Rain World - Procedurally animated 2D survival open-world platformer

[Crispy]

That thread title could be even longer. This is a rather singular and interesting game. It started off as a just an experiment in procedural animation a few years ago. The developer kept updating and adding to it and a game emerged. It was successfully kickstarted earlier this year and is shaping up really nicely now.

It's set in the decaying ruins of a technological society, somewhere, somewhen. Now, wild creatures inhabit the silent wastes. Some are passive, some are hunters. You play a creature half way up the food chain; a "slug cat" (for want of a better name!), small and agile. You must venture out of your burrow and hunt for "bats" to sustain yourself.

All the while avoiding predation by the "lizards"

The AI is very smart and will require wit and cunning to overcome. Very brave players can even take the fight to the lizards with spears and rocks.

You can also choose to look after pups. (or not - it's an open-world game with only minimal directed story). But you'll have to win their trust.

But whatever you do, you've got to get back to a safe burrow before the rain comes.

I just love the animation. So expressive and alive. The developers (just one programmer-artist-designer and one musician-designer) keep a daily devlog here: http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=25183 - It's fascinating to read. The first alpha version is going out to KS backers now. Here's some gameplay:

 

[Sunray]

The game play video looks very boring. I love this style of graphics but it just looks like move from one part of the screen to another.

 

[Crispy]

The game play video looks very boring. I love this style of graphics but it just looks like move from one part of the screen to another.

Well it is just the alpha. Here's the latest enemy creature, which is truly fearsome:

 

[Enviro]

The graphics remind me of Another World.

 

[Crispy]

The graphics remind me of Another World.

A similar technique actually - flat 2D polygons on a painted backdrop. Another World was rotoscoped, but this is simulated.

 

[Crispy]

Gameplay:



Honestly there's nothing like it. The animation is incredible.

 

[Fez909]

Looks beautiful

 

[Cid]

Gameplay:



Honestly there's nothing like it. The animation is incredible.

Looking very nice... There's a trailer video up on steam now too, which gives some tantalising glimpses of varied environments.

 

[Crispy]

Out in a couple of months

 

[camouflage]

Very nice, hypnotic and fascinating to watch. Would love this on the mobile.

 

[Chilli.s]

That does look fun.

 

[alsoknownas]

That thread title could be even longer. This is a rather singular and interesting game...

That took me to this, which I found very worthwhile:
GDC Vault - Animation Bootcamp: An Indie Approach to Procedural Animation

 

[Crispy]

Rain World will be released this Spring on PC and PS4

Trailer:



More GIFs to murder your bandwidth

 

[Magnus McGinty]

I want this. The world needs JetSet Willy of the new generation. With beautiful scenery and less annoying music. It's a no brainier.
I was gutted to discover there's still some waiting involved.

 

[Crispy]

Releases 28th March



I was tempted by a Switch and Zelda, but nah, this is the game I plan on playing for the next few months

 

[Crispy]

It's out today. Reviews are all over the place, because it's hard as fucking nails apparently.

Rain World review | PC Gamer

Rain World requires improvisation and smarts, and there’s no way to trick it into being easier. The early hours are taxing, and in all honesty, it continues to be taxing. It’s not relaxing. It’s not a game to wash away your daily worries with. But the variety of the world’s barren landscapes will keep the determined pushing on, and the seemingly insurmountable challenges are, well, surmountable, but not thanks to 'tricks' per se. You just have to be smart about it. You have to learn—and then very vaguely know—how to survive. You have to accept that sometimes you’ll be unlucky. Is that too demanding? For the vast majority of players, I expect it is. For those with the time and patience, Rain World will prove unforgettable.

 

[Crispy]

So yes, it is hard, and it feels really punishing to be sent back to your last hibernation den *and* get docked rank (which you need to open doors between regions) when you die. BUT, the atmosphere and animations are incredible, and if you get your head in the right space (ie. that of fragile prey, not powerful predator) then you can succeed and progress. It's like Dark Souls, but you never get any better weapons or armour.

The developers are listening to feedback and there will be a patch, which will probably bring some tweaks to balance.

 

[Enviro]

Had a little play last night - love the atmosphere. I went up a few hibernation levels (not sure what this does exactly, but expect I'll find out), and then got smacked back down to the beginning by being eaten and the rain. I couldn't make it to the next hibernation spot Might try regenerating the world tonight as I ended up back where I started. That's some bloody rain, is that.

 

[Crispy]

Caution is always the winning strategy in this game. Play it safe. Eat to survive. Don't push your boundaries. Only when you're feeling strong and confident should you push on to new areas.

regenerating the world

(PS: It's not procedural - everyone gets the same hand-made world)

 

[Enviro]

Awww ok.

 

[tommers]

It's like Dark Souls,

It's Like Dark Souls (@xmeetsdarksouls) on Twitter

 

[kabbes]

Nothing is like Dark Souls. Let's just make that abundantly clear. Dark Souls had gallons of gameplay depth, not just a brutal difficulty level. Plus the difficulty was an inherent part of the gameplay, not a sideshow.

Sorry Crispy, but you aren't selling me on this game at all. I'd had my fill of rock hard platformers by about 1995, no matter how good they look. And Another World this ain't.

 

[Crispy]

I have no intent of selling anyone on it that's for sure! Not for everyone.

 

[tommers]

This is in the humble bundle by the way.

 

[Crispy]

Patches since release have soften its edges too, so it's not quite as unforgiving as it was on release. At this price, it's worth it just for the animation and atmosphere.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

I had it on my to buy list, and I may well do that as I want to support the devs regardless of me liking it. It looks amazing.