• Summary: Based on the popular comic strip Penny Arcade, On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness is an episodic RPG/Adventure where you join with Gabe and Tycho of the Startling Developments Detective Agency to solve strange mysteries lurking in New Arcadia. Set in the 1920s, the game places the familiar Penny Arcade protagonists in an alternate pulp horror setting reminiscent of the works of H. P. Lovecraft. [Hothead Games] Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 23
  2. Negative: 1 out of 23
  1. On the Rain Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode 1 exists in somewhere in the hinterland between casual game and serious RPG, and it's a very comfortable position indeed. As a palate-cleanser between playing larger games, or simply as an opportunity to experience Penny Arcade in a fresh way, it's easy to recommend the game.
  2. 70
    $20 might seem like a bit much for a little over five hours of gameplay, although there's a lot of content packed into this first installment: Four largish 3-D environments, a dozen or so main characters, and reams of funny dialogue.
  3. With the episodic development cycle all but demanding that structure and form be locked down in the first instalment, with content added thereafter, the series' future looks precarious at best. [June 2008, p.90]

See all 23 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 44
  2. Negative: 4 out of 44
  1. DavidF
    10
    I liked the demo so far. I'm going to unlock the full version today. The game play has elements not found in other adventure games.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. JoeT.
    6
    I was hoping for a humorous and innovative take on the RPG & point-and-click conventions. Unfortunately, after the novelty of bygone era cartoon-inspired visuals wares off, it's a pretty run-of-the-mill game and nothing special. Despite its fairly inexpensive cost, I feel slightly cheated in the fact there are many more creative and enjoyable games available for free. (Regardless, I recommend trying the free demo available before forking over any cash.) You might get something out of it if you're familiar with the online comic (which I am not), but otherwise... yawn.... Expand
    • 1 of 2 users said yes
  3. I have always been a rather big fan of Penny Arcade the the views they have on the gaming industry, they have never been afraid to tell the industry and their fans how they felt about a certain game or events that were happening at the time. It has always been very refreshing to see this in a market clogged with fakers, idiots and sellouts. From the way they talk about games and their views and thoughts on the industry and how games are designed, I have always thought I'd see a much different game title then what they actually produced and I think that is why my disappointment is so much more here, then it would have been with any other title, simply because my expectations were so much higher. Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness really boils down to a J-RPG style of role playing game, which actually isn't very unique, nor is it very ambitious. It's very mediocre at best. The most difficult part of the entire game is learning to use it's system in order to be able to beat swarms of enemies. Like other rpgs in the past, the combat systems a level of interaction with the player in order to successfully win battles. By timing to win battles, you can decrease the amount of damage taken, but the game gives no indication wither or not timed keystrokes on attacks actually increase damage. It is integral that you take advantage of this system or you will never survive the game. The game features almost no currency to speak of, barely any character crafting or building and almost no equipment upgrading what so ever, in the end, it revolves around collecting parts to upgrade a single weapon for each playable character and leveling up. That's it. What's even more annoying is the sudden spike in difficulty. In the "normal" setting of the game, one moment you can be playing a nice, smooth RPG, in the next moment a area the game directly sends you to, the enemies can (and will) 1-HKO you, this sudden and unhelpful spike in enemy difficulty is not welcome in my opinion. In the end, it's one of the most basic, simple and some times annoying J-RPG style games I have played for the computer, all lacking the actual humor of Penny Arcade. I am glad I picked this up on sale, because had I paid full price for this title when it first came out, I would have been quite upset. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes

See all 44 User Reviews