Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan

Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan is a near perfect game and a great introduction as someone's first RPG. It may be a little long winded at times, but overall Rainbow Billy is a must own.

77%Game Brain Score

gameplay, story

stability, grinding

92% User Score Based on 203 reviews

Critic Score 85%Based on 3 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $3.56

Buy NowGet on Steam$19.99

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About

"Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan" is a single-player Comedy Role Playing game with an intriguing story and wonderful gameplay. Join the protagonist in a quest to save the world by befriending over 60 curious creatures, bringing back color, and accepting change in this family-friendly adventure with phenomenal visuals and a delightful soundtrack. Explore a vast world of 85+ islands and caves filled with treasure, minigames, and more!

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan screenshot

+10

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 206 reviews

gameplay26 positive mentions

stability6 negative mentions

Rainbow Billy offers a unique and engaging combat system that focuses on empathy and understanding, allowing players to help creatures through their insecurities.
The game features vibrant and charming visuals, along with a delightful soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
The narrative is heartwarming and touches on important themes such as mental health, acceptance, and friendship, making it relatable for players of all ages.

The gameplay can become repetitive, especially in the combat system, which may lead to a lack of engagement over time.
There are several bugs and technical issues, including camera problems and minor glitches that can disrupt the gameplay experience.
The dialogue can sometimes feel overly simplistic or preachy, which may detract from the depth of the story and character development.

gameplay
106 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
70%
6%
The gameplay of the game is a blend of engaging turn-based combat and exploration, reminiscent of the Paper Mario series, with a focus on colorful mechanics and emotional themes. While many players appreciate the depth and charm of the gameplay loop, some criticize the lack of clear explanations for mechanics, particularly in battles, which can lead to confusion. Overall, the game offers a satisfying experience with a variety of challenges, though it may feel repetitive and complex for younger audiences.
- “The gameplay is simple but still challenging at times.”
- “Absolutely loved this game - the art style is very cute and the gameplay loop is satisfying and doesn't overstay its welcome.”
- “The core gameplay and music show that this game had a lot of potential.”
- “I couldn't get through 2 hours; the gameplay lacked any coherent explanations for its mechanics. The battle system throws you in and expects you to already know how to play it, despite it being a radically different system from the franchise that seemingly inspired it.”
- “While I was able to eventually figure it out, the game had a moment where it literally went, 'Erm, don't you know you're not supposed to use [the unexplained mechanic of color tokens] like that?' despite it being a completely new thing unceremoniously tossed at you.”
- “The talking portions are nonsensical, the gameplay is repetitive from the second battle onward, and there's no driving factor to keep the interest of someone over the age of 8.”
story
100 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
73%
4%
The story of *Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan* follows a child named Billy as he navigates a vibrant world turned monochrome by a curse, emphasizing themes of friendship, acceptance, and emotional growth. While the narrative starts off with familiar tropes, it evolves into a deeper and more poignant tale, enriched by relatable character arcs and a charming art style. Players appreciate the emotional depth and engaging soundtrack, though some find the initial pacing slow and the visuals somewhat childish.
- “A mix of older Paper Mario games' art style, combat, and humor, with Undertale/Deltarune's puzzle-solving, messages of friendship and acceptance, lore and backstory that the creators trust you to piece together yourself, and a great soundtrack that weaves together various leitmotifs and themes.”
- “The story is surprisingly touching and the music is absolutely amazing.”
- “Much like the characters in its story, Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan has far more depth and complexity than it first lets on; and though it does have its flaws, there's lots to enjoy here if you're willing to give it a chance.”
- “For now, the childish visuals and bland story will turn people away.”
- “It's hampered by its story and visuals.”
- “Con: the story is really a Saturday morning cartoon all the way through.”
music
98 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
58%
3%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its upbeat and dramatic nature, as well as its ability to enhance the overall experience. Some players noted the soundtrack's impressive variety, including vocal tracks that add emotional depth, while others found certain tracks to be unmemorable or repetitive. Overall, the music is considered a strong aspect of the game, contributing positively to its atmosphere and gameplay.
- “A mix of older Paper Mario games' art style, combat, and humor, with Undertale/Deltarune's puzzle-solving, messages of friendship and acceptance, lore and backstory that the creators trust you to piece together yourself, and a great soundtrack that weaves together various leitmotifs and themes.”
- “Rainbow Billy is a lovely adventure game with bright, colorful 2D-3D mixed visuals and, frankly, quite an astonishingly great soundtrack (one of my favorite parts of the game).”
- “The music is amazing, the visuals are nice and cute, and the dialogues are thoughtful and feel truthful.”
- “So many odd design decisions, from using music with vocals as background music to extremely awkward platforming.”
- “Sounds are a bit redundant and so is the music... but you kinda get used to it.”
- “I do recommend it but the $30 asking price is a bit steep even if I recognize the effort that went into making this - that's a lot of character designs and a pretty expansive soundtrack with more than a few vocal tracks to boot - I just don't think the game offers enough variety (or, let's be honest, challenge) to be worth its length, which is unfortunate.”
graphics
51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
61%
6%
The graphics of "Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan" are characterized by a vibrant, cartoonish aesthetic reminiscent of classic 2D and 3D styles, drawing inspiration from games like Paper Mario and Cuphead. While the visuals are often described as cute and appealing, evoking a nostalgic Saturday morning cartoon vibe, some critics feel that the childish art style may alienate older players despite the game's deeper themes. Overall, the graphics are praised for their beauty and synergy with the game's music and narrative, contributing to a charming and engaging experience.
- “The visuals are beautiful, the story is very fun.”
- “Rainbow Billy is a lovely adventure game with bright, colorful 2D-3D mixed visuals and, frankly, quite an astonishingly great soundtrack (one of my favorite parts of the game).”
- “What a little gem to play with the kids... great fun, colorful and crisp graphics and great mechanics!”
- “The game's art style looks very childish, to the point that it evokes a preschool.”
- “For now, the childish visuals and bland story will turn people away.”
- “It's hampered by its story and visuals.”
emotional
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan" is highly praised, with players noting its charming and wholesome storytelling that touches on various emotional and mental health topics. Many found the narrative surprisingly touching, leading to moments of genuine emotional impact, while the game's vibrant art and music enhance the overall uplifting experience. However, some critiques mention that the treatment of complex emotional issues can be somewhat surface-level, though still respectful and relatable.
- “Rainbow Billy really went into that depth of emotional intelligence that I've never seen a game do before.”
- “The story is surprisingly touching and the music is absolutely amazing.”
- “This part of the game touches on a broad range of topics involving various emotional struggles, social insecurities, and mental health issues; and I'm sure many players--myself included--can find someone in this cast of characters whose struggles and road to recovery they can relate to.”
character development
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
Character development in the game is highlighted by a significant arc that unfolds in the third act, with upgrades leading to additional dialogue that enriches the story. While the character designs are praised for their vibrancy, the overall emotional depth is somewhat limited by a basic system, leaving some players feeling that the game lacks sufficient variety and challenge to justify its price. The target demographic appears mixed, as the game's themes resonate more with older teens and adults, while its juvenile aesthetics may alienate some younger players.
- “Your character still gets their own major character development arc in the 3rd act.”
- “Upgrading creatures will yield more dialogue, furthering their character development and story.”
- “The character designs were delightful, and while the puzzles weren't too complex, they still felt satisfying to complete.”
- “Your character still gets their major character development arc in the 3rd act.”
- “I do recommend it, but the $30 asking price is a bit steep even if I recognize the effort that went into making this - that's a lot of character designs and a pretty expansive soundtrack with more than a few vocal tracks to boot - I just don't think the game offers enough variety (or, let's be honest, challenge) to be worth its length, which is unfortunate.”
- “It's hard to figure out the target demographic - the conveyed message and game mechanics are better understood by a teen or an adult, but the music and character design are juvenile and may drive off teens.”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a standout feature, blending the whimsical charm of classic Paper Mario with deeper, witty dialogue and vibrant characters. Players appreciate the game's heartwarming messages of friendship and acceptance, alongside its engaging puzzles and colorful art style, which collectively enhance the comedic experience. Overall, the humor is integral to the game's appeal, providing both entertainment and emotional depth.
- “Gameplay is like a more complex Paper Mario, but the humor and heart are the real center of it.”
- “Look, this game has bright colors and funny characters, 100%, that's all I need to carry me through.”
- “The dialogue is very deep and funny.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game exhibits some stability issues, with minor glitches and occasional bugs, particularly in the platforming sections. While these issues are not game-breaking, players hope for improvements in future patches to enhance the experience.
- “The most obvious issue is that, in its current state, it's pretty buggy.”
- “There are very minor glitches, but I'm sure they could be cleaned up in future patches.”
- “The platforming sections are also pretty basic and occasionally slightly buggy (though never game-ruining).”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game is praised for not having traditional grinding mechanics, allowing players to power up creatures using random gifts and fish. However, some players find the process of raising friendship and the increasingly lengthy battle system to be tedious, as it requires time and randomness to progress.
- “The battle system and interacting with the critters once you recruit them gets kind of tedious too: for the latter, you need specific presents and gummi fish to raise friendship, but what presents and fish you get are random, so it takes a while, and the battle system takes so long as the game goes on!”
- “The battle system and interacting with the critters once you recruit them gets kind of tedious too: for the latter, you need specific presents and gummi fish to raise friendship, but what presents and fish you get are random, so it takes a while, and the battle system takes so long as the game goes on!”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The atmosphere of the game is praised for its cohesive integration with music and the sense of growth and challenge, enhancing the overall experience. Reviewers suggest that starting the music during the loading screen could further immerse players from the outset.
- “The music should start in the loading screen; that way, you're immediately drawn into the atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere, growth, approaching difficult situations, and music were all cohesive.”
- “Music should start in the loading screen; that way, you're immediately drawn into the atmosphere.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game's music, particularly in the late game, has been positively noted, with users highlighting that the more exciting tracks and vocal performances significantly enhance the overall experience.