“I always like walking in the rain, so no one can see me crying.” – Charlie Chaplin
Overview
Rain on Your Parade is a unique and comical experience in which players take on the role of a mischievous cloud who uses its weather-based powers on unsuspecting victims, ruining their day! The game is rather aptly described by the developers as a schadenfreude simulator!
Developer: Unbound Creations
Released: 15th April 2021
Price: £11.99
Gameplay
Best played with a controller, Rain on Your Parade features 50 fun-filled levels with a wide range of gameplay styles including tower defence, stealth, and puzzles. There are also plenty of pop culture and game references with levels based on Metal Gear Solid, Doom, The Office, Break Out and Katamari. Each level has a set of objectives (some are optional) that must be completed in order to progress and unlock a new piece of decor or an accessory. Tasks include things such as ruining a wedding by raining on the guests and knocking over chairs, or using thunder and lighting to burn down a forest full of dinosaurs! The levels have a huge amount of variety and range from super casual to more challenging escapades!
At the start of the game, the only ability the cloud has is raining but as the player progresses through different stages of mischief and mayhem, different abilities are unlocked – thunder, snow and tornados! Each has a unique effect and can be used in different ways to craft destruction and chaos! This adds a nice sense of progression and helps keep the gameplay fresh and interesting. In addition, upon completion of the game, new game plus is unlocked, this allows the player to replay all 50 levels with additional objectives and a higher level of challenge.
Narrative
Rain on Your Parade is presented as a bedtime story being told to a young child about the puckish cloud. Brief and sporadic cutscenes show the silhouette of a grandparent and child in a cosy bedroom as they take little breaks from the tale. The cloud’s story is presented through the gameplay, as it progresses through the various levels there are light narrative elements and a wealth of fun NPCs to meet such as Papa Cloud, Buggy, Nessie and a rhyming villain named Doctor Dryspell! These encounters bring cute and humorous dialogue that adds to the overall silliness and adds an extra element of fun to the experience.
Styling
The game has a very colourful 3D art style with fun yarn-like textures and cartoon-like characters that appear to be made of cardboard for a very whimsical and playful look. The music is upbeat and varied, suiting each level and gameplay style and providing just the right amount of tension-building ambience in the more challenging levels. The sound effects range from cute to explosive and really help bring the game world and the experience to life. There are a lot of customisation options in Rain on Your Parade, and players can not only choose from a host of collectable decor and accessories but can also recolour their cloud and even draw a whole new face for it! The room in which customisation can take place is cosy and gets modified as the player advances through the game, for example, the player’s painting appears above the fireplace after they have completed an art level!
Summary
Rain on Your Parade is a great game with a lot to offer, it is original and fun and features a vast assortment of gameplay styles and weather-based antics! The main campaign will take around 4-6 hours to complete though there is plenty of replayability due to new game plus. The collectables and abilities provide a good sense of progression as well as adding to the variety in both aesthetics and activities. The NPCs and fun references provide nostalgia and comedy, elevating the experience along with the somewhat minimal narrative elements. The vibrant art style is jolly and unique, suiting the game perfectly. similarly, the sound design is upbeat and fun and suits the different styles of gameplay throughout. Overall, this is a fantastic and memorable mischief and mayhem simulator that will provide entertainment to a wide range of players and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for something a bit different!
Looking for more cute, fun games? You might like these reviews:
Wobbly Life – The Cutest and Wobbliest Open-World Sandbox Game! – Wobbledogs: Canine Antics and Silly Sandbox Fun! – Making Mischief in Untitled Goose Game
