Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan

[h1]Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan[/h1] Rainbow Billy me lo recomendó una amiga, y ha sido un gran descubrimiento. Creo que es el juego más reivindicativo y queer de todos los que he jugado. Os explico en tres apartados sus puntos fuertes. [u][b]Historia[/b][/u] La historia principal de Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan comienza cuando el monstruo Leviatán pretende eliminar la diversidad de colores del mundo para convertirlo en algo monótono, ya que, para él, la normatividad es la forma ideal y ordenada de ser. En los primeros 30 minutos, creía que Rainbow Billy iba a ser demasiado infantil. Pero el juego no es para nada simplista... Está claro que utiliza un lenguaje accesible para todos los públicos, pero los temas que trata son duros y los expone de una manera muy respetuosa. Como ya mencionaré más adelante, hay un trasfondo profundo en cada criatura relacionado con las consecuencias de esa imposición monocromática. También está el caso del propio Billy, cuya historia se va desvelando a partir de la segunda mitad del juego. [u][b]Jugabilidad[/b][/u] A primera vista, Rainbow Billy podría catalogarse como un juego de plataformas y colección de criaturas (al estilo Pokémon). El plataformeo se basa en llegar a ciertos puntos de las diferentes islas. Para ello, te ayudas de una única multiherramienta: Rodrigo, una especie de caña de pescar con una "mano loca". Además, hay una serie de puzles no muy complejos. Es un juego facilón, como cualquier juego cozy, pero tiene una gran cantidad de cosas que hacer para lograr el 100%. La parte más original se encuentra en las batallas de criaturas: Cada una de estas criaturas tiene una serie de colores ocultos que, si logras rellenarlos con el color correspondiente, consigues su amistad. Sin embargo, la peculiaridad es que estos animales están llenos de inseguridades (por su físico, por timidez, etc.). Tú, como "contrincante", debes conversar de manera empática y asertiva para que descubran sus colores y no te hagan daño. Para rellenar los colores, cuentas con una cantera de criaturitas con habilidades. Una vez desplegadas, tendrás que iniciar y superar minijuegos para que el ataque sea efectivo. Puede ser algo difícil de explicar por aquí, pero me ha parecido muy intuitivo y elaborado (¡60 criaturas con sus propias contradicciones... whoa!). [u][b]Gráficos y sonido[/b][/u] Tanto Billy como todo el entorno me recuerdan a los dibujos animados como Cuphead. Gráficamente, el juego es un 2.5D en el que mueves a Billy, que parece un sticker, por escenarios 3D. Aunque por las fotos podría parecer un juego de Flash Player, está muy trabajado en su diseño grafico y BSO que lo hacen adorable (tiene canciones cantadas que cuentan parte de la historia y musica ambiental muy buena). La única parte en la que he notado algún fallo gráfico es que algunas ilustraciones tienen menos resolución de la que deberían a 1080p y puede haber algún momento de desenfoque y la cámara a veces se vuelve loca. De todas formas son fallos puntuales (muchas veces se soluciona con el viaje rápido o la cámara fotográfica) [u][b]Pros:[/b][/u] ✅ Una trama que educa en la diversidad y más adulta de lo que aparenta. ✅ Mecánicas de combates originales. ✅ Muchas actividades para completar. ✅ Gráficos y BSO adorable. ✅ Buen trabajo de traducción. ✅ Ideal si buscas un juego cozy. [u][b]Contras:[/b][/u] ❌ Puede ser algo facilón. ❌ Algunos bugs y fallos de cámara puntuales. [u][b]Conclusión:[/b][/u] Bajo la apariencia de mecánicas de coleccionar criaturas a lo Pokemon se encuentra un juego consecuente con el respeto e inclusión de la diversidad (con lenguaje queer), la lucha contra la opresión normativa, y que aborda los problemas de autoestima y cómo tratarlos. Es un título que invita a reflexionar. [h2]Nota: [b]8,9/10[/b][/h2] [u][h2][url=steampowered.com/curator/45277685]🎮🌵Más reseñas en mi mentor🌵🎮[/url][/h2][/u]

