When exploring the indie section of PAX West, Rain98 caught my eye with its long line to demo the game. Looking more into this visual novel, so much of developer C#4R4CT3R’s debut title seemed right up my alley. From its visually stunning art style, moody atmosphere, and the allure of blending cozy, slice-of-life with psychological suspense, I was eager to dive further into this VN. Fortunately, I was given the opportunity to get an early look at the expanded demo that is now live on Steam.
The demo covers the prologue, chapter one, and the first half of chapter 2. It begins with the protagonist being transported back in time to his apartment in 1998. He witnesses a previous tenant, a woman named Reina, standing in front of a noose. After clearing the confusion of this absurd, supernatural scenario, these two lonely souls form a bond with a mutual goal: perform 100 activities to fill a sticker book, which is the linchpin of a ritual to cause the end of the world.
The dialogue and worldbuilding hammer home how crappy the world is in 1998 and in the present. It’s the usual spiel of corrupt politicians, climate change, inequality, etc. The belief that nothing will change is what drives the two leads to end the world. Yet, the narrative framing of the activities is about indulging in the warmth of mundanity. From playing cards, doing laundry, or walking down to the convenience store, Reina and the protagonist grow closer and learn more about each other through these tasks.
While I am enthralled by the narrative premise and the thematic irony that stems from the ritual and its apocalyptic goal, the actual writing between the main duo is too generic for my tastes. The style is reminiscent of VNs such as Needy Streamer Overload, Slay the Princess, and A Light in the Dark: an MC that essentially functions as a self-insert for the player to interact with an enigmatic woman central to the game’s plot. Thus, the game has to nail the writing of its female lead, and so far what’s on offer doesn’t rise past being just serviceable.
Reina’s nihilistic characterization and doomerism dialogue fit the story's subject matter. However, it flirts a little too close to mistaking edginess for depth for my liking. As a result, the touching moments where her iciness slightly melts feel hit or miss when scenes retreat back into an overwhelming layer of angst. It makes the intentional repetition of the ritual’s narrative structure feel listless. Still, this is only the first few hours, so there’s plenty of room to improve later on, especially with the horror elements that back end the demo. But as it is, Rain98’s writing is off to only an okay start.
Fortunately, the demo nails the other pivotal aspect for these types of visual novels: atmosphere. Continuing with the notion of contradictions, Rain98 captures a specific, warm vibe I often associate with walking outside on a cold, rainy night. The frigid air causes blood to rush to your cheeks. The mist of your breath brushes past your face upon each exhale. Street lamps illuminate the puddles on the ground, reflecting light that’s distorted by the ripples created by rain droplets dancing on the water’s surface. Yet there is a comforting serenity in all of this, the hustle and bustle of your surroundings drowned out by darkness and rain.
That same feeling morphs into a different vessel when arriving home. Moonlight beams into your dingy apartment as you sit there isolated from the rest of the world. Pressing your skin against the windowsill and feeling the vibrations from the “pitter-patter” of the rain is a reminder that the only thing separating your room and the elements outside is a thin pane of glass. It’s cozy, yet sad and lonely. It’s warm snuggling in a blanket, but chilly at the same time leaning against the window.
Obviously, the game can’t 4D beam blast cold air or rain droplets to the player, so it's impressive how well Rain98 is able to replicate that atmosphere through its aesthetics alone. The color palette leans heavily into various shades of blues contrasted by dark shadows and white lighting. A blurb at the beginning of the demo strongly suggests playing the game with headphones, and I’m inclined to agree. The lofi soundtrack and sound design taking advantage of binaural audio make for a soothing auditory experience. For a game that mostly takes place in a single apartment room, nailing this was vital to my enjoyment.
Rain98’s gameplay also pulls its weight to convey this vibe. Earlier, I described the warmth of mundanity through the various activities the two leads partake in, and these are presented as interactive minigames. I played the game exclusively via the Steam Deck, and using the touchscreen to complete these snippets of gameplay made the experience feel akin to a modern-day DS game. Gameplay is also where tension bends the peaceful routine, as numerous activities and items needed to progress are gated by money. It becomes a grind of playing minigames to earn enough cash to afford the ability to play other minigames. While I am slightly wary of how well the rest of the title will balance the repetition of 100 tasks, the bombardment of activities at the very least serves a narrative and atmospheric purpose.
Circling back to the visuals, Rain98’s gameplay bits further highlight its outstanding presentation. Despite the consistent color palette, the different visual styles through the minigames offer splashes of metaphorical color in both characters’ lives and what the player sees on screen. The overworld is explored through an isometric view with a chibi version of Reina. Numerous scenes and activities are depicted via pixel art mimicking the presentation of an old-school RPG. The DDR rhythm minigame has a low-poly model of Reina jamming out to the sick beats.
I have saved the best aspect of the visuals for last, and that’s the cinematography. Some VNs I’ve played flirted with consistently having dynamic scenes with numerous unique and moving character sprites and backgrounds. Key examples include Witch on the Holy Night, Shuten Order, and Anonymous;Code. However, they often boil down to sliding PNGs across the screen. With Rain98’s first-person perspective, C#4R4CT3R finds ways to position the mysterious woman with her surroundings in a way that evokes a cinematic feel. Clever use of limited animation, screen movement and shifting aperture meant to simulate handheld cam, film grain filter, and Reina’s fully voiced dialogue further contribute to this. The only gripe I have is how the white text often blends in with the bloom and lens flare of the art.
So far, the demo lightly touches the psychological horror promised for the rest of the package. I am eager to see the full scope of what it will offer and how it will mix up the currently repetitive gameplay and narrative structure. Despite a few quibbles here and there, C#4R4CT3R’s debut title shows narrative promise and a mastery of crafting an atmosphere that captures the serene warmth of cold isolation.
Rain98’s demo is now available on Steam. Save data is planned to carry over to the final version when the game launches next year.
