Upwards, Rain! The Post Office of Farewells
" Heartfelt adventure indie with beautiful art and puzzles, but short length and pacing issues "
Upwards, Rain! The Post Office of Farewells Review
Upwards, Rain! is a heartfelt and emotionally resonant visual novel set in the magical world of Alchemica, centered around the Mortem Post office where letters from the departed are delivered. Players follow Rain, a post office employee, who breaks protocol to help Mila find a letter from a lost friend, leading to a touching adventure. The game blends cozy storytelling with light puzzle-solving reminiscent of classic point-and-click adventures, enhancing the narrative without overwhelming the player.
The game features beautiful, vibrant hand-drawn artwork, serene piano melodies, and excellent voice acting that bring the characters and world to life. Accessibility options and extras like achievements and unlockable stories enrich the experience. While relatively short, the pacing and emotional depth leave a lasting impression, making it a memorable and wholesome journey about friendship, trust, and farewells. Fans of Studio Élan's previous works will find this title a worthy and polished addition to their catalog.
Highlights
Players praise the game's emotional and heartwarming story that effectively explores themes of friendship and loss. The beautiful hand-drawn art style and serene, delightful soundtrack complement the narrative perfectly. The inclusion of high-quality voice acting enhances character depth and immersion. Gameplay mechanics, including puzzle-solving elements inspired by classic point-and-click adventures, are engaging without being frustrating. Additionally, the game offers thoughtful accessibility options and extra content, such as unlockable stories and a compendium, which expand the world and replay value.
Criticisms
Some players found the puzzle segments occasionally tedious or felt they interrupted the narrative flow, suggesting the game might work well as a more linear visual novel. The short duration, while generally appreciated, left a few wanting more content and deeper exploration of the game's world and mechanics. A gallery for viewing artwork was requested by some. Overall, criticisms are minor and mostly reflect a desire for extended content rather than fundamental flaws.
Pros
- • Heartfelt story that evokes genuine emotional responses and memorable moments.
- • Beautiful, vibrant hand-drawn artwork that brings the world to life.
- • Serene and delightful piano soundtrack enhances the atmosphere.
- • High-quality voice acting adds depth and immersion to characters.
- • Engaging puzzle-solving elements inspired by classic point-and-click games.
- • Thoughtful accessibility options including visual and audio assists.
- • Extra content such as achievements, unlockable stories, and compendium.
Cons
- • Puzzle segments can feel tedious or disrupt narrative flow.
- • Game's short length leaves some players wanting more content.
- • Lack of an artwork gallery for viewing beautiful illustrations.
- • Some puzzles may feel underutilized or could be expanded further.
- • Narrative and world-building could be deeper and more expansive.
- • Pacing issues noted by a few players in early sections.
- • Limited exploration of certain intriguing world elements and species.
Rating Criteria
Deciding to break protocol to lend a helping wing, Rain, a flighty little courier takes a skittish girl by the name of Mila on an adventure through the inner workings of a mysterious post office. Together, they search for a letter containing the last words of someone who seemingly never existed.