A new story trailer for rain, the atmospheric adventure game from Sony’s Japan Studio and Acquire, calls to mind Ico. The bona fide PlayStation legend dropped narrative anchor on the tale of a boy and girl escaping from tragedy together. rain looks to channel the same vibes, with two protagonists searching for answers to a curse that plagues them both.
The curse is invisibility, and only by stepping into pouring rain can their silhouettes be seen. Ghostly creatures suffer the same affliction and hunt you (the boy) at every opportunity. Before long, you cross paths with the girl, and your journeys continue together. You come across lonely, spooky environments–an abandoned church, a gritty factory, and a brightly lit circus devoid of any people whatsoever.
As you navigate this world together, you’ll also face gameplay wrinkles that keep things interesting beyond simply stepping under cover to leave the rain and turn invisible. If you step in deep mud puddles, enemies will be able to track your movement until you’re able to wash your feet in a large rain puddle.
Dais Kawaguchi, Associate Producer at SCEA, thinks rain "is an emotional journey that will remind players of a familiar yet distant time." Ico came out in 2001. rain is coming Fall 2013.
Kyle Prahl is U.S. Managing Editor for PSU, and can’t wait to go hands-on with rain at E3 2013. You can follow him on Twitter and Facebook.