Investigate a twisted serial killing case as struggling private investigator Kathy Rain, in a new adventure set three years after the first game.
Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer
Developer: Clifftop Games
Price: $20
Platform: PC
MonsterVine was provided with a PC code for review.
Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer is a sequel to 2016’s point-and-click adventure game Kathy Rain and its 2021 Director’s Cut, set three years later. I reviewed the original and found it to be an enjoyable mystery, but enough time has passed that I only remember a handful of details. Fortunately, whether you just need a refresher like me or you want to dive straight into the second game, Kathy Rain 2 begins with an optional recap of its predecessor.
Three years later, Kathy is now a private investigator. There are some details of the years in between that are only implied, as she has connections with characters who weren’t in the first game, but it’s easy enough to work out what’s going on. Things aren’t going too well for her, as she’s struggling to make ends meet while working on her own. In my preview last year, I mentioned that Kathy seemed less sarcastic and grating this time, but that turned out not to be true. She’s still a fairly abrasive character. However, that’s clearly an intentional writing choice, as it’s part of her character arc that she’s managed to alienate herself from people who care about her.
The city is currently in an uproar over a murderer known as the Soothsayer, whose murders are marked by shards of obsidian scrying mirrors found next to the victims. Although Kathy has misgivings about investigating a serial killer on her own, the promise of a reward for anyone who can catch the culprit convinces her to take on the case. The game is split into days and evenings, and time passes automatically once you’ve completed all of your goals for the current section. In addition to listing key details you’re searching for information about and phone numbers, Kathy’s notebook also keeps track of your current objectives so you can easily check what you still need to work toward.
Gameplay uses a point-and-click format, and you can press the spacebar to see all items that can be interacted with in an area. As I mentioned in my preview, Kathy has a somewhat slow walking speed, but each area is small enough that it avoids being tedious. As you progress your investigation, you’ll unlock more places to investigate, although there are times when some are inaccessible. All of these locations can be accessed from a travel screen that uses a beautiful background of Kathy riding her motorcycle.
Puzzles in Kathy Rain 2 mainly come in two forms. First, you have the typical adventure game inventory puzzles, where you need to use items with each other or objects in the environment. These are pretty straightforward, although sometimes you may need to check several locations for what you’re looking for if you don’t remember it offhand. Other puzzles are more involved and require you to pay close attention, such as using a library computer to research information for quiz answers that must be typed in manually or composing a poem based on cryptic clues about what a particular character likes. There are also a handful of sequences where you need to perform the correct actions or you’ll get a game over, but you always start right at the beginning of that sequence.
Of course, you’ll also need to get information from other people. Whenever you talk to someone, your notebook opens up so you can ask about any of the topics you’re searching for clues about. Conveniently, if a character’s answer applies to multiple topics, it grays them all out to indicate you already asked about them. For example, if someone tells you they know nothing about any of the murder victims, all the victims’ names will be marked as something you asked about, a nice touch that avoids tedium. You can also ask characters about any items you have with you, as well as objects in the environment.
The story is interesting, with elements of horror that strengthen the deeper you get into the game, although some humor is present as well. Kathy’s personal arc and character development could have used a stronger focus, but they’re still present and handled well. The case takes some twists and turns as you get deeper, and it ends on a satisfying note, even if it leaves some elements ambiguous. The first Kathy Rain is a good game, but the sequel is an improvement in almost every way.
The Final Word
Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer takes everything from the first game and improves it, with stronger puzzles and an intriguing story. Fans of point-and-click adventure games will find an enjoyable experience here, and fans of the first game should enjoy seeing how Kathy’s murder investigation unfolds.
MonsterVine Rating: 4.5 out of 5 – Great
