Rain on Your Parade review: A downpour of laughs in a cheeky, yet fun game

The last thing I expected on Saturday morning was to pick up an indie game and immediately fall in love with it. That's the wonder of Xbox Game Pass, I suppose. I doubt I would have even heard of Rain on Your Parade, which was released on April 15, 2021 without Game Pass giving me access to a great selection of AAA games and indies. Since I wouldn't lose any money trying it out, I decided it was worth a shot.

I am happy to report that the developers at Unbound Creations LLC made something special. This little indie title is in the same vein as Untitled Goose Game and Donut County, so while it might not be the most challenging game, it's definitely a hilarious way to help you pass the time.

Rain on Your Parade: What's good

So, what even is this game? Well, throw a dart at a board of game genres and wherever it lands, even if it's on a blank piece of wall, and you'd be right. It's a mix of everything. It's classified as an action-adventure title, but Rain on Your Parade visits plenty of the common video game genres while managing to stick to its own unique style.

Framed as a Princess Bride-inspired bedtime story, players control Cloudy, a cloud who just wants to head off to a magical place to be with all the other clouds. Of course, this doesn't just happen. It's a hero's journey, after all, and players have to guide Cloudy through over 40 different levels and a crazy cloud-hating nemesis to get there.

This game is perfect in its simplicity. Starting with the graphics, the setting is like a cardboard diorama. Cloudy looms over the city, as clouds do, and floats from place to place, causing mischief with a big ol' smile on his face. The scenes are colorful, the graphics are crisp, and the setting just works for this type of game. Even the music sets the scene! While the tracks aren't exactly ground-breaking, they match up with whatever is happening.

Rain on Your Parade is a title made for players of all skill levels, and the mechanics are pretty easy to grasp. As Cloudy, you are granted weather powers so you can rain, snow, thunder, and tornado anyone as you please as you go from level to level. While it may seem like this would get old pretty fast, it really doesn't — every level is unique.

You may have a list of objectives to complete in one level, while the next has you destroying everything you possibly can within a time limit. Though there are some retreads, the objective is used differently for every single level. Once I finished a level, I couldn't wait to get to the next one. You can easily blast through this game, and it never feels like a grind. The game just gets more and more ridiculous as you go.

Plus, beating a level means you can earn some sweet accessories. Yes, you can outfit Cloudy with hats, accessories like mugs and lasers, or add a little "cloud color." Also, if you don't particularly like the default face, you can draw your own! These accessories don't really change much other than Cloudy's appearance or adding a fun sound effect, but they are easy enough to collect and swap out in your Cloud Cave. Even if you don't use them, I highly recommend just reading the descriptions.

Easily, the best part of this game is the dialogue. It's cheeky, breaks the fourth wall, and you'll find yourself chuckling if you are a fan of video games. This game knows its audience and you can feel that influence everywhere, from the story to the gameplay. There are even certain levels that emulate popular franchises and pop culture like Metal Gear Solid, The Night of the Living Dead, and a few others you can discover on your own. Seeing what the developers came up with next was a treat, and for animal lovers, there may be a level exclusively for petting a doggo.

Rain on Your Parade doesn't overstay its welcome, either. In just 6-8 hours of playtime, it leaves you satisfied and never bored. However, as far as replayability goes, your mileage will vary. If you like to rack up a high score, grab all the achievements, and discover all the secret objectives, there's definitely room to do that. But, you can also just make your way through the levels casually and still feel just as fulfilled. If you're looking for more of a challenge, you can unlock the New Game+ mode after completing the game. This mode provides new challenges and higher difficulty, but it's still not super tough.

And the best part? If you have Game Pass, this game is included. If you don't, it's still worth the small $15 price tag. There's a lot of game here, and the quality is worth the price.

Rain on Your Parade: What's not good

Really, there isn't much to complain about with this title. I have just a few minor nit-picks. Rain on Your Parade is a simple, funny indie that isn't going to be competing with the likes of Halo. It's a comedy title with fun puzzles and a touch of nostalgia. However, that does mean it might come off as too easy for you, but that's a matter of preference.

If I had any criticisms, it would be about the tornado mechanic. Sometimes it just didn't do what I wanted it to do — but that's pretty much the nature of a tornado. They're unpredictable, so I can't really fault it.

Rain on Your Parade: Should you play it?

While it's not a game I'd typically pick up, I'm delighted I stumbled on Rain on Your Parade. That's part of what makes Xbox Game Pass so great. This title was a nice change of pace and a breath of fresh air — between laughs, that is. Ridiculous, funny, and unique, this game was worth the time I put into it. If you are looking for something with unique puzzles, pop culture references, and unbridled chaos, then you will love this game.

Rain on Your Parade is available right now on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch.