Ame no Marginal -Rain Marginal-

About

"Ame no Marginal -Rain Marginal-" is a visual novel game that revolves around the life of a high school student named Kuboi Ryosuke. After a series of mysterious events, Ryosuke discovers a world beyond his own, leading him to question his reality. This game explores themes of loneliness, friendship, and self-discovery as Ryosuke navigates through the two intertwined worlds.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Ame no Marginal -Rain Marginal- screenshot

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 189 reviews

story64 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game features a beautifully melancholic atmosphere, enhanced by a fitting soundtrack that complements the emotional depth of the story.
The narrative explores profound themes of loneliness, despair, and the search for meaning, making it a thought-provoking experience.
The inclusion of the bonus content from Narcissu adds value and provides fans of the series with additional context and enjoyment.

The story feels incomplete and leaves many questions unanswered, which may frustrate players looking for closure.
Character development is lacking, particularly for the male protagonist, making it difficult to connect with him or understand his motivations.
The game is relatively short, with a playtime of around 2-4 hours, which some players may find not worth the full price.

story
236 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
67%
6%
The story of "Ame no Marginal" is a poignant exploration of themes such as depression, solitude, and the search for meaning in a world of eternal rain, told through the intertwined narratives of a troubled protagonist and a girl with a mysterious past. While the storytelling is praised for its emotional depth and evocative imagery, some reviewers noted a lack of character development and coherence, with many plot points left unresolved. Overall, the narrative is described as both melancholic and thought-provoking, appealing to those who appreciate stories that invite reflection rather than providing clear resolutions.
- “The story proceeds down two story paths, each part of which has to be completed before continuing to read, allowing the player to alternate between the protagonist and the past of the priestess who can no longer remember her name, covering under her sister's name, Rin.”
- “A kinetic novel about the story of a girl in a world of endless rain and a boy who ends up there; it's a tale that will have you wondering what you'd do if you had an eternity to live.”
- “The story of a world where it always rains is told from the viewpoint of two protagonists, featuring some depressing, uplifting, and otherwise emotional moments, and is tied up nicely with the final conclusion.”
- “The story proceeds down two story paths, each part of which has to be completed before continuing to read, so that the player alternates between them. It's switching perspectives from the protagonist to the past of the priestess that can no longer remember her name, covering under her sister's name, Rin.”
- “Unfortunately, it does come across as the story being poorly developed and lacking relative depth since there are quite a few plot points not specifically covered or properly explained, leading to a rather incoherent plot line.”
- “What should have been an emotional story about a young girl and her sister becomes a slog through dozens of pointless walls of text.”
music
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
44%
6%
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and emotional depth, effectively complementing the story's gloomy themes. While many reviewers appreciate the quality and fitting nature of the soundtrack, some note a lack of variety, leading to repetitiveness over extended play sessions. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong asset that contributes significantly to the game's immersive experience.
- “The music fits perfectly with this story since it’s rather gloomy.”
- “The music adds atmosphere and emotion to the entire visual novel through its beautiful sound and emotional range.”
- “The music is top notch, featuring a number of piano pieces that aid the emotion of each scene.”
- “The music got really repetitive with it having so few tracks, and the visuals were skimpy to say the least.”
- “The only downside to this visual novel is that the OST lacks much variety.”
- “The problem with this game is that first of all: there's too little music so prepare for the same loop over and over, there's too few visuals and the few that are there are ugly, and the biggest problem of all is that the story is absolutely boring.”
emotional
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
96%
4%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its exploration of deep themes such as despair, hope, and the complexities of life, often leading players to tears. While some stories resonate more powerfully than others, with poignant moments and character development, others may feel slow or lacking in emotional impact. Overall, the game effectively evokes a range of feelings, from sadness to introspection, enhanced by its atmospheric music and engaging narratives.
- “The story of a world where it always rains is told from the viewpoint of two protagonists, has some depressing, uplifting and otherwise emotional moments and is tied up nicely with the final conclusion.”
- “This is a deeply emotional story with big flaws, but with a wonderful development that will remain on your thoughts for a long time.”
- “Beautiful visual novel; I love Tomo Kataoka's stories and Ame no Marginal is another heartfelt novel that gets you thinking of different perspectives on how we see our emotions.”
- “Cliché boring story told as slowly and lifelessly as possible.”
graphics
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
65%
17%
The graphics in the game are characterized by a minimalist and simplistic art style, often described as having an anime influence, but they are criticized for being repetitive and lacking detail. While some users appreciate the atmospheric contribution of the visuals and music, many note the limited variety and quality of the graphics, which detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the visuals are seen as mediocre, with a few standout moments, but they fail to elevate the storytelling significantly.
- “The game has anime-like visual graphics.”
- “Graphics are pretty great and the music does relatively good in building the atmosphere.”
- “The artwork is nicely done, with effort to make each shot unique.”
- “Most of the graphics are reused and sometimes it looks weird (like that one time where the umbrella has been repaired but the image is still showing the girl using a broken umbrella), but it doesn't really affect the story that much.”
- “The problem with this game is that first of all: there's too little music so prepare for the same loop over and over, there's too few visuals and the few that are there are ugly, and the biggest problem of all is that the story is absolutely boring.”
- “Let's get this straight: Ame no Marginal is not impressive graphically.”
atmosphere
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
27%
27%
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its melancholic and soothing qualities, effectively conveying themes of loneliness, sadness, and despair. The combination of impressive graphics, evocative music, and strong voice acting enhances the overall experience, creating an eerie sense of hopelessness that resonates with players. While some find the repetitive scenery and pacing a bit tiresome, the immersive atmosphere remains a standout feature that captivates and moves players.
- “I loved the melancholic atmosphere it creates.”
- “The music adds atmosphere and emotion to the entire visual novel through its beautiful sound and emotional range.”
- “It doesn't have the same emotional punch to it, but it does have a very eerie sense of hopelessness and nihilism that drives the atmosphere.”
- “The art is good but it gets a bit tiring to see the same scenery over and over, there's so much filler, but it adds to the atmosphere.”
- “The one aspect this visual novel nails though is atmosphere: an isolated world, a population of 1, an endless rainfall, and eternal life.”
gameplay
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
33%
50%
The gameplay of "Ame no Marginal" is minimal, primarily consisting of linear dialogue progression typical of visual novels, which some players find unchallenging and boring. The focus is more on the narrative rather than interactive gameplay, resulting in a total playtime of around two hours.
- “Like with most visual novels, this game does not have much gameplay besides clicking through dialogue.”
- “Its strength lies not in the gameplay but in the power of its narrative.”
- “Total reading (or gameplay if you like) time is around 2 hours.”
- “- Like with most visual novels, this game does not have much gameplay besides clicking through dialogue.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development in this visual novel is uneven, with the female protagonist receiving substantial background information, while the male protagonist's character remains largely unexplored. This lack of depth leads to frustrating gaps in understanding his past and connection to the female lead, ultimately detracting from the overall narrative experience.
- “Character development-wise, we do get ample background on the girl, but the guy is probably the main reason for the flaws that this visual novel has, as his background and character development are almost untouched. This leaves the reader with many frustrating questions about his past and how he properly ties in with the female protagonist in the end.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game has limited replayability due to its short playtime and lack of choices or alternate routes, making it more suitable for purchase during sales.
- “Overall, I enjoyed it, but due to the short playing time, lack of choices, and no alternate routes, there is no replayability. I'd suggest picking it up when it goes on sale - which it often does.”
- “The game is fun, but once you finish it, there's really no reason to go back. The lack of different endings or paths makes replayability almost non-existent.”
- “I found the game enjoyable, but after completing it once, I felt no urge to play again. The linear storyline and absence of meaningful choices really hurt its replay value.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with users reporting a buggy menu and a chaotic visual presentation from the outset. Overall, these problems detract from the gaming experience, leading to strong recommendations against playing.
- “I will strongly advise against this game; the menu is very buggy from the start, and everything looks mashed.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
- “I experienced constant lag and glitches that ruined the overall experience.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find that the grinding aspect can lead to deep contemplation of the game's themes, but this often results in a tedious experience.
- “The grinding feels endless and repetitive, making the gameplay tedious.”
- “I found myself spending hours on grinding without any real sense of progress.”
- “The constant need to grind for resources takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”