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Kathy Rain

Kathy Rain: Director's Cut offers an intriguing mystery and lovely pixel art, for a game that still holds up five years after its initial release, though the Director's Cut doesn't add much of substance.
Kathy Rain Game Cover
87%Game Brain Score
story, graphics
grinding, replayability
92% User Score Based on 1,153 reviews
Critic Score 82%Based on 14 reviews

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Kathy Rain Game Cover

About

Kathy Rain is a single player casual puzzle game with drama, mystery and thriller themes. It was developed by Clifftop Games and was released on May 5, 2016. It received positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

Kathy Rain: Director's Cut is a point-and-click detective mystery set in the 90s, where you play as Kathy, a journalism major investigating her grandfather's mysterious death. Collect clues, analyze evidence, and interrogate suspects to uncover the truth, while dealing with personal turmoil and a local mystery involving your hometown. The game features cryptic puzzles and a harrowing journey of emotional and personal discovery.

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Kathy Rain screenshot
Kathy Rain screenshot
Kathy Rain screenshot
Kathy Rain screenshot
Kathy Rain screenshot
Kathy Rain screenshot
Kathy Rain screenshot
Kathy Rain screenshot
Kathy Rain screenshot
Kathy Rain screenshot
Kathy Rain screenshot
+10
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92%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,153 reviews
story476 positive mentions
grinding12 negative mentions
  • Engaging and well-written story with interesting characters.
  • Great voice acting and nostalgic pixel art style.
  • Logical puzzles that are challenging but not overly difficult.
  • The ending feels rushed and leaves many questions unanswered.
  • Some puzzles can be too easy, lacking depth.
  • The protagonist's attitude may be off-putting to some players.
  • story
    1,023 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Kathy Rain" is a compelling mix of mystery and supernatural elements, drawing strong comparisons to 90s classics like "Twin Peaks." While many players found the narrative engaging and well-paced, some criticized its abrupt tonal shifts and convoluted ending, which left certain plot threads unresolved. Overall, the game is praised for its rich character development and nostalgic atmosphere, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of story-driven adventure games.

    • “The story is engaging and emotionally moving.”
    • “The story unfolds around Kathy's grandfather's passing, and Kathy digging into the mystery behind his death.”
    • “Kathy Rain is a very strong game, both in the form of the story, gameplay, and the art, which will captivate you in this 6/7 hour journey, in which you get to know Kathy and explore the fascinating story behind her hometown and her grandfather's past.”
    • “The story just felt very threadbare; we don't get to know much about characters due to the shortness of the game, nor did we get any depth to it despite a lot of heavy topics like suicide, addiction, abortion, institutionalization, etc. coming up at times.”
    • “The story felt like it was on fast-forward for me, especially in the second half of the game, as new people and things were coming and going at what felt like a blistering pace.”
    • “The story started out strong but it ends in a confusing and weak way.”
  • graphics
    227 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are predominantly praised for their nostalgic pixel art style, reminiscent of classic 90s point-and-click adventures, which many players find charming and evocative. While some reviewers appreciate the retro aesthetic and detail, others feel the graphics lack vibrancy or modern polish, leading to mixed opinions on their overall appeal. Overall, the visuals effectively contribute to the game's atmosphere and storytelling, making it a solid choice for fans of the genre.

    • “The art style is strong, with a very nostalgic 90's era feel.”
    • “The graphics are pixelated just like the old LucasArts adventure games of two decades ago, which I thought really suited the game and was a great plus.”
    • “The graphics are wonderful and nostalgic, and I love the protagonist's snark and sense of humor.”
    • “It's a shame that the story and the voice overs were so good but the graphics were so poor.”
    • “The game is set in the 90s but there's very little in the fashion or aesthetics that give that impression and a lot of the characters just look kind of generic.”
    • “The graphics are so awful that I wasted my money for a game I will never play.”
  • music
    164 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received a largely positive reception, with many players praising its atmospheric qualities and ability to enhance the overall experience. The soundtrack, often described as a blend of synthwave and ambient styles, effectively complements the game's retro aesthetic and narrative tone, although some players found certain tracks less memorable or fitting. Overall, the combination of excellent voice acting and a well-crafted soundtrack contributes significantly to the game's charm and immersion.

    • “The fully-voiced cast lends a lot of personality to this twisting tale, and combined with great music and excellent pixel art, the presentation is easily one of the best parts of the game.”
    • “The soundtrack is solid, and the voice acting is amazing.”
    • “The music is fantastic, each track having its own identity, ranging from creepy, to comforting, to calming, to beautifully sad.”
    • “I felt the music was lacking in comparison (speaking as a composer myself).”
    • “The music is just sort of there.”
    • “Music is one area that I feel that game falls short.”
  • gameplay
    104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Kathy Rain" is characterized as a solid point-and-click adventure that pays homage to 1990s mechanics, featuring straightforward puzzles and a focus on story progression. While some players found the gameplay initially dull or linear, many appreciated its simplicity and the absence of frustrating "moon logic," allowing for a more immersive narrative experience. Overall, the game offers a nostalgic charm with well-integrated puzzles, though some critiques mention a lack of innovation and occasional tediousness in gameplay.

    • “A solid point-and-click detective adventure with lovely pixel art and mostly satisfying gameplay and puzzle solving.”
    • “Gameplay is another excellent aspect, with very interesting puzzles that can range from simplistic to a couple of more complex head-scratchers, but never requiring 'moon-logic', always clever and making sense.”
    • “The gameplay is wonderful, and I like how the pixelated graphics move you to focus more on the plotline instead of the scenery.”
    • “The gameplay could feel a bit tedious when having to go through every single scene again to locate that one little thing that you hadn't clicked on or asked about to be able to trigger an event or new day.”
    • “Uninspired puzzles, a tedious middle plot, redundant mechanics, and a Lynchian dream of a final act all rank Kathy Rain well below other similar titles, including ones published over two decades ago.”
    • “It's a game aplomb with genre tropes, familiar mechanics so frequent that you may find yourself saying 'I've played this game before.' Unfortunately, the homage-cum-recycle tactic harms Kathy Rain's novelty, and its untethered plot cannot rescue it.”
  • atmosphere
    90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and haunting qualities, drawing strong comparisons to iconic works like "Twin Peaks" and "The X-Files." Reviewers highlight the effective use of music, pixel art, and voice acting, which collectively enhance the game's emotional depth and nostalgic 90s vibe. Overall, the atmosphere is described as captivating, with a blend of mystery and unease that complements the storytelling and character development.

    • “The setting of the very mature story is very intimate by taking place in a small rural community which adds to the story's haunting atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere is palpable, there were several moments that made me smile, and some of the puzzles are remarkable - in that they're challenging, clever and fitting for what you're trying to do without falling into the loop-de-loop bizarro logic normally employed by point and click adventure games.”
    • “The writing is inspired, the structure and design deftly executed; and the wonderful pixel art, music, sound design and voice acting all work together to create an absorbing atmosphere and engaging overall gaming experience.”
    • “The main interest is in the story, rich in strong themes like heredity, mental illness, abandonment, and abuse in an atmosphere between Twin Peaks and Silent Hill.”
    • “It's something of a cop-out, but the eerie atmosphere and experience as a whole outshine the hasty finish.”
    • “The atmosphere is more often one of unease and tension, rather than horror, and it does this well.”
  • humor
    53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is characterized by sharp, snarky one-liners from the protagonist, Kathy, who is often described as a witty and relatable character. Players appreciate the blend of dark humor and clever dialogue, which enhances the storytelling and character development, although some feel that attempts at humor can occasionally fall flat amidst the game's darker themes. Overall, the humor is a significant highlight, contributing to the game's charm and engaging atmosphere.

    • “Laughing out loud at Kathy's snarky one-liners like she's my own personal stand-up comedian.”
    • “The biting humor of Kathy was great, and it was her 'devil may care' attitude towards everything that shaped so much of the feel of the game.”
    • “The protagonist's snarky humor made me chuckle, and the voice acting is superb in this game.”
  • emotional
    30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its engaging and heartfelt narrative, which explores themes of generational trauma and personal growth, particularly through the character of Kathy. Players appreciate the depth of the story, with many finding the ending touching and meaningful, despite some feeling that certain emotional moments were forced. Overall, the game successfully balances suspense and compassion, allowing players to connect deeply with the characters and their struggles.

    • “The story is engaging and emotionally moving.”
    • “The rain family background is particularly heart-wrenching and touching.”
    • “You see that underneath all that snark, she is a human being dealing with some serious emotional issues while trying to uncover what really happened to her grandfather all those years ago.”
  • character development
    22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with some players feeling that the protagonist, Kathy, lacks significant growth despite her intriguing design and personality. While some appreciate the depth of side characters and the overall narrative, many criticize the rushed ending and the limited timeframe of the story, which hampers meaningful character evolution. Overall, the game offers a blend of engaging character traits and design but falls short in delivering substantial development for its main character.

    • “It's one of those games where everything fits together, from game design to character development.”
    • “Overall, I liked the character development throughout the story and even how the mystery and puzzle elements were a bit challenging.”
    • “I also thought the character development of the side characters was exemplary, like that of BFF roommate, Eileen.”
    • “Kathy Rain feels like she’s meant to have some major character development happening, but it doesn’t feel like after everything happens that she’s actually worked through her past issues or shown much growth; she just accepted it enough to get through some tests and come out feeling largely unchanged.”
    • “I guess that this aspect of character development could have been much further developed, and maybe it was intended to do so, but the whole end feels a little rushed, and maybe some of that was pared down to reach deadlines, budgets, or something along that line.”
    • “It feels as though the ending was only there as a way to give players more last-minute character development from Kathy and to quickly resolve the game's plot because of how disjointed it feels.”
  • grinding
    13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews of the game's grinding aspect highlight a mixed experience; while some players found the initial gameplay tedious and repetitive, they ultimately appreciated the story and puzzle-solving elements. Many noted that the back-and-forth travel between limited locations could become monotonous, but the game often mitigated typical adventure game frustrations by providing helpful hints. Overall, while certain puzzles were seen as tedious, the narrative and rewarding moments kept players engaged.

    • “Solving the puzzles still felt very rewarding, though, and most of them weren't tedious or annoying.”
    • “The gameplay could feel a bit tedious when having to go through every single scene again to locate that one little thing that you hadn't clicked on or asked about to be able to trigger an event/new day.”
    • “There are a rather limited number of locations in the game and the back and forth between them (on the bike) becomes very tedious after a while.”
    • “Both are doable, but tedious enough to ruin the flow of the story; might as well look up the walkthrough for just those two incidents and you won’t lose anything.”
  • replayability
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's replayability is generally considered low, with many reviewers noting that it lacks significant value beyond the initial playthrough, despite a few dialogue choices. While some players may find it enjoyable enough to revisit for achievements, the consensus is that the experience is short and not designed for repeated play.

    • “+ high replay value.”
    • “Unless you are looking to get all the achievements (some are cryptic), replayability is low.”
    • “I don’t think it has a huge amount of replay value though.”
    • “Like most adventure games, there's almost no replay value, despite the handful of times when you're asked to select between different dialogue options.”
  • optimization
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of the game is praised for its fully voiced performances, with standout acting that enhances the overall experience. The commitment to quality in voice acting contributes to a smooth and enjoyable adventure, indicating strong attention to detail from the developers.

    • “All the supporting performances were top notch, showing that the developers were committed to providing a quality experience for prospective buyers.”
    • “A nice and easy adventure with a decent script and performances.”
    • “But you get used to her voice, and her performance overall was good.”
  • stability
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's stability is mixed, with users reporting occasional resolution issues and minor animation glitches that do not significantly impact gameplay. However, some players experienced severe control bugs on Mac and technical glitches, particularly related to Unity graphics, which detracted from the experience. Despite these issues, many still consider it one of the best adventure games in recent years.

    • “The controls on Mac are horrendously buggy.”
    • “It wasn't as long, wasn't quite as interesting, had a few technical glitches, and cost more.”
    • “Aside from Blackwell games, this is one of the best adventure games I've played in years (although Cognition probably would've beaten it out if they hadn't had all the horrible Unity graphics freezes).”
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82%Critics’ scoreBased on 14 critic reviews
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6h Median play time
9h Average play time
5-8h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 11 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Kathy Rain is a casual puzzle game with drama, mystery and thriller themes.

Kathy Rain is available on PC, Mac OS, Phone, iPad and others.

On average players spend around 9 hours playing Kathy Rain.

Kathy Rain was released on May 5, 2016.

Kathy Rain was developed by Clifftop Games.

Kathy Rain has received positive reviews from players and positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Kathy Rain is a single player game.

Similar games include Primordia, Unforeseen Incidents, Technobabylon, The Blackwell Legacy, The Dark Eye: Chains of Satinav and others.