Kathy Rain
Minimum system requirements - Windows: XP / Vista / 7 / 8 / 10
Processor: 300 MHz
Processor
Memory: 128 MB RAM
Graphics: 320 x 240 32
bit
DirectX: Version 9.0
Storage: 1 GB
available space
Additional Notes:
Video: DirectX & Directdraw Supported
Mouse, Keyboard
Recommended system requirements - Windows: 7 / 8 / 10
Processor: 1 GHz or
faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
Memory: 2 GB RAM
Graphics: DirectX 9
graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver
DirectX: Version 9.0
Storage: 1 GB
available space
Mouse, Keyboard
Mechanics
Kathy Rain is an indie-produced game using the AGS engine. For those of
you familiar with this type of game you are aware the graphics are best
described as retro. With that said the visual effects are greatly
improved within the AGS engine. The game looks and feels similar to the
Blackwell series of games. Your initial screen offers the choices of
New, Load, Options, and Quit. During play the ESC key
produces the same screen with variations. They are: Resume, Save,
Load, Options and Quit. Most choices speak for themselves,
though a description of Options is in order. It is there where
you can adjust Timeout, a selection allowing you to alter speech
presentations. Timeout is set at default to off. Here you have an
option to always wait for mouse click to advance to the next statement.
At default, speech is allowed to proceed as it would in a normal
conversation. Using Timeout you must click the mouse after each
comment to hear the next statement. Within Options you can
select Game Controls to reveal a listing of instructions for use
of mouse, notebook and the spacebar. The spacebar highlights interactive
items on your screen when you hold it down.
Also in Options you find adjustments for Volume Controls,
Mouse Speed and Speech. The latter allows you select (text
only) language display to French or German subtitles instead of the
default language, English. A right mouse click will highlight options
for an interactive object. They vary, but the most common are Use,
Look, Think, Talk. A left mouse click highlights the item. In
inventory, when clicking on an item to pick up for use, the choice
offered is “Combine Key (or whatever the item is) with,” rather
than saying take or use. You create something else by dragging an item
onto another in inventory. To apply it directly into the scene, drag it
to something or someone. The game randomly creates auto saves and you
can make your own saves at any time. They appear to be unlimited, though
I admit I did not create a lot of saves. It only took me an hour to find
where they hid those elusive files.
I
played the DRM-free GOG version. For this version the saves were
found at C:/GOG Games/Kathy Rain. Sounds simple doesn’t it? There is no
save folder. The save files are piled up with many other files in the
root folder, Kathy Rain. The game is available from several sources,
however it appears all but GOG sell Steam Keys only. GOG to my chagrin
incorporates Achievements using their Galaxy program.
Gameplay
Kathy Rain is the name of your protagonist. She is a second year college
student estranged from her family. The game opens with Kathy learning of
her grandfather’s death. Upon visiting her grandmother following the
funeral, strange events are reported to her. She takes it upon herself
to investigate the odd and seemingly supernatural incidents. Kathy comes
to believe her grandfather’s death was not an accident. You play as
Kathy throughout a story-driven game in third person.
Physical puzzles are few and not difficult. They come in the form of
lock picking, discovering passwords, and a mini maze toward the end. The
majority of advancing through this game is from storytelling, as the
problem solving is generated through your investigation. Gameplay for
the most part is quite similar to the Blackwell series with a smattering
of Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers. It is far from GK1, however
there is always a sense of danger and the supernatural. I did not
encounter a way for Kathy to die in the game. Kathy is an
unconventional young woman who dresses and looks like a biker. In fact
when exiting a scene your map consists of a screen showing Kathy revving
up her bike, and you click upon the location to go there.
Primarily you learn what your next step is through conversations with
other characters. I played the game over four sessions, perhaps taking
five hours in total. Timing depends upon how long it takes you to pick
up on the clues. In a few scenes, some rather rough language is scripted
that is certain to offend some people. Sometimes off color remarks are
scene appropriate, though a creative writer could easily find better
descriptive terms. In this case, the choice of words opted for shock
value. If you are easily offended, be warned. As for the length of the
game, think of those television movies made to fit within a two hour
time frame to accommodate forty-five minutes of commercials. Though a
mostly interesting game, it could have been a lot better. As you unravel
the mystery, you will find a compelling story line. There are several
possible villains and it is not obvious who it may be at first.
The supernatural aspect was never fully explained, nor were the
characters. The sense of otherworldly spirits or aliens is present
throughout. But their origins or motivations are not explained. There is
a dream scene where the Red Man is talking with the White Man. I forget
the latter’s name. He appeared all white so I’ll go with that since his
buddy is called Red Man. I don’t recall White Man making another
appearance. There is almost nothing to flesh out these characters or
describe what they are about. We learn almost nothing about Kathy’s
opponents. All in all it is an entertaining game, but it could have been
much more had attention been paid to the details and some depth added to
the script. The ending as constructed leaves one to question, what
happened? Kathy Rain presents an interesting heroine who shows promise,
but we know too little about her. It is fair to say development of the
other characters is nonexistent.
Summary
All in all I find Kathy Rain to be a compelling character. The story,
despite it’s shortcomings, is one that holds your attention and draws a
player in with its ever present danger. Allusions to the supernatural
and/or aliens tends to demand that you push through to the end. Its
pluses outweigh the shortfalls and it is a worthy play. I particularly
enjoyed Kathy’s take no prisoners attitude and her fearless doggedness.
For a budget title, you will get your money’s worth. This game’s
edginess coupled with our heroine’s final comment suggest that if lucky,
we will see another of Kathy’s adventures. Final comment you ask? When
speaking to Eve, Kathy did say, “Try not to do that the next time.” Is
that a tease or a promise?
GameBoomers Review Guidelines
May 2016
design copyright© 2016
GameBoomers
Group
