Rainbow Billy: The Curse of Leviathan Reviews
Rainbow Billy is rather a lot better than the sum of its parts, and it's only some fairly severe technical issues that prevent us giving it a higher score. We know we've harped on about it a little, but it really is exceptionally mawkish a lot of the time, which leads to a bit of a disconnect wherein the subject matter can be fairly thoughtful and mature but the dialogue used to describe it is relentlessly cutesy-poo. It's definitely a strange game, but the surprisingly involved "combat" and snappy pacing of the exploration makes it a tentative recommendation if you can tolerate the tone. We'd say it's aimed specifically at children but the difficulty level can be fairly high, which confuses the matter a touch. Still, lovely visuals, well-designed locations, fun battles; the ingredients of a good game are all present and correct here.
These issues ultimately don't undermine just how charming Rainbow Billy is to play. With a message of good faith that rarely wears out its welcome and a brilliant take on turn-based RPG combat, Rainbow Billy is a game that was clearly made with a lot of care for its individual components. Providing players can turn off their cynicism, there's plenty to love here.
Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan is a lovely, family-friendly adventure. Its non-violent approach means that anyone can jump in and enjoy the 1930s inspired game. Although heavily influenced by those that came before, the game manages to find its own identity with its refreshing take on conventions. Whilst there are odd performance issues and a lack of challenge, it’s still a wonderful experience that deserves your attention.
Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan is a wonderfully crafted 2.5D adventure game that features well-made puzzles and engaging platforming sequences. Its surprisingly intricate confrontation mechanic coupled with the underlying messages about complex social issues ensure that this is a game for all ages, not just kids. It does a fantastic job of encouraging exploration and is overall a game well worth playing regardless of if you fit in with its core target audience or not.
There aren't many games that can carry charm and charisma on its back throughout its entire duration, but Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan managed to keep my interest from start to finish. Its charm is undeniable, and developer ManaVoid Entertainment managed to create an experience that held a smile on my face from start to finish. The game can get repetitive quickly, but the delightful exploration and innovative combat kept me intrigued long enough to see the credits roll.
Rainbow Billy took me by surprise. The art style was cutesy, the combat was simple, the puzzles never overly challenging, and the story content was very warm and fuzzy and they were perfect for me. It was a breath of fresh air I didn’t know I needed, and this is easily one of those perfect games that a parent and child can sit down together and have a great time while learning some of the great golden rules of friendship and acceptance.
Rainbow Billy is a positive and colourful adventure from start to finish, but the lack of challenge prevents it from reaching its full potential.
Rainbow Billy tells a charming story of friendship overcoming all--even a few technical missteps.