Rain World, a captivating game filled with both charm and challenge, leaves many players mystified with its multi-faceted endings. Dive with me as we delve into the depths of this game’s conclusion and unravel the mysterious journey of the Slugcat.
Journey’s End: The Depths and Ascension
Each player’s voyage with their chosen Slugcat culminates in the Depths. This mysterious, seemingly never-ending abyss serves as a pivotal point in the game, signaling the end of your journey with an event called Ascension. Here, Slugcats find themselves in the Void Sea, an enigmatic and vast underwater expanse.
The base game introduces players to this profound moment. Upon navigating the Void Sea, players will witness an array of Void Worms. As Slugcat continues its descent, one particular Void Worm grows curious, extending its tentacle to seize Slugcat, pulling it down into the depths at a startling velocity. But this isn’t where our journey ends. A radiant light beckons the Slugcat, and as it swims towards it, multiple identical Slugcats appear, mirroring the player’s every move. Once the luminous source is reached, the ending cutscene unfolds, leaving players both amazed and contemplative.
For those who achieve this, they’re awarded the Ascension achievement, a mark of their completion and understanding of the game’s central theme.
Introducing Downpour: New Endings and Possibilities
The Downpour expansion brings additional layers to the Rain World narrative, introducing a fresh, optional ending for the Survivor and Monk Slugcats. Every Slugcat within Downpour has its own unique ending, tying up loose ends in their individual story arcs. Players have the option to achieve the default Ascension ending or pursue the unique ending tied to their chosen Slugcat.
Unique among these is the Artificer. This character possesses a distinctive Ascension ending that diverges from the rest. Then there’s the Saint, whose journey is only concluded through a specialized Ascension, offering players a unique perspective and climax.
The Mechanics Behind the Endings
The way each ending unfolds is a two-pronged process:
- Players navigate their Slugcat through the concluding room, performing critical actions that slowly take away player control. Often, this means guiding Slugcat in a direction until a certain point is achieved. At times, Slugcat might continue to move on its own accord, leading up to the ending cutscene.
- The ending cutscenes provide players with a sequence of artworks or environments, paired harmoniously with the game’s music. Some endings even incorporate broadcasts, reminiscent of the Spearmaster’s Broadcasts.
Once players experience an ending, their game screen modifies to reflect that conclusion and any of its variations. Ascension has the unique trait of marking a game file as “completed,” replacing the ‘Continue’ button with a ‘Statistics’ one. However, other endings allow for game continuation, with the post-ending wake-up treated similarly to a campaign’s commencement, albeit with varying implied time gaps.
Wrapping Up
Rain World isn’t just another game – it’s an experience. With its multifaceted endings and deep narrative layers, players are compelled to think, feel, and question. The journey of Slugcat, from its challenges to its moments of profound realization, mirrors our own lives in many ways. Whether it’s the challenges we face, the light we chase, or the ascensions we experience, Rain World serves as a beautiful allegory for life’s mysteries and wonders.
