Gamasutra has posted a
nice write-up of Rain World, with lots of details on the world and gameplay.
My commentary: Sigh. Another creative idea offering some amazing opportunities for exploratory play spoiled, like Klei's
Don't Starve, by the completely unnecessary imposition of sudden-death mechanics. They create this wonderfully fluid world to explore. Then they force you to explore it. Then they punish you -- with multiple sticks -- for exploring.
Is there a school somewhere teaching people that it's "not a real game" if it doesn't insist on an abusive level of challenge? Where does this "game == challenge" belief come from, which has IMO ruined numerous games? Does no one teach "understand the playstyle interests of your desired players and design all of the mechanics and (world) dynamics and aesthetics in your game to satisfy those distinctive play preferences"?
To put it another way, I have zero objection to making challenging games for gamers who enjoy challenging play... but then don't make the world of the game so fascinating and exploration-worthy! That's just cruel to the gamers who enjoy exploratory play.
That's terribly disappointing. I suppose we could've seen it coming, though, because we knew about the insta-kill rain, for instance. That alone strongly discourages exploration.