[i]Rainbow Billy is a family friendly, wholesome adventure game that feels like Paper Mario in the typical Rubber Hose animation style which most gamers might know through the game Cuphead. You play as Billy, a young boy who wants to restore the world's colors after the monochrome Leviathan stole them.[/i] ​The gameplay is based on [u]2,5D exploration[/u], [u]light platforming[/u] and a [u]unique turn-based "combat" system[/u]. Instead of fighting monsters, you have to listen to their problems and use your empathy by "attacking" them with the right words to help them overcome their insecurities and fears, and in the end -befriend them to upgrade your creature collection for the next encounter. The [u]atmosphere is incredibly charming[/u], with a [u]vibrant art style[/u] and a [u]lovely OST.[/u] I'm always in love with games that use rubber hose art style, so personally, that's a huge bonus for me. I like how Rainbow Billy tackles [u]themes like self-discovery, taking care of your mental health and learning about self-acceptance[/u] in a way that’s [u]easy to understand for everyone[/u]. It’s definitely a game aiming for a younger audience, but I still had a lot of fun so far, especially because you can [u]change the combat difficulty between easy, normal and hard[/u]. I've read some reviews saying that the combat gameplay became repetitive over time. I think for a 25, or maybe 30 years old gamer some fights might feel repetitive, but I can also imagine that this can be pedagogically quite useful for a child's brain to apply and understand specific empathetic behaviors in different situations. So since it's also a game for kids, I personally wouldn't consider that a negative point. ​[b]I'm surprised this game is still so unknown, cause It's clearly visible how much time and effort the devs have put into the colorful little world design and plot telling. Overall, Rainbow Billy is a [u]hidden gem for anyone who loves wholesome, story-driven adventures[/u]. Definitely worth the price of 18€ for roughly [u]10-20 hours[/u] of empathetic coloring fun. If I ever have a child who is interested in video games, I will definitely encourage them to play this game at a young age.[/b]

Very lovely indie hidden gem that is a bit tough to categorize as it touches several genres. It's certainly varied. Some might find it looks childish, and it probably hurt its sales, but I found the art style cute and charming with retro cartoon sensibilities. It's not just for kids, and I'd even argue adults would probably like it more. The writing was top-notch and even enlightening on lots of different psychological issues. I honestly think it might be helpful for some people. I loved the game's gentle humor and the empathy shown. It wasn't really preachy, something I was afraid of, and was even emotional sometimes. The exploration and platforming were simple and fun, nothing too challenging. Billy tries to help the creatures and when he does, they go from black, white and/or grey to more vibrant colors and a different, less menacing look. That was always a delight. The fighting wasn't really fighting, more like puzzles with mini-games, using the creatures you previously befriended. It was refreshing and I quite liked it although it might become repetitive at some point. I loved this game so much I completed it 100%, something I rarely do. Rainbow Billy gets my glowing recommendation.

You see, if you’re a huge fan of cutesy wholesome colorful childlike games, then this review isn’t for you, because, let’s face it: 1. You’ll buy this game without looking at the reviews. 2. You’re absolutely f*cking basic and you should be ashamed of yourself. Gaming isn’t an Instagram motivational poster. 3. I’m totally the same and we should totally get married. This review is for those of you who groaned when they looked at this game, but were captivated enough by the trailer (Paper Mario fans, anyone?) that you decided to scroll down here to see if this game is worth your time. Yes. Yes, it is. Yes, this game IS a wholesome game. Yes, this game IS as mushy as moldy marshmallows. Yes, this game DOES have pronouns. BUT, and hear me out, BUT: This game is not braindead by any stretch of the imagination. It’s not empty, with the same hashed out list of what wholesome messages exist out there. The game is full. Very full. An astonishingly large number of characters, each with their plotlines, personality, history, etc. The game plays like a children’s storybook saga, except it’s novel-sized. If you ever read a children’s storybook, and it said “and the hero climbed the gigantic mountain!”, you’d be there. You’d climb it. And it will feel as grand as the book wants it to sound like. The combat begins simple, but as it progresses, I swear, I never felt that thrill of being combo-licious in a very VERY long time. Which is weird in and of itself, because believe me, I bought it because I WANTED wholesome slop. It’s like I got in my pajamas, grabbed a bag of chips, sat in my bed, got on YouTube for my daily dose of brainrot, opened the bag of chips, and found a perfectly cooked lobster inside. It immerses you. It’s designed to immerse you. It sets the right tone, it shifts that tone, it creates progression, it gives you stories within stories, it knows when to shut up and let you tell half the story in your head (silent boat rides where it feels like days have passed, and you wonder how the characters inside are talking to each other, and how they’re feeling). Every encounter feels like “and the hero found a strange penguin! What will the penguin say?”. i.e a fully contained chapter within an overarching greater tale. This game will captivate you with their penguin the way you’d be captivated hearing that line as a kid. Its full, and it doesn’t feel like its dragging. Its just bursting at the seams with satisfying content. In the genre of wholesome-blob games, this game obscenely raises the standard high, almost rudely. It’s like you’re going to your kid’s piano recital, and every kid is sh*t, but you filter it out because “come on, they’re kids, they’re trying”, and then baby Mozart comes on stage; you can’t see the other kid performers the same ever again, including your own kid. G*dDAMN.

