Rainy City: Pandemic
- August 10, 2020
- LunaBeat
Get on SteamIn "Rainy City: Pandemic," players explore a cyberpunk city while delivering pizzas to various residents, learning about their lives and struggles amidst an ongoing pandemic. The goal is to earn enough money for the player's sister's treatment before her condition worsens. The game aims to showcase a blend of hope and adversity in its dystopian setting.
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Reviews
- The game has a unique art style that combines 2D pixel art and 3D cyberpunk visuals, creating a distinct atmosphere.
- Many players found the game to be a relaxing experience, with enjoyable music and charming character interactions.
- The gameplay, while straightforward, was described as fun and accessible, making it suitable for casual play and family enjoyment.
- The game lacks a clear purpose or end goal, leading to a repetitive gameplay loop that can feel tedious.
- Controls are often described as clunky and unresponsive, making navigation and delivery tasks frustrating.
- The dialogue and character development are perceived as shallow, failing to create meaningful connections or engaging narratives.
- graphics26 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the unique art style and clever integration of visuals, music, and storytelling that create a distinct atmosphere. However, others criticize the inconsistency in visual quality, noting a clash between the intended 8-bit aesthetic and more detailed static visuals, leading to a perception of basic graphics overall. Despite these critiques, many players find enjoyment in the blend of retro and modern styles.
“The graphics are great.”
“The music, visuals, and subject matter come together to create a distinct feel that you won’t get in many titles.”
“The graphics are very basic.”
“Normally I am not one to criticize graphics at all as I prefer older games, but this game could not make up its mind visually.”
“Most of the game is clearly intended to have an 8-bit feel to it; however, any static visuals (items on the street, stop signs, dumpsters, etc.) are rendered very well and look like they are from an entirely different era.”
- music20 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The music in the game received mixed reviews, with some players finding it generic and reminiscent of low-quality cash grab titles, while others appreciated its chill vibe and how well it complemented the game's atmosphere and visuals. Many enjoyed the music during gameplay, noting that it enhanced their experience, particularly while exploring the city. Overall, the music contributed positively to the game's unique feel for those who connected with it.
“I enjoyed driving around the city while listening to cool music and meeting all of the customers.”
“The music was chill and fit the vibe perfectly.”
“The music, visuals, and subject matter come together to create a distinct feel that you won’t get in many titles.”
“The music sounded like the generic music used in every other poorly made cash grab game out there.”
“The song gave me bad vibes, contrary to the 'chill' vibes I expected.”
“The music sounded like the generic music used in every other poorly made cash grab game out there.”
- story16 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 19 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The story has received mixed reviews, with some players finding the characters and narrative engaging and unique, while others criticize it as lacking depth and meaning, suggesting it feels rushed and poorly executed. Despite attempts to reflect the pandemic experience, many feel the storytelling is weak and fails to enhance the overall gameplay. Overall, the narrative's effectiveness varies significantly among players, with some enjoying the dialogue and character development, while others find it uninteresting and poorly crafted.
“The story and characters are unique and engaging.”
“Nice simple story-driven game.”
“Neither the plot through dialogue nor the driving experience were enough to carry what lacked meaning to begin with.”
“The developers likely wanted to create a story to represent how we all have felt during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it was a quick, sloppy job likely borne out of marketability fear of missing out.”
“The actual driving gameplay can get a bit repetitive, but for me, the story of each of the characters kept me going.”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Gameplay in the reviewed titles is characterized by a repetitive delivery mechanic, where players pick up and drop off items while engaging with minimal dialogue. While some players find the gameplay fun and addictive, appreciating the character stories, others criticize it for being rote and lacking depth, with issues such as poor controls and weak visuals detracting from the overall experience.
“The gameplay itself is fun, has the right amount of challenge, and is very addicting to play.”
“The actual driving gameplay can get a bit repetitive (would love if more was added to this), but, for me, the story of each of the characters kept me going.”
“The stylings of Cloudpunk didn't seem to match what I was looking for, and despite some reviews saying Rainy City: Pandemic lacked in narrative and dialogue, the various positive reviews (mostly about how the game had a nice atmosphere - 'cozy', 'chill', 'relaxing') and more-similarly styled gameplay towards Neo Cab swayed me.”
“The gameplay was rote and dry, like the cold naan and tasteless sauces at a bad Indian food buffet.”
“The gameplay basically boils down to picking up a delivery at point A, dropping it off to point B, reading some dialogue, rinse and repeat until the game ends.”
“You can see this by the lack of good storytelling (this is obvious at the onset), lazy attempt at visuals, horrible controls, and weak gameplay.”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its cozy, chill, and relaxing qualities, enhanced by a harmonious blend of art, music, and character backstories. Many reviewers highlight that the atmosphere is a standout feature, contributing significantly to the overall experience.
“The atmosphere is where this game really shines.”
“The atmosphere from the art and music combined is excellent.”
“The character backstories combined with the art style and music created a really nice atmosphere.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a blatant cash grab, with users noting that the music feels generic and reminiscent of low-quality games designed solely for profit.
“This is a blatant attempt to make a 'culturally relevant' cash grab.”
“The music sounded like the generic music used in every other poorly made cash grab game out there.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game offers a poignant exploration of characters' lives during the pandemic, providing a refreshing sense of connection and understanding that resonates emotionally with players. While some expected a deeper emotional impact, many found the game's reflection on shared experiences to be comforting and relatable.
“The game takes a look at the lives of many characters and really is a reflection on how the current pandemic is impacting all of us, which was surprisingly refreshing and made me feel less alone.”
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate a consensus that the game lacks meaningful character development, with multiple users noting that the characters do not undergo significant growth or change throughout the story.
“There is no impactful character development.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, as repetitive deliveries to similar locations hinder strategic planning for resource management, such as fuel and food, within time constraints.
“Needing to make deliveries from the same store to very similar locations becomes tedious when you are trying to properly strategize how to make/save money and make the most out of your fuel and food within a set time span.”
“Needing to make deliveries from the same store to very similar locations becomes tedious when you are trying to properly strategize how to make/save money and make the most out of your fuel and food within a set time span.”
