Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan Xbox One Review

Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan Xbox One Review – Bringing the colour back to the world

Given the current state of the world as a whole, various events have led to an increased need for escapism. Now, more than ever, finding solace in activities that bring joy is crucial. Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan exemplifies this form of escapism. While it may not possess the power to revolutionize the world, the game provides a delightful and vibrant universe, tackling significant themes and imparting valuable life lessons along the way.

Assuming the role of the gender fluid protagonist, Billy, you embark on a journey within the World of Imagination. Your mission is to rejuvenate this once-colourful world, which has been drained of its vibrancy by the formidable Levithan of the title. The narrative of Rainbow Billy is well crafted, with Billy having their own struggles to deal with. Alongside Billy, there’s a diverse cast of creature characters who grapple with their own various mental challenges and insecurities. While some may perceive the overarching positivity as excessively saccharine, the game fearlessly tackles a multitude of themes with unwavering optimism.

Regardless of their initial disposition, even the most despondent individuals will find it nearly impossible to resist the infectious positivity and boundless energy radiated by the game. Despite delving into profound themes, Rainbow Billy’s passionate commitment to uplifting spirits is something that quickly becomes difficult to ignore.

The game unfolds across a trilogy of enchanting islands (which you can sail between in the fittingly named friend-ship), each brimming with numerous activities and discoveries, and also involves some platforming and puzzle solving as well. Engaging in battles, you encounter a variety of creatures that can be fought and, once you have beaten them, enlisted as valuable allies in future encounters. Along the journey, ‘thought’ creatures with feline characteristics can also be found in the world, treating you to delightful snippets of humorous dialogue and also can be exchanged for various upgrades, ranging from cosmetic ship upgrades to extra moves and tokens during each of your turns during battle. Additionally, the art of fishing presents itself as a pleasurable pastime through a very simple system, involving not only the capture of fish but also the acquisition of valuable items that can enhance the team’s combat prowess, with different items being favoured by different individuals. As for the puzzles, these are scattered throughout the islands, offering a blend of straightforward challenges and later ones that tease the mind that little bit more. With the potential of gameplay surpassing 20 hours, Rainbow Billy definitely offers more than enough for the enthusiastic adventurer.

“With a diverse roster of 60 unique monsters, each fighting with their own internal struggles, Rainbow Billy delves into narratives deeply rooted in real-world human challenges.”

When it comes to the game’s turn-based combat, Billy’s health is presented as morale and, rather than being a formidable fighter, they rely on their recruited creature friends to engage in combat. You are tasked with strategically selecting the desired lane and placing your creatures by choosing their corresponding tokens, with specific lead creatures activating a perk when played in a lane first. Should the current tokens prove unfavourable, however, you also have the option to utilize one of your moves to reshuffle them. After every turn, your creatures are removed, and on your next turn you are given another set of creature tokens to choose from. The battles revolve around matching the battle icons of your own monsters against the icons (displayed as question marks) above the adversaries, inflicting damage and helping to restore their lost colour. However, it’s not all about fighting, as you are able to offer invaluable advice to your opponents, helping them see sense and to better understand the world, which also helps to restore their colour by slowly filling in the blank icons, giving you the knowledge as to what to fill them with, although saying the wrong thing results in the loss of some of Billy’s morale. As these encounters unfold, numerous adversaries become your friends and join Billy’s ranks, enriched by the experience and transformed into individuals who have a better grasp as to whom they are. With a diverse roster of 60 unique monsters, each fighting with their own internal struggles, Rainbow Billy delves into narratives deeply rooted in real-world human challenges, heightening their relatability.

Within battles, Rainbow Billy offers a fun set of mini-games. These mini-games encompass a range of varied actions, such as a slot-machine-like game, timing and matching button presses, and even taking control of a head icon of Billy to navigate past obstacles. Excelling in these mini-games directly impacts the damage inflicted on enemies from each of your respective lanes. Additionally, you have the option to adjust the difficulty level of battles and mini games, introducing extra button presses as well as increased speed to some of the games. This flexibility allows you to tailor the game’s intensity according to your preferences, making battles suitable for both the less capable player as well as those who want a little bit of extra challenge.

While Rainbow Billy occasionally exhibits repetition, especially in the lengthy battles, it never becomes excessively monotonous. Some players may find the battles relatively easy as well, even on the highest difficulty setting, but this aligns well with the game’s family-friendly appeal.

Rainbow Billy’s bright cartoon styling is visually stunning, exuding a delightful charm. The characters are brimming with life and fun, making the World of Imagination a place I never wanted to depart from. Although there is no spoken dialogue, the game’s music is consistently catchy and engaging.

Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan Xbox One Review Summary:

In summary, Rainbow Billy offers a much-needed escape in today’s world, with its delightful and vibrant universe, thoughtfully crafted narrative, and infectious positivity. While some elements may seem repetitive at times, notably the lengthy battles, the game mostly maintains a harmonious balance, ensuring the experience largely remains engaging without becoming overly tiresome. The accessible difficulty level accommodates a wide range of players, perfectly complementing the game’s inclusive and welcoming nature. With its vibrant visuals, lovable characters, and insightful themes, Rainbow Billy offers an enchanting and uplifting gaming odyssey.