The indie survival gameRain Worldhas been steadily developing a small, tight-knit fan base. Released back in 2017, this seemingly mundane open-world 2D platformer drew attention thanks to its stellar presentation that merged cute, creepy, and melancholic vibes, complex AI, and well-implemented physics. Adding on a surprisingly large amount of lore tucked away in the game’s furthest reaches, there was a little something inRain Worldfor everyone. The only deciding factor was whether a player was willing to stick with the game through its most challenging, semi-randomized moments.
Rain World’s mascot protagonist, the slugcat, provided a good reason to do so. Controlling the slugcat is more technical than it appears, even if the game doesn’t properly communicate every action a slugcat can take. The act of playingRain Worldhas only become more complex and satisfying now thattheRain World: Downpourexpansionhas been released for PC. One of Downpour’s biggest selling points was the five new slugcats it added, on top of the three in the base game. Whereas the original three slugcats can be described as easy, normal, and hard mode, all the new creatures play quite differently, and have new stories to boot. Each one has strengths and weaknesses and interacts withRain World’s unforgiving environment in radically different ways.
This article will contain minor spoilers forRain World: Downpour.RELATED:10 Underrated Platformer Games On Steam
Spearmaster
Starting off both the new slugcat batch and the player’s understanding of theRain Worldtimeline is the Spearmaster, a purple slugcat that can produce its own organic spears. These have their usual combative and exploration uses, but they must also be used tosiphon food from other creatures for Spearmaster’s hibernation. Uniquely, this slugcat doesn’t have a mouth, so its ability to store items is limited. Its playthrough somewhat resembles a modified version of the base game’s Hunter, though without the strict cycle time limit. The best reason to experience Spearmaster is the new lore scattered throughout its map, giving the player a better sense of what the wider setting ofRain Worldis like.
Rivulet
Common complaints that newRain Worldplayers have are that the controls are unintuitive, and that swimming feels bad. The latter doesn’t get much better for veterans, but both become a non-issue in the Rivulet playthrough. One of the later campaigns in the timeline, the Rivulet must deal with a flooded map and heavy showers that occur every few minutes. However, it’s perfectly equipped for this with the longest air supply and bybeing the fastest character, bar none. Even without advanced movement techniques, the Rivulet can sprint across any screen in seconds, and eventually gains an upgrade that can make its jumps go even farther. It’s difficult to express how large the difference in playing a faster character can be in such a deliberate game asRain World.
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Gourmand
On the total opposite end of the spectrum is the Gourmand, a morbidly obese slugcat who gets tired after throwing a single spear or exerting itself. This sounds unpleasant, but it’s actually there to balance how strong the Gourmand is otherwise. Some of that weight is muscle, as its slide can deal damage, simply falling on enemies will usually kill them, and the Gourmand rarely needs to throw more than one spear to down a target. However, Gourmand’s true beauty comes with its ability to spawn andmix almost any item inRain World. Learning Gourmand’s crafting recipes and when to stop and generate items should propel players through its campaign as smoothly as the Rivulet can sprint.
Artificer
Following up the casual power exhibited by the Rivulet and the Gourmand is the Artificer, a one-eyed red slugcat with only one goal: killing Scavengers. To that end, the Artificer has somehow internalized explosive force that allows it to double jump and convert spears and rocks into bombs. While constant Scav patrols will hound the player throughout their run, the Artificer has everything it needs to blast through hoards of one ofRain World’s most complex and intelligent races. Combined with an especially personal story and an ending that is unique among all ofRain World’s campaigns, players likely won’t forget their Artificer playthrough.
Saint
One of the last campaigns unlocked is what many consider to be the “finale” ofRain World, the Saint. This greenslugcat must use its long tongue as a grappling hookto quickly swing through a decaying, freezing world. While it seems like Saint’s absolute pacifism, permanent grappling tool, and temperature mechanic are all this playthrough offers, tenacious players will eventually find that isn’t the case. After spending hours scouringRain World’s map from top to bottom, players will unlock a new stage to the Saint campaign that completely changes how they play. It has enormous story implications and serves as a fitting climax toRain Worldas a whole.
Enot
Saint would be the finale, if not for one hidden slugcat. By typing Sofanthiel onRain World’s title screen, the player unlocks a secret campaign, and will probably wish they didn’t. Although this slugcat resembles thecut “player 4” characterthat fans have taken to calling Nightcat, it’s otherwise an inverted version of the basic Survivor. Its strange appearance is just the tip of the iceberg, as the player will quickly find out thatRain World’s map has been converted into a nightmarish obstacle course.
Only the very best players could hope to clear what this campaign asks of them, although at least they come equipped with the Artificer’s grab attack, the Gourmand’s expanded food list, a Singularity Bomb that respawns upon sleeping, and some silly sound effects. Completing this playthrough, or using dev tools to reach the end, will reward players with by far themost ridiculous Easter egg inRain World: Downpour, so it’s worth struggling or cheating through just for that.
Rain Worldis available now for PC, PS4, and Switch.
