Inven Global

Shibuya, Tokyo-based indie game publisher and development label C#4R4CT3R revealed the Steam demo version of 'Rain98' at global online indie game showcase The MIX Fall Showcase.

Rain98 is a new game currently under internal development by C#4R4CT3R, telling a fin-de-siècle narrative experienced by the protagonist and the mysterious girl Reina Amahara set in fin-de-siècle Shibuya through a visual novel and point-and-click adventure format. The appearance of Reina—a girl with a cynical, gloomy, delicate, and strangely dangerous atmosphere—has drawn high expectations from indie game fans since its initial reveal in 2025.

Riding this wave of interest, Rain98 met players around the world, traveling from PAX to Bilibili World, ChinaJoy, BIC 2026, and TGS 2026. Here is a preview of the experience showcased in its newly released demo.

The reason Rain98 caught gamers' attention across multiple international game shows was not just Reina's appearance, but also its distinct color palette and lo-fi aesthetic. With a UI/UX that makes it clear why blue is associated with gloom even without prior knowledge, combined with lo-fi effects that completely diverge from today's sharp, high-resolution trends, the game naturally piqued players' curiosity.

Rain98's latest demo prominently showcases lo-fi's signature blurry, analog mood right from the start, drawing renewed attention to these elements. Its structure evokes memories of playing old VHS tapes—first displaying a blue screen or color calibration bars, followed by trailers, before finally leading into the main content.

Symbolic text appears on a vivid blue screen, followed by a blurry silhouette accompanied by various flickering noise effects. Text scattering like cigarette smoke, degraded photos of 1990s Shibuya, lo-fi pop sounds blending through static, and the cynical, blunt voice of a young girl merge to create an indescribable mood.

The nihilistic, cynical mood of the turn of the century does not stop there. Many modern games feature a scene after the prologue where players enter and confirm the protagonist's name. In Rain98, however, shortly after that screen appears, a bizarre twist occurs—the text "Fin" appears along with a statement that "you and I are different." Soon after, the screen rolls back, skipping the name selection altogether and returning to reality through a shimmering, water-like visual.

Although the setting was mentioned as 1998, the protagonist is actually a young man living an ordinary life in 2026 Tokyo. Having moved blindly to Tokyo from the countryside, he searches for a job in vain, scraping together barely enough to get by in a cheap apartment near Shibuya, eating delivery food while fiddling with an old smartphone with a shattered screen. In contrast to the preceding lo-fi visuals, his 2026 reality is presented in crisp modern 2D graphics, though the rainy scene outside his window is deliberately rendered in blurry, low-resolution visuals to heighten the contrast.

While scrolling through news on his smartphone—ranging from popular influencers boasting about their lives to real-world reports of wars and violent attacks—the tone shifts dramatically when the phrase "Doomsday Clock" pops up. With a mutter of apathy that he couldn't care less about what happens to the world, the screen blurs. When he opens his eyes, he has time-traveled to 1998. Meeting Reina, a girl attempting suicide, marks the true beginning of the story.

Afterward, nostalgic items of the '90s—such as boomboxes, CRT TVs, gashapon capsule toys, beads, and arcade centers—appear on a screen intentionally layered with noise to accentuate a lo-fi feel, stirring nostalgia. Furthermore, lo-fi music across various genres evoking Tokyo's gloomy, rain-drenched mood calls to mind analog records whose peak era extended through the 1990s. The subtle melodies embedded beneath rainfall and sound effects interact with Reina's bizarre voice—calm and subdued, yet occasionally sharp—leaving players eager to see how the story unfolds.

In this bizarre and seemingly chaotic atmosphere, the player's attention never drifts away, largely because the captivating character Reina holds center stage. Her late-1990s loose-fitting high school fashion—a slightly unbuttoned blouse showing a slender neck and ribbon, an oversized cardigan, a short skirt, and loose socks—catches the eye. Yet her detached, cynical expression stands in stark contrast, leaving a powerful impression. With cigarette smoke wafting through screen static, an indifferent tone as if she has given up on everything, and intense emotion seeping through when touching upon taboos, she is a character that defies simple trope classifications.

The story that begins upon meeting Reina progresses just as unpredictably as her persona. Though Reina speaks of the end of the world, achieving it requires maintaining daily routines and collecting stickers in a strange gameplay loop. This loop reveals another side of Reina's charm. While cynical and at times unnervingly scary, she is completely helpless when it comes to managing everyday tasks. Taking care of her rarely yields a direct thank-you, but hearing her speak in a softened voice gives off a peculiar sensation—akin to a child calming down after throwing a tantrum.

Rain98 implements these everyday interactions through minigames and point-and-click adventure gameplay. Players first earn money through minigames such as crafting bead crafts or assembling capsule toys, then venture out to buy food at convenience stores or dine out in Shibuya to keep Reina fed. Whenever Reina gets bored, players can buy playing cards or spot-the-difference books to play Daifugo or search for differences with her to earn stickers. At times, buying clothes and going out with Reina dressed in an entirely different outfit provided another layer of fun, listening to her share various stories.

This series of events, which at first glance appears to be a journey toward regaining a normal daily life, begins to shift after stepping out of a laundromat and spotting a strange silhouette. From high school girls encountered by chance in Shibuya, to a suspicious organization featured on the news right after fixing the CRT TV, someone searching for Reina, and mysterious entities lingering around town—these elements flash like subliminal signals, gradually steering the narrative toward psychological suspense.

In addition, as Reina's abnormal nature is gradually revealed, the story's fragile balance between calm and danger slowly collapses. As illustrated when she asks the protagonist—a complete stranger just days ago—to help put on her loose socks, Reina exists somewhat detached from common sense. Expressing how the protagonist, who developed a sense of kinship and complex emotions after spending a week with her, grows psychologically shