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 playing Rain World has only become more complex and satisfying now that the Rain World: Downpour expansion has 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 with Rain World’s unforgiving environment in radically different ways.
This article will contain minor spoilers for Rain World: Downpour.RELATED: 10 Underrated Platformer Games On Steam
Spearmaster
Starting off both the new slugcat batch and the player’s understanding of the Rain World timeline 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 to siphon 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 of Rain World is like.
Rivulet
Common complaints that new Rain World players 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 by being 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 as Rain 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 and mix almost any item in Rain 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 of Rain World’s most complex and intelligent races. Combined with an especially personal story and an ending that is unique among all of Rain 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” of Rain World, the Saint. This green slugcat must use its long tongue as a grappling hook to 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 scouring Rain 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 to Rain World as a whole.
Enot
Saint would be the finale, if not for one hidden slugcat. By typing Sofanthiel on Rain World’s title screen, the player unlocks a secret campaign, and will probably wish they didn’t. Although this slugcat resembles the cut “player 4” character that 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 that Rain 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 the most ridiculous Easter egg in Rain World: Downpour, so it’s worth struggling or cheating through just for that.
Rain World is available now for PC, PS4, and Switch.
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