PAX East 2026
During day three of PAX East, I had the pleasure to play a demo for C#4R4CT3R’s debut indie title, Rain98, and I can earnestly say that I have never played anything quite like it. A visual novel absolutely drenched in moody atmosphere, Rain98 features a jaw-droppingly gorgeous art direction paired with a lush lo-fi soundtrack that transported me directly out of the Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center and into 90’s Tokyo. The demo begins with the player suddenly awaking within the living room of a mysterious girl named Reina, in the year 1998. Reina, who introduces herself as the harbinger of the end of the world, seems primarily unphased by your entrance and quickly recruits you to assist with ending the world; graciously granting you permission to sleep in her bathroom throughout the process.
The method in which you assist Reina with her apocalyptic intentions is where Rain98 begins to truly defy expectations. In order for Reina to charge up enough energy to end the world, because apparently she has the ability to do so directly, the player needs to perform one hundred acts of service for her. These acts can be as simple as cleaning her room, helping her do laundry, etc. and these tasks are usually handled via interactable environments, dedicated minigames, or just via dialogue, so there’s a healthy dose of variety. This consistent interaction with Reina results in the experience feeling extremely intimate and there’s absolutely a romantic angle to the narrative. That being said, the romantic implications do not in any way overshadow the underlying mystery; if anything, the game being so focused on a singular character creates a sense of unsettling isolation and I could already see the hints of some psychological horror elements on the horizon. The developers hinted at the existence of several endings so I’m curious to see the various directions in which the narrative will inevitably lead.
Throughout my time speaking with C#4R4CT3R and the team, they mentioned influences such as Perfect Blue and Serial Experiments Lain, and I can absolutely see those inspirations manifested in this project through the mysterious, and often disorienting, narrative structure as well as through the dense portrayal of analog technology throughout. Funnily enough, Shoon T, the director, noticed about halfway through our interview that I was wearing a Twin Peaks shirt at which point the two and us gushed about the works of David Lynch for several minutes; which was essentially a dream come true for me. During this tangential discussion, he revealed that the primary inspiration for Reina’s room within Rain98 was actually the Red Room in Twin Peaks, which for those who don’t know is a sort of extradimensional, and surreal space that serves as a purgatory between worlds. I’ve never been happier with my choice of outfit.
Rain98 is currently scheduled for a 2026 release, be sure to wishlist the title on Steam to show your support! You can also check out the reveal trailer below.
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