DIVE or DIE – Children of Rain is an ambitious survival adventure that combines underwater exploration, roguelite progression, resource management, and Lovecraftian horror within a bleak world threatened by extinction. Developed by Drop Rate Studio and published by Dear Villagers, the game presents a setting in which a mysterious phenomenon known as the Black Rain has devastated civilization. Humanity’s remaining survivors must endure in fragile settlements while sending divers into the Abyssal Pool to search for supplies, ancient relics, and possible answers concerning the disaster. The result is an experience built around desperation, uncertainty, and the uncomfortable understanding that every expedition may permanently cost the community one of its most valuable people.
The underwater expeditions form the heart of the gameplay. Players descend into flooded ruins and dangerous caverns while carefully monitoring oxygen, equipment, health, and available resources. The environments are filled with abandoned structures, strange artifacts, valuable materials, and hostile creatures shaped by the unnatural conditions of the world. Exploration is encouraged, but it is never completely safe. Spending additional time searching a distant room could produce an important upgrade or rare relic, yet it could also leave the diver without enough oxygen to return. This constant tension gives every journey a meaningful risk-and-reward structure.
The game’s approach to danger is especially effective because combat is not always the best solution. Ammunition, medical supplies, and functional equipment are limited, which means fighting every creature can quickly become unsustainable. Players must decide when to attack, when to hide, and when to retreat. Some encounters may protect valuable resources or important paths, while others are better avoided entirely. The creatures of the abyss are designed to make the player feel vulnerable rather than powerful, reinforcing the horror atmosphere and preventing the exploration from turning into a conventional action game.
Oxygen management adds urgency to every decision. Even when an area appears calm, the steadily diminishing air supply creates pressure. Players cannot explore indefinitely, and hesitation can be as dangerous as direct combat. A successful dive therefore requires route planning, environmental awareness, and the discipline to return before greed becomes fatal. The most intense moments often occur during the journey back to safety, when the diver is injured, supplies are nearly exhausted, and the remaining oxygen leaves little room for mistakes.
The roguelite structure gives failure lasting consequences. Survivors can die permanently, which makes each expedition more emotionally and strategically significant. Losing an experienced diver is not simply a temporary inconvenience, since that character may have developed useful abilities or become essential to the settlement’s survival plan. This permanent loss encourages players to think carefully about who should be sent into dangerous areas. A highly skilled survivor may have the greatest chance of retrieving valuable resources, but risking that person could leave the entire community weaker if the expedition fails.
Life above the water is just as important as the dives themselves. The player must manage a camp populated by survivors with different abilities, conditions, and responsibilities. Workers must be assigned to essential tasks, facilities must be maintained, and limited supplies must be distributed according to immediate needs. Every resource recovered from the abyss can influence the settlement’s future, whether it is used to improve equipment, expand infrastructure, treat injuries, or prepare for another expedition.
The management systems create difficult decisions because the survivors are affected by more than physical health. Their mental condition can also deteriorate under the pressure of living in a collapsing world. Fear, exhaustion, and hopelessness may reduce their usefulness or create additional problems for the group. Maintaining stability becomes an important part of leadership, especially when resources are too scarce to satisfy everyone. The player may be forced to prioritize the needs of certain individuals while accepting that others cannot be fully protected.
Camp development provides a satisfying sense of progression. Materials collected during dives can be invested in facilities, crafting systems, training opportunities, and improved equipment. Better tools may allow divers to survive longer or explore areas that were previously inaccessible. Stronger weapons can make hostile encounters more manageable, while improved survival equipment reduces some of the pressure created by oxygen and environmental hazards. These upgrades reward successful planning without completely removing the danger, since deeper locations introduce increasingly severe threats.
The passage of time is another major source of pressure. The approaching Flood prevents the player from endlessly gathering resources or waiting for perfect conditions. Each day represents both an opportunity and a cost, forcing the community to move toward its goals before time runs out. This structure gives the campaign a strong sense of momentum. Players must decide whether to focus on short-term survival, long-term preparation, or the search for relics connected to the larger mystery.
The story centers on Jack and the desperate effort to protect what remains of humanity. His journey leads into questions surrounding the Black Rain, the Maker of Rain, and the sacred objects hidden beneath the surface. Rather than explaining everything immediately, the narrative reveals its secrets through discoveries, environmental details, and dangerous expeditions. This method of storytelling works well with the exploration mechanics because curiosity becomes part of the player’s motivation. Descending deeper is not only necessary for obtaining resources but also for understanding how the world reached its ruined state.
The Lovecraftian influence is clearly visible throughout the setting. The horror comes from humanity confronting forces that appear ancient, unnatural, and difficult to comprehend. The player is rarely allowed to feel completely in control, even after unlocking stronger equipment. The abyss remains threatening because its dangers are not limited to physical monsters. The surrounding mystery, distorted environments, and suggestion of powers beyond human understanding create a persistent psychological unease.
Visually, the game uses darkness, limited visibility, submerged ruins, and unsettling creature designs to establish a memorable atmosphere. The underwater setting naturally produces isolation, while the restricted view encourages players to imagine what may be moving beyond the light. Environmental lighting becomes both a practical tool and a source of tension. Small illuminated spaces can feel temporarily safe, but the darkness around them always suggests that danger is nearby.
Players who enjoy challenging survival games, permanent consequences, unsettling mysteries, and strategic resource management should find plenty to appreciate. Its harsh systems may require patience, but they also produce memorable stories of sacrifice, narrow escapes, and desperate victories. By making every dive a gamble involving both one survivor and the future of an entire settlement, DIVE or DIE – Children of Rain creates an engaging and emotionally tense experience.
Rating: 9/10