I liked the art style and the combat was really unique, but unfortunately it got old fast. After the first hour I felt like it was the same thing over and over, to the point that I was completely skipping the dialogue. And I probably would have just played it out, except I got an achievement for "fighting toxic masculinity". That was enough for me.

Really cute, colorful and wholesome but overstays its welcome a bit. Positives first, the monster designs are pretty solid, the rubber hose style looks great and the "combat" is fun, even tho a bit to easy. I also liked that instead of fighting enemies we befriend them but chipping away at their insecurities. I would however liked a bit more depth here, as it really boiled down to "pick the most positive dialogue option for the best advantage." While I am a big fan of positive afformation I think challanging certain views the charcters have would have made it more interesting. This directly leads me to my biggest problem with the game - how repetetive it is. You visit an island, do some light platforming to reach the monster on said island, pick the obvious dialogue options that feel to be the same each time and do the easy combat/puzzle where you need to play your monsters with the right shapes and colors to fill in all the enemie monsters shapes and colors. There is variety to it in some battles, like one Monster nullifying your attacks if you do the minigame perfectly or one hiding their shapes when you use leveled monsters, but all of these are one offs. This is fun at the beggining, but halfway through the game I already felt bored by the gameplay loop, and now that I am 75% through I cant find the motivation to finish it, its just TOO repetetive. I would still reccomend it because I DID still like the game and enjoyed my time with it!

[b]Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan[/b], was for me a fun, wellwritten and heartwarming game. The "battles" are similar in style to the super mario rpgs, with accessibility features. It was enjoyable from start to finish. The game has something for all ages. Ad a great soundtrack as well. My only real gripes with it, were that the camera.

I played this with my daughter, she loved the creatures being recolored. It's a great game, the story is beautiful. Each creature is unique and the dark thoughts are hilarious. Honestly, I wish I could play this game again for the first time. Such a joy, so much fun. 100% worth it.

I vaguely remember putting this game on my wishlist for Pride month. I loved the music, the art style and the concept of communication confrontations. Some people would definitely benefit from having to learn how to communicate better through this game. The story went from cute to deep and I cant recommend it enough for members of the lgbT community.

Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan, developed by ManaVoid Entertainment and published by Skybound Games alongside Indie Asylum, is a vibrant and uplifting adventure that combines platforming, puzzle-solving, and a unique approach to role-playing through empathy and compassion. It tells the story of Billy, a cheerful and non-binary protagonist whose colorful world is suddenly drained of its hues and joy when the mighty Leviathan awakens from its slumber. Stripped of its vibrancy, the world falls into a state of sadness and emotional emptiness. With the help of a talking fishing rod named Rodrigo and a ship powered by friendship, Billy embarks on a journey across the Land of Imagination to restore color and hope to its inhabitants. What begins as a whimsical quest quickly evolves into an exploration of emotional healing, identity, and the strength that comes from understanding others rather than fighting them. From the outset, the game stands out with its striking visual design. Every environment bursts with color and charm once restored, serving as a powerful visual metaphor for recovery and acceptance. The contrast between the grayscale, cursed world and the radiant, fully colored one reinforces the idea that empathy and kindness can quite literally bring light back into darkness. The art style draws clear inspiration from storybooks and classic cartoons, rendered in a bright 2.5D aesthetic that feels both nostalgic and modern. Each island Billy visits has its own personality—lush forests, mechanical ruins, or surreal dreamscapes—each populated by unique creatures and characters, all rendered with meticulous detail and charm. The hand-drawn animations and warm color palette make the world of Rainbow Billy feel alive, inviting, and deeply personal. It’s a game that thrives on its aesthetic identity, creating a space where players feel genuinely motivated to restore every drop of color they can. The gameplay in Rainbow Billy is a blend of exploration, light puzzle-solving, and non-violent encounters that replace traditional combat with conversations and empathy challenges. Rather than defeating enemies, Billy “befriends” them by learning about their insecurities and fears. Each confrontation becomes an opportunity for dialogue, where the player listens and responds to emotional cues rather than attacks. These interactions are framed as turn-based “confrontations,” where success depends on understanding rather than aggression. The player’s companions—colorful creatures collected throughout the adventure—each represent different aspects of positivity and emotional expression, helping Billy resolve the inner conflicts of others. This system is both inventive and thematically resonant, reinforcing the idea that kindness and communication can overcome hostility. The minigames that accompany these encounters are simple but charming, providing a rhythm of activity that fits neatly with the game’s philosophy of inclusivity and cooperation. Exploration is another key pillar of the experience. Piloting the Friend-Ship across the world’s seas, players visit various islands, solve environmental puzzles, and interact with dozens of characters. The platforming sections are intentionally approachable, with forgiving mechanics and puzzles that emphasize observation and timing rather than difficulty. Each new area offers small mechanical twists that keep things engaging without overwhelming younger players. The world is also filled with secrets, collectibles, and upgrades that reward curiosity, giving players a sense of steady progression. The pacing is relaxed, allowing the journey to unfold at a gentle rhythm that encourages reflection rather than urgency. It’s a design choice that fits perfectly with the game’s tone—a calm, kind adventure that feels like a quiet antidote to the stress and conflict often found in modern games. Where Rainbow Billy truly shines, however, is in its storytelling and emotional depth. Though wrapped in a bright and cheerful aesthetic, its narrative touches on surprisingly mature themes: self-acceptance, loneliness, anxiety, and the courage to express vulnerability. Each creature Billy helps represents a different struggle—fear of failure, anger, self-doubt—and the process of helping them serves as a lesson not just for Billy, but for the player as well. The writing balances humor and sincerity with care, avoiding the pitfalls of sentimentality by grounding its optimism in genuine emotion. Billy’s interactions are infused with empathy, and the game takes great care to ensure its inclusivity feels organic rather than forced. The non-binary identity of the protagonist, for instance, is treated with natural respect, presented as simply another part of who they are rather than a narrative focus. This subtlety strengthens the game’s message: that everyone, regardless of identity, has the ability to bring light to others. Technically, Rainbow Billy is polished and thoughtfully crafted. The user interface is intuitive, the animation smooth, and the soundtrack perfectly complements the atmosphere. The music, with its gentle melodies and emotional crescendos, shifts dynamically to match the mood of each island or encounter, heightening the sense of wonder and introspection. While the gameplay loop can become repetitive over longer sessions—the cycle of sailing, exploring, and befriending creatures follows a predictable structure—the charm of the world and the heart behind its design keep the experience engaging. Minor issues like long load times or occasional performance hiccups don’t detract significantly from the experience. In a genre often dominated by cynicism or violence, Rainbow Billy feels refreshingly sincere, a game unafraid to be kind. Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan is ultimately a celebration of empathy, inclusivity, and emotional growth. It takes familiar elements from adventure and RPG genres and reimagines them through a lens of compassion, proving that games can be just as fulfilling when built around understanding instead of conflict. Its beautiful art direction, heartfelt storytelling, and inventive mechanics make it stand out as a work of optimism and creativity. While some players may find its lack of challenge or repetitive structure less appealing, its sincerity and warmth give it a rare staying power. It’s the kind of game that leaves you smiling—not because of victory, but because of connection. Rainbow Billy is more than a charming adventure; it’s a reminder that even in a world drained of color, a little empathy can paint everything bright again. Rating: 8/10