Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3
- June 25, 2012
- Zeboyd Games
- 12h median play time
Get on SteamIn Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3, players control a team of three heroes in a comic-styled role-playing game. The game features a unique blend of humor, pop culture references, and challenging turn-based battles. The story continues from the previous games, following the New Arcadia police in their fight against bizarre and menacing foes, with new mechanics and an updated art style.
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Reviews
- The game features great music and hilarious dialogue, maintaining the signature humor of the Penny Arcade series.
- The combat system is engaging and strategic, allowing for a variety of class combinations and tactics.
- It's a nostalgic throwback to classic 16-bit RPGs, providing a fun and entertaining experience for fans of the genre.
- The gameplay can feel repetitive and grindy, with some battles dragging on longer than necessary.
- The transition to a different art style and gameplay mechanics may disappoint fans of the original games.
- The story can be convoluted at times, and some players may find the humor hit or miss.
- humor149 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its quirky charm, clever writing, and nostalgic references, often drawing comparisons to classic JRPGs and the signature style of Penny Arcade. While some players find the humor to be hit-or-miss or overly verbose, many appreciate the hilarious enemy descriptions, witty dialogue, and absurd scenarios that keep the experience entertaining. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with engaging gameplay, making it a standout in the genre for fans of comedic RPGs.
“Its quirky humor and unique art style add charm to the experience.”
“The humor is top-class grade-A stuff.”
“The writing is hilarious, the story is interesting, the art is great, and it's so full of charm and fun that I couldn't put it down.”
- story143 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of this game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its humor and engaging plot, while others find it convoluted and difficult to follow. It continues the narrative from the previous installments but introduces new characters and a different tone, leading to a varied reception among fans of the series. Overall, while the writing is often described as funny and charming, the plot can feel overshadowed by excessive dialogue and a lack of clarity for newcomers.
“This is a great game with a great story and it's surprisingly long to complete.”
“The story is strong, and you don't need to have played the first two games to fully grasp it.”
“The writing is hilarious, the story is interesting, the art is great, and it's so full of charm and fun that I couldn't put it down.”
“This game does not pick up where it left off in the second game, instead changing the entire story entirely.”
“The story has always been overshadowed by the massive amount of near meaningless dialogue that we tend to get in these games and that continues here as well.”
“My only single complaint is that I played through the whole game, played through the beginning of the end DLC and it crashes where I would supposedly meet the boss of the prelude and see the important part of the story.”
- gameplay77 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the reviewed titles is characterized by a mix of classic turn-based mechanics and unique twists, such as an interrupt system and power escalation, which some players find engaging while others consider it repetitive or lacking depth. While the nostalgic art style and humor are appreciated, the overall execution varies significantly between installments, with some players enjoying the solid RPG elements and others feeling that the gameplay becomes tedious or fails to innovate. Overall, the experience ranges from enjoyable and strategic to underwhelming, depending on individual preferences and expectations.
“The gameplay is solid and great for an RPG-style game.”
“The new gameplay and its elements of strategy are intuitive, yet reasonably deep.”
“Classic RPG action with an interesting 'interrupt' mechanic to it with a good sense of humor.”
“However, its gameplay may feel repetitive for some players, and its niche appeal may not resonate with everyone.”
“The gameplay itself gets tedious rather quickly.”
“Parts of it drag on, the gameplay is a bit stale and some of the jokes fall a bit flat.”
- graphics65 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the nostalgic 16-bit pixel art style while others lament the departure from the more detailed visuals of previous installments. While some find the retro aesthetic charming and fitting for the RPG genre, others feel it lacks the unique artistic flair that characterized earlier entries, resulting in a less engaging visual experience. Overall, the graphics are seen as a trade-off, with some players valuing the humor and gameplay over the visual presentation.
“Its quirky humor and unique art style add charm to the experience.”
“The visuals are pleasant, the writing is soulful, and the audio/music is fitting.”
“I really enjoyed this game - a great retro-style graphics combined with an innovative combat system.”
“Visuals are definitely not this game's strong suit.”
“First, graphics are your run-of-the-mill, RPG Maker junk, losing the style and feel from the first two (Hothead-designed) games.”
“Going from a unique art style and combat system back to the dated 'JRPG' system we all know (and in some cases love) just feels like cheapening the game.”
- music34 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its catchy and fitting compositions, particularly highlighting improvements over previous titles. However, several users express frustration with the looping issues, where tracks abruptly stop and restart, detracting from the overall experience. While many appreciate the soundtrack's quality and its alignment with the game's style, others find it forgettable or annoying after extended play.
“The perfect blend of good programming and interesting writing, combined with amazing music by Alex Mauer.”
“Excellent retro experience with Tycho's usual sublime writing and a catchy as heck soundtrack.”
“The music here is better than the previous games in the fact that it actually has music, but they did a terrible job looping any of the songs and they just come to a stop and restart, which is very off-putting.”
“However, the game is not flawless, e.g. music is catchy at first but it becomes kinda annoying after a while.”
“Second, the music doesn't play for me -- and based on comments around the internet, I'm not the only one.”
- grinding19 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- -11 % neutral mentions
- 95 % negative mentions
Overall, reviews indicate that while some players find the grinding in the game excessive and tedious, others appreciate the reduced grind compared to similar titles, noting that combat is more tactical and less reliant on traditional grinding mechanics. Many highlight that the game offers options to minimize grinding, making it less of a chore, though some still feel it detracts from the overall enjoyment. The balance between fun gameplay and grindy elements varies among players, with some finding it entertaining enough to overlook the grind.
“The variety in fights keeps the grinding fresh and engaging, making it feel less like a chore.”
“With the introduction of different classes, grinding becomes more strategic and enjoyable.”
“Grinding in this game is rewarding, as it allows for character development and skill enhancement.”
“After enjoying the first two games with their fun dialogue, good JRPG combat, and unique style, this third installment just feels way too grindy and a tad lackluster in execution.”
“Looks like they took out the humor of previous episodes and replaced it with repetitive, grindy combat.”
“However, the gameplay itself gets tedious rather quickly.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game offers limited replayability, primarily appealing to players seeking a challenge, but may not provide enough variety for those looking for extensive replay value.
“Replayability: there is not a ton of replayability, but certainly enough if you're looking to challenge yourself.”
“Not much replayability”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is noted to be distinct, with some players expressing disappointment compared to the immersive environments of the earlier installments.
“It has such a different atmosphere.”
“I loved the atmosphere of the first two, and was rather disappointed by this one.”
- character development2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Character development in the game shows a mixed approach; while some players appreciate the superb depth and humor intertwined with the storyline, others feel that humor often takes precedence over meaningful character growth.
“A classic RPG with an amazing storyline; the character development is superb, along with humorous details.”
“There are some decent attempts at character development; however, the priority is clearly on humor over substance.”
“The characters feel one-dimensional and lack meaningful growth throughout the story.”
“Despite the potential for deep storytelling, the character arcs are predictable and uninspired.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game transitions from a lighthearted, nostalgic RPG experience to a deeply emotional journey, culminating in a heart-wrenching ending that fulfills its narrative promises. Players appreciate the blend of humor, character customization, and strategic gameplay, which enhances the emotional impact of the story's conclusion.
“A game that starts off as a humor-laced throwback to the SNES-era RPG, takes a right turn into some seriously solid character customization, party tactics, and heavily rewards clever strategy. Then the tracks end and dip the entire game off a cliff into a heart-wrenching ending that delivers on the fundamental promises of its narrative.”
