causing freezing and the camera angle changes. Sometimes very disorientating and takes you out of the moment.
This is a beautiful and compelling title, another one to the list of Sony games they are trying to blur the line of game and art. It is a very simple game as people are saying but I think that opens it up to all age groups and level of gamers. Experienced gamers find that grating, while others would find it welcoming. I can overlook the lack of gameplay for the story and art, just like Journey as mentioned and other games in that vein. The length would of bothered me, but I broke this game up into about 4 sittings so seemed about right when I did that.
Would give this an 9/10 personally, although if I went in expecting something different I would give it a 7/10 so certainly understand the reviews.
Btw, has anyone got their dynamic theme yet from the preorder? Still showing mine as 'automatic download' whereas everything else is ok, but mostly wanted this.
Very well said. These criticisms of shallow gameplay - what did people expect? This is a game very much in league with the likes of Flower, Journey and The Unfinished Swan, where gameplay takes an unapologetic backseat to focus on merging video game with art, as pretentious as that sounds. And I think that's fine, since no promises were ever made to deliver on the opposite in the first place. The first time I saw rain, I knew it was going to be more inclined towards fare like Journey/Dear Esther, and less like your typical instant thrills video game. For me, the game was about soaking in the whole experience of it, from the visuals to the audio to the interaction between player and the two leads, and I think it succeeded on that front.
As for the story,
I admit that it still feels like it's all a little lost on me. I never got the impression that the boy was sick, only the girl, and that she's been confined to her room for a long time because of her ailing health. According to one of the memory collectables, the boy meets the girl in the real world when her hat falls next to him at the circus, whilst she is stood on the balcony of her room. And then when that day turns to night, he sinks into her 'nightmare'. Beyond that, it's all very murky, like what exactly the rain-drenched, empty city is supposed to represent, and why was the boy absorbed into the strange realm with her. I can only assume The Unknown represents death in a sort of Grim Reaper form, but who knows. I think if rain has one failing, it's that the story is too ambiguous, and the ending loses some potential emotional resonance as a result. Something like Journey for instance, that game struck the perfect balance between interpretation and a solid knowing of what the game was about. It was hugely moving because of it.
And no, I still haven't been able to get the dynamic theme. Really thought they'd have rectified that error by now.
I see people mentioning they bought the soundtrack on PSN, if you buy it through there, can you download the MP3s of Sony's site or just for the PS3/Vita/PSP?
I'm slightly disappointed too. I'm not too sure why though. I think it's partly the rather tense situation I didn't expect to encounter. I expect a calmer gaming experience, more focus on puzzle. What I got instead is more like
pseudo-horror with Nemesis-like stalker
. That's entirely my fault, of course for having wrong expectation in the first place. The story also isn't that clear. Oh well, I'd still mop up the trophies and get the soundtrack when it's out.
I'm slightly disappointed too. I'm not too sure why though. I think it's partly the rather tense situation I didn't expect to encounter. I expect a calmer gaming experience, more focus on puzzle. What I got instead is more like
pseudo-horror with Nemesis-like stalker
. That's entirely my fault, of course for having wrong expectation in the first place. The story also isn't that clear. Oh well, I'd still mop up the trophies and get the soundtrack when it's out.
Yes, I could do without the enemies; I'd rather have the obstacles (if need be) be harder puzzles, instead of beasts that kept taking me out of the relaxed state of the mind the other elements of the game sent me to.
Very well said. These criticisms of shallow gameplay - what did people expect? This is a game very much in league with the likes of Flower, Journey and The Unfinished Swan, where gameplay takes an unapologetic backseat to focus on merging video game with art, as pretentious as that sounds. And I think that's fine, since no promises were ever made to deliver on the opposite in the first place. The first time I saw rain, I knew it was going to be more inclined towards fare like Journey/Dear Esther, and less like your typical instant thrills video game. For me, the game was about soaking in the whole experience of it, from the visuals to the audio to the interaction between player and the two leads, and I think it succeeded on that front.
As for the story,
I admit that it still feels like it's all a little lost on me. I never got the impression that the boy was sick, only the girl, and that she's been confined to her room for a long time because of her ailing health. According to one of the memory collectables, the boy meets the girl in the real world when her hat falls next to him at the circus, whilst she is stood on the balcony of her room. And then when that day turns to night, he sinks into her 'nightmare'. Beyond that, it's all very murky, like what exactly the rain-drenched, empty city is supposed to represent, and why was the boy absorbed into the strange realm with her. I can only assume The Unknown represents death in a sort of Grim Reaper form, but who knows. I think if rain has one failing, it's that the story is too ambiguous, and the ending loses some potential emotional resonance as a result. Something like Journey for instance, that game struck the perfect balance between interpretation and a solid knowing of what the game was about. It was hugely moving because of it.
And no, I still haven't been able to get the dynamic theme. Really thought they'd have rectified that error by now.
Yeah, I also don't understand what created these expectations for some people. Like Journey and Brothers, there's just enough gameplay to keep you entertained without taking away the spotlight from the game's main purpose, which is presenting you with a scenario and a story, taking you on a journey that has the intention of immersing and moving you, not testing your reflexes or intelligence. If you don't like this type of game that's fine, there are a lot of types of games I don't like either. If you think the game doesn't succeed at what it set out to do that's fine too, just don't ask for it to be something it never intended to be.
Finally found the time to play through the last 2 chapters. Really enjoyed it, it definitely feels like a spiritual successor to ICO.
Music is amazing.
Finished it. It's very pretty, and the music is amazing, but it's a bad game. The 'puzzles' are completely brain-dead, the encounter design is busy work, the camera transitions are sloppy, the geometry is too dense when you can't see your character besides their feet, and it's boring. Rime, all hope is with you.
This is what it looked to me right from the very first time it was shown. Sony's gonna have to step up their artsy fartsy game now that TGC is no longer with them.
Just started playing this today. I'm in Chapter 3 so far, liking it.
The music is definitely the stand out so far, as well as the design of the world (and level design itself)
I think the minus I would say is that I think the progression is entirely to forward the narrative, and while that works for certain games such as Journey, here it's to a fault. Because I think if we'd had the ability to explore this world on our own (without the narrative words on screen) then it could be something really captivating. They could have simply had the music and the sound of the rain narrate how the story is unfolding - that would have been really unique.
finished it in one sitting a couple of days ago. I really liked it! it is definitely focused more on telling a story than delivering great gameplay. nothing wrong with that.
there were parts, when the unknown was chasing you, that felt really tense. I was worried it'll be ridiculous because the dog animations are so laughably bad. but it does get a little creepy
(mini dark souls clam shells!)
.
after you finish the game you unlock some kind of memory fragments that are now scattered throughout the game (for replay value, I guess) - feel a little cheated, because going through the game, it felt a bit empty.
just like when I was playing Papo y Yo, I bought the game (to support those types) but was worried I won't end up liking it. to my surprise they both deliver in the story. if Rain had some better puzzles, I would recommend it to anyone. unfortunately, it's a bit light on gameplay and people might dislike it for that.
I finished it, I enjoyed it overall.
I think the story doesn't quite hit the heights it could do, I want to say it was anti-climatic in a manner, the scene with opening and closing the door was cool, but then the symbolism was somewhat negated when the thing fell back through moments later lol
I also think they should've added in the memories in the original playthrough to add more depth to the narrative.
The presentation was excellent, the music being the definite highlight. The piece that plays when you're being chased is my favourite. The stutters the game has when you move into a new area gets really distracting towards the end of the game, particularly in the last two chapters - so that was a shame because it really pulls you out of the atmosphere even though it is just a second pause.
The art design and the level design is probably my favourite thing about the game. But I do think the Unknown are designed a bit weakly, I'm not sure why they chose those particular designs for the creatures, especially the main one that follows you throughout, it feels somewhat amateurish.
It doesn't reach the heights of Sony's other original efforts, but it's definitely worth playing if you're into story central experiences. Will be playing it again to find the memories.
That is pretty much my only complain about it. I don't replay these "experience"-games because I think the experience and memory should be as you play it the first time.
Apart from that really good game - if you enjoy this stuff.
So I'm a bit late to the party having only got access to my downloadable stuff on PS3 again this week.
Anyway - I'll read other comments later (so if I repeat what's been said already, sorry) - having just finished first playthrough (in one sitting, much like ICO back in the day) - there's definite borrowing of elements from both that and Journey, and I found the soundtrack very nicely done as well.
That said - narratively this is bound to dissapoint if you are expecting what the above mentioned games do - as it's essentially a children's picture-fairy tale in game form, right down to the rather... overly-verbose narration.
I'm not sure if there's a way to disable that - but the game could have worked much better with older audience(ie. remove all of its narration, and I believe it would be far more impactful from my perspective) if they gave you that option.
The visual direction is as nice as expected, very painterly even though it's technically simpler than I hoped for - but that may well work to its benefit in terms of how it ages.
Mechanically it felt odd to play something this ICO-like 12 years in, it's definitely not very modern-like, but unfortunately combined with rather poor static-camera work at times it leads to control-frustration, and is the part where game is definitely at its weakest - even though there's no combat to speak of, control mechanics are simply worse than they were in ICO. On positive side AI is pretty frustration free and doesn't feel cheap either.
In line with what I mentioned about children's books, the puzzle elements are much lighter and the game puts a very tight leash on steering you through the world that has more in common with Uncharted than adventure game you might come to expect from trailers. But this is the part where I felt the whole thing was more Journey like - ie. experience focused above burdening you with complex puzzle elements.
Overall it's never quite reaching the kind of highs that games which influenced it do, but it's nevertheless memorable and despite its fairy-tale narrative structure leaves enough to imagination for it to invite replays just to experience the world again.
Finally got round to this game after getting on sale at Xmas. Very disappointing. To sum up each chapter:
1. Interesting
2. Okay...
3. Oh god make it stop
4. Painful
5. Enjoyable
6. Keeping pace.
7. Holding steady
8. Eh ok
The style is lovely, very M.C. Escher towards the end, sound track is fitting but lacks depth. Story is garbage, gameplay is shallow and basically 2D and level design is plain uninspired, and they have the cheek when you finish the game
to then add the memories you can collect down all these paths that never went anywhere the first time.
. Just disappointing considering games like Unfinished Swam, Journey and Limbo have achieved so much more in a similar vain before it.
The game is definitely better once
you meet up with the girl and The Unknown takes a back seat.
But its not something I couldn't recommend to anyone other than hardcore 'experience' or abstract/art gamey time people, which no doubt have already played the game anyway.
Picked this up as part of the 14 for 14 sale and finished it in one sitting. I thought the game was fantastic. Nice art direction, great presentation, good story, puzzles, pacing, and an excellent soundtrack. I'd recommend it, especially if it's on sale.
