I'm quite disappointed in the game. I didn't have a bad time, but after a long time of hearing praise for the game, i decided to pick it up since the episode 2 released. I didn't know anything about the game before hand, except a rough idea of what kind of character the protagonist was - which was a good selling point for me, and that the game had recieved high praise.

So i went in kinda expecting a detective story, and some good classic point and click puzzles.
Well, puzzle wise i must say i wasn't really satisfied. There's maybe 1-2 puzzles that i really enjoyed, but it never really felt engaging intellectually. The rest is really simple - which i guess is better than some nonsense puzzle adventure games can have -

Story wise tho, that was my biggest disappointement. I liked where the story started (weird esoteric stuff in a rural american town ?! i love that) , i liked some of the character dynamics (with Eileen, the sheriff, discovering grandpa's past) but i didn't felt like i was *uncovering* a mystery. Everything just goes too fast, there's no time for the mystery to linger. The dynamics i liked felt underused. I barely felt like i was investigating something.
I really didn't like the ending, i honestly would have prefered not getting any answers than getting those answers.

Now i didn't hate my time with Kathy Rain, but i feel like i've played a completely different game than the one reviews gloat about. The pixel art is gorgeous, it's smooth to play, QoL-wise it's really good. When i finished the game, i thought i somehow skipped half of it.

I'll probably give episode 2 a try, because i think i'm not against seeing more Kathy Rain, but i'll wait on a sale.

Just beat the game and I thought it was a fun point and click game. Story kept me interested and I liked the 1995 era its set in. Voice acting is good too. If you like point and clicks, then this is a game for you.

It's no surprise Kathy Rain's gathered a cult following over the years, because this is an extremely competent point and click adventure with an incredibly dark and layered plot.

I was surprised by the richness of these characters and the depth of its narrative. Kathy is abrasive but makes for a smart and capable investigator you can relate to, with human struggles despite the supernatural scenarios she finds herself in. It's also a very personal adventure, and I enjoyed that framing. Well worth a playthrough if you're a fan of this genre.