EDIT: review updated, old stuff at the bottom.

This game is a hidden gem.

You probably don't need me to tell you that if you're reading this. It was either skipped over or panned by reviewers upon release. In retrospect, these criticisms have not aged poorly. Instead, they have illuminated a kind of disconnect between the sorts of games these reviewers are more likely to hold in well regard and games like Rain World.
I highlight this so as to not discount the views of game critics who did not enjoy this game while contrasting this with the overwhelming cult support Rain World has seen over the years. If you haven't already, take a moment to head over to YouTube and google "rain world review" and you'll see what I mean. Rain World is an underappreciated game in some sense and I think it's because it didn't quite get the support the community felt it deserved in its first few years of release.
While not a critical success, the tune has at least somewhat changed. The community in their immense passion has continued to support the life of the game in no small part thanks to the modding scene that has grown larger and larger over the years.
Now, at time of writing, a development team has released Downpour along with a number of free configuration updates to the base game that make it more approachable than ever.
If you're reading this far, I hope you buy the game. Know that this game is likely one of my favorites of the past decade. I really enjoyed it and, more importantly, I hope you enjoy it too.

EDIT: With the release of Downpour, the base gave has been given a number of optional configurations that I recommend enabling. Because these configurations, the remarks below are not quite as relevant as they once were.
vvvvv
It is seriously a difficult game though.
Recommend trying on monk or installing a mod to make it a tad easier for your first playthrough.

EDIT: review updated, old stuff at the bottom. This game is a hidden gem. You probably don't need me to tell you that if you're reading this. It was either skipped over or panned by reviewers upon release. In retrospect, these criticisms have not aged poorly. Instead, they have illuminated a kind of disconnect between the sorts of games these reviewers are more likely to hold in well regard and games like Rain World. I highlight this so as to not discount the views of game critics who did not enjoy this game while contrasting this with the overwhelming cult support Rain World has seen over the years. If you haven't already, take a moment to head over to YouTube and google "rain world review" and you'll see what I mean. Rain World is an underappreciated game in some sense and I think it's because it didn't quite get the support the community felt it deserved in its first few years of release. While not a critical success, the tune has at least somewhat changed. The community in their immense passion has continued to support the life of the game in no small part thanks to the modding scene that has grown larger and larger over the years. Now, at time of writing, a development team has released Downpour along with a number of free configuration updates to the base game that make it more approachable than ever. If you're reading this far, I hope you buy the game. Know that this game is likely one of my favorites of the past decade. I really enjoyed it and, more importantly, I hope you enjoy it too. EDIT: With the release of Downpour, the base gave has been given a number of optional configurations that I recommend enabling. Because these configurations, the remarks below are not quite as relevant as they once were. vvvvv It is seriously a difficult game though. Recommend trying on monk or installing a mod to make it a tad easier for your first playthrough.