A former PS4 exclusive game released in 2017 is one of the most popular Xbox Game Pass games right now, according to the Xbox Game Pass charts. And the Xbox Game Pass game in question has been available via the subscription service since August 5, so it has retained interest for over a month now, better than most games added in both August and September.
Videos by ComicBook.com
When you think of 2017 PS4 exclusives, games like Horizon Zero Dawn, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, and Gran Turismo Sport probably come to mind. A game that many forget was a PS4 console exclusive the first year it launched was Rain World, a survival platformer from developer Videocult and published by Adult Swim Games. Eight years later, it is one of the most popular games on Xbox Game Pass.
Xbox Game Pass Charts
While Rain World isn’t topping the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate chart, it is the number one game on the Xbox Game Pass Standard chart right now. Meanwhile, it is not available via Xbox Game Pass Core, so it’s nowhere to be found on the Core chart as a result. How long it will stay at the top, or even be available via Xbox Game Pass, we do not know, but it is an impressive achievement for the indie game, especially considering it’s been available via the subscription service for over a month. And it’s not terribly long either, usually taking players somewhere between 20 and 30 hours, so it’s not like it’s accumulating players because the game takes forever to beat, like a new Square Enix RPG that was recently added.
Critic vs Consumer Divide
Rain World boasts a Metacritic score range of 59 to 71. Suffice to say, it was pretty divisive when it was released. That said, while critics were divided on Rain World, the average consumer has not been. To this end, it has an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating on Steam, the highest rating a PC game can earn, thanks a 95% approval rating across 25,548 user reviews. Meanwhile, on the Xbox Store, it has a 4/5 rating.
What is causing this divide? Well, for one, when the game was originally released in 2017, it had some serious performance issues and optimization problems. All of this has been fixed, but that isn’t reflected in its review scores. Meanwhile, the game is both very challenging and very obtuse at times, with a steep learning curve. This naturally filters out players and leaves many with a poor impression of the game. Additionally, in most 2D platformers, you are a near-invincible murder machine. In Rain World, you are at the bottom of the food chain. In this sense, the game almost feels more like a survival game than a classic 2D platformer, and this may also not be for every fan of the genre.
About the Game
For those interested in knowing more, Rain World is a unique blend of a survival game with a 2D side-scrolling platformer. In it, you play as a lowly slugcat, separated from its family following a devastating flood. Your mission is to find food and shelter between torrential downpours that threaten to drown all life, whilst avoiding predators also looking for food. And of course, you are also trying to find your family.
All of that said, and as always, feel free to leave a comment letting us know what you think, or join the conversation over on the ComicBook Forum.
Most Viewed
-
Courtesy of Crunchyroll
