It’s the 90s. I just picked up the LucasArts Classic Adventures pack on a 3.5” disk. It features all the point-and-click classics that made LucasArts games wonderful during this video game era. From Maniac Mansion to LOOM, there is plenty of adventure to be had with the games’ difficulty, creativity, and immersiveness.
OOOOhhhhh…those classic feelings for classic P/C gaming have been reignited thanks to the game we’re about to discuss.
Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer from developer Clifftop Games is a sequel to its 2016 hit. The second game brings back the reckless private investigator, Kathy Rain, who has been hired to investigate the Soothsayer murders that can’t seem to be stopped.
The game features an amazing point-and-click structure that harkens back to the 90s LucasArts heyday. The story is complicated, linear, and the puzzles to unlock each step toward finding the Soothsayer are difficult at worst. In other words, it’s a hell of an adventure that would be worthy of the time period its genre was born into.
So, sit back, relax a little, pet the giant cat at the window, and let’s investigate this game.
Classic gameplay
I didn’t know what to expect from Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer. I knew that point-and-click games were a dime a dozen these days. Having a game in this genre that stands out would require a firm understanding of what made P/C games unique when they led the industry, and delivering a quality story with good presentation. Most of what comes out these days in the P/C genre is usually planned and executed on a base level without a clear understanding of what made this such a popular genre when it was kicking on all cylinders. Anyway, my point is that most games of this type aren’t done well and usually don’t have any engagement or longevity. Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer is not that type of game.
When I fired up Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer, I found myself looking at classic design. From looks to controls, the game worked on how a well-planned P/C should work. You must explore interactive hot spots with Kathy, find clues that possibly connect to questions she was needing answers for, and then try and move forward to the next mini mystery that is a piece of the whole. This game hit all the notes when it came to matching what made these games great, and two elements of this game kicked up nostalgic feelings that sold me on how much homework and respect the devs had for the genre. Those two elements were Interactive storytelling and presentation.
Working for it
The first element, interactive storytelling, spreads breadcrumbs everywhere in the game and forces you to explore environments to find the one line of crumbs that takes you to the next line of crumbs. The devs didn’t make this game easy to figure out, rather, they push you to explore every possible scenario without giving away anything. In other words, the game makes you think critically, and the mystery of the Soothsayer follows so many directions that it’s very much an uphill battle to solve the murder mystery. For example, one of the first parts of the game has Kathy going to a library to explore the most recent murder victim, a popular author named Debra. The librarian whom Kathy interacts with gives you some insight after a set of questions, which leads Kathy to explore specific microfilm that may lead her to the next clue. The right microfilm is based on when other Soothsayer murders occurred. To figure out the exact microfilm that you need, Kathy must search through those murder dates, which are not given to you on a silver platter. You must read newspapers and find clues within articles to obtain dates, and sometimes perform basic math to conclude what dates you need to search for in the microfilm section of the library. While the mathematics of this portion of the game wasn’t difficult, just finding the right clues that lead you to the correct answer is a fun chore. This is how games in this genre worked in the 90s, and at their best, Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer does a good job of representing that design.
Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer follows this type of listen, read, and seek very beautifully. Nothing feels given; rather, it’s earned, which is what you want from a point-and-click title. You want to feel some joy that you have discovered a solution to your problem and then progressed the story forward. This game has that joy waiting for you around every twist and turn, and it always feels like you’ve earned a solution. This is the heartbeat for the game’s gameplay, and it beats strongly. And believe me, you’re going to get stuck, frustrated, walk away from this game, and come back, only to find the answer was there in plain sight. And the game will prod you with ounces of confidence that you can continue, even if you struggle with a solution. You will be met with gradual difficulty every step of the way, with a big warm hug of ‘YOU DID IT!’ waiting at the end of your efforts.
There’s something just pure and beautiful about this type of design, and the devs at Clifftop Games managed to recreate what made this genre thrive every step of the way with Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer.
What also helps to drive this game is how its mechanics work.
