Tokyo, 1998. Amid the relentless rain, the protagonist encounters a girl who longs for “the end of the world”—Reina Amahara.
Developed by C#4R4CT3R, *Rain98* is a psychological thriller romance adventure set in late-90s Tokyo that depicts a strange life shared with Reina. I recently had the chance to play the demo version of this game.
After actually playing it, what left the strongest impression on me was not so much the 1998 setting as the charm of the character Reina herself—and the exceptionally well-crafted soundtrack.
I Was Supposed to Be Home, But Found Myself in 1998
In this demo, the game begins with a scene where Reina is about to hang herself. The protagonist, who thought he had returned to his own room, suddenly finds himself having time-traveled and meets Reina, who is living in his room in 1998.
Even though this is a game about living together with a cute heroine, the opening is surprisingly dark!!
However, life with Rena doesn’t start immediately after this encounter; the protagonist is first kicked out as a trespasser and forced to live as a homeless person.
Their next encounter takes place about three days later, in the rain. While rummaging through a trash can at a convenience store, the protagonist gets targeted by a group of delinquents and beaten up—only for Rena to come to his rescue by holding an umbrella over him. The fact that Rena offers her umbrella to the protagonist—who had saved her at the beginning—seems to illustrate the codependent relationship at the heart of this game.
Even just playing up to this point, I felt that “rain” holds a very important meaning in this game and serves as a key element in building its world.
As for the protagonist, there are moments in his words and actions where I sense a distinct “clueless light novel protagonist” vibe, and personally, there were a few moments that made me go, “Huh?”—but it wasn’t enough to detract from my immersion in the game as a whole. At least in this demo version, I was able to enjoy it without letting it bother me too much.
90s × Modern Character Design
Above all, Reina is adorable! Even though she’s dressed in ’90s fashion, the illustrations and art style give her a modern feel, and I can really sense the developers’ attention to detail in creating a character design that resonates even today. I was surprised to see how drawing loose socks in a modern style could make her look so cute without feeling out of place at all…
Personally, I especially love Reina’s eyes! Her pupils are rendered in a single, deep black, and I’m captivated by the visual—it feels so bottomless that just looking at them, I feel like I’m being sucked in.
And in the demo version, there was even a scene where you get to put loose socks on Rena at a laundromat. While playing, I couldn’t help but blurt out, “Whoa, whoa, whoa! That’s way too much of a ‘quirk’!!!” It’s the best.She’s cute, and when I fumbled a bit with the controls and accidentally touched her foot, she said something like, “I’m going to kill you, you know?”—which actually got me even more hyped. I’m really sorry for being such a creep.
Earning a living through side jobs. The gameplay has been polished since the demo released about a year ago.
In this game, you don’t just progress through the story—you’ll also play various mini-games as part of your life with Rena. For example, side jobs like packing prizes from capsule toy machines into capsules or making and selling accessories with iron-on beads. You’ll use the money you earn here to support your daily life.
With these tasks interspersed throughout, living with Reina feels like more than just watching conversation scenes—it gradually builds the sense that “the two of you are actually living together.”
I had the chance to try out this game at the Tokyo Game Show about a year ago, where I also experienced these side-job mini-games. Playing through those segments again in this demo, I felt they had a much smoother feel than before. It left the impression that not only the core story and visuals—which are the heart of the game—but also these hands-on elements have been thoroughly polished.
Even if you’ve played this game before at an event, it’s definitely worth giving this demo another try.
An incredibly immersive and well-crafted soundscape
Another aspect that stood out to me during this playthrough was the sound design.
Rena’s lines, which are almost entirely fully voiced, and the incredibly immersive sound of rain—which somehow feels far more real than just playing standard sound effects—left a very strong impression on me.
With all the characters included, the combination of voices and ambient sounds creates a sense of proximity that feels distinct from a typical visual novel where you simply read through the text.
Especially during scenes spent with Reina in her room, the overlapping dialogue, rain sounds, and ambient noises can make you feel as if you’re truly sharing the same space with her. While it might not quite qualify as ASMR, the immersive sound design is a must-hear. I strongly recommend playing this game with headphones or earbuds.
You’ll count down to the end of the world while living with Rena, a strange girl who calls herself “Angolmois,” the “Great King of Terror.” What will happen in your life with her from here on out, and what kind of ending will you reach? I can’t wait for the full version to be released.
"Rain98" is scheduled for release in 2026 on PC (Steam).
