Kathy Rain: Director's Cut

Sometimes it takes a rerelease to tweak a game just a little more and open up to a whole new audience. This is definitely the case with Kathy Rain: Director's Cut. The original game was actually good, being reminiscent of a classic 1990s point-and-click adventure game. However, it didn't see the love it deserved for several reasons.

'Kathy Rain: Director's Cut returns to fix the wrongs. It's seeing a release on a whole new host of consoles, gets some gameplay improvements, and core elements look to be tweaked to sway users in its favor. Perhaps the original 2016 release was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Maybe this version will see some light shed upon it?

It Never Rains on Kathy

Sometimes it's a shame to see a game that hit critical acclaim miss out with the public. Alas, both publishers and developers haven't given up on it! There are quite a wealth of new features to this pixelated point-and-click adventure. So what is different that's going to change the game for Kathy Rain: Director's Cut?

One of the most significant mentions is that it features an extended story with hundreds of new dialogue options to better engage players. Kathy Rain's story was already excellent, but now it arguably does feel even more accessible. The soundtrack that accompanies the game has also been extended, giving slightly more sound diversity than before.

The core changes to open up to a new audience come in interface and gameplay tweaks, though. The point-and-click mechanics feel more streamlined for the modern screen. Even though the original's intention was to spark the classic gameplay of the genre. Visuals have been improved, controller support added, and there are even more puzzles to engage with. It's been a maximum effort to make Kathy Rain more accessible.

It succeeds, too. The first run of Kathy Rain was fantastic, featuring a compelling story and a nostalgic flair for 90s adventure games. The second time around, it feels what prevented users from taking any interest has been fixed. This may be the right place and right time now for Kathy Rain: Directors Cut, as troves of gamers, prefer their indie games over more hyped releases.

Pour Me a Cup of Kathy

Admittedly, it was the nostalgia factor as to why I loved the original Kathy Rain. The visuals, narrative, and mechanics had me thinking I was thrown back into Full Throttle. However, I do understand why players might have struggled to play. Or even notice the game, back when it was first released. Kathy Rain: Director's Cut stands a fighting chance now.

Pros:

• The brilliant storyline with branching dialogue options
• Interface and game mechanics have been cleaned up
• New features enhance gameplay

Cons:

• Sections of the plotline can get confusing