The pointing and clicking
The game is driven by its point-and-click mechanics. Players will have to scour the entire screen trying to find interactive hot spots that correspond with whatever part of the mystery Kathy is trying to solve. You just point at an object, the name may or may not light up, and then you must logically deduce whether that object has any real value to whatever solution you’re trying to find. It’s easy, it’s classic, and it’s also complicated at times. The latter of which I can dig and expect from this type of game. Your eyes will be a secondary mechanic to the game, where you must truly dig down deep to see if something stands out during the interactive phase of the process.
Speaking of interactive phases, what I don’t like about this game, and something I didn’t notice until I hit the wrong button on the mouse, was being able to identify all the interactive hot spots on screen at once. The game allows you to view all the hot spots on a level and see what can or cannot be touched. In my opinion, you lose a lot of what makes this genre great when you give players that option. There is zero reason for this to be a part of the mechanics or design. This should have been left out, as it does damage a little bit of the mystery, or at the very least, should not be put in my default. A good chunk of what makes LucasArts P/C games classics is forcing the player to pay attention and truly feel their way through solutions. Nothing should be handed to them, though, to Clifftop Games’ credit, the hot spots don’t give you a solution; rather, they just lead you to it.
Anyway, beyond those mechanics and faults, the game does have some minor puzzle-solving within it. Getting back to that library example, there is a part of the mystery where you must locate a book. You can type in book names and get information related to the case through the computer system in the library, but there are only a few obvious avenues you can go to solve the progression obstacle. The game isn’t shy about feeding you information with a fork in the road. It’s a good aspect that requires the player to truly think about what they are searching for and look at the details slowly and carefully. Sometimes the game gives more information than you need, and other times it will throw a curveball into the situation, which might set you back a bit. The game does a good job of making your uphill climb for puzzling, solving difficult, and, at times, unforgiving. I love it.
Anyway, the familiar core gameplay, including mechanics and difficulty, is spot-on where it needs to be with a good P/C construct. Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer feels like a classic P/C game would feel, treats you like a true investigator with choices and solutions, and pushes back hard to make sure you’re fully invested in the story and gameplay.
Perfect presentation
If you’re going to capture the grittiness of investigating a serial killer, then you’d best bring the appropriate attitude and feel to the game around every corner. I think that Clifftop Games captured the world they built for Kathy Rain, and the harsh tone of the story through a well-done and magnified presentation perspective. Sometimes, capturing that mood and set of moments can be a difficult juggling act.
But the devs nailed it. The visuals of the game look like they were built on the SCUMM engine. Backgrounds are stagnant with interactive hot spots. The game features large and enriched sprite-driven character models, while almost restricting the color palette and playfully reminding the gamer that this is what a P/C experience was back in the day. Is it a bit cartoony? Absolutely, but so were games like LOOM and The Dig; each one carried a wonderful and sometimes haunting story through their playful visuals.
While the visuals were perfect emulations of the time that P/C games thrived, the selling point that brings all the cuteness of the game to the ground, in a good way, is with the acting and dialogue delivery. Arielle Siegel owns Kathy Rain’s character, defines her persona, and makes sure to deliver an edgy attitude with a character who is desperate to make a living, while also driven to solve the Soothsayer case. Because of Siegel’s efforts and the efforts of her supporting cast, the game feels like a murder mystery. The game sounds and drives like a show that is above-CW quality and helps to put the gamer there in the middle of all the uncertainty and uneasiness. In short, the game does a wonderful job through its actors and writing to bring the player into the situation and keep them there.
Without good presentation, from visuals to acting, I’m not sure this game would have stood out from the rest of the P/C crowd. Thankfully, it is a top-tier presentation for a point-and-click title. LucasArts would be very proud of Clifftop Games’ efforts.
On that sweet note, let’s wrap up this review.
Conclusion
Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer from developer Clifftop Games brings to life a classic point-and-click construct featuring a difficult mystery, minor puzzle solving, and superb presentation to complete the adventure.
