Beginning of the Rain (2023)

Developer: HOONDAHL Media Studio
Platforms: Windows, macOS
Genres: Casual, Indie, Simulation
Rating: 3.9 of 5, 31 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 3.5 hours
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

More games like this

How it feels

a gentle, introspective visual novel with calm reading-like pacing and an immersive, story-focused atmosphere

calmreflectivenostalgicstory-drivenemotionalrelaxingcomfortableatmospheric

What players say

Players praise the gentle, relaxing atmosphere and the emotional, if simple, story about high school club life. The partial voice acting and OST are highlights, but many note the linear story with meaningless choices, the use of AI art, and a lack of polish with text errors and limited outfits. Opinion is split on whether the low price and indie student-developer context excuses these flaws.

Screenshots

More games like this

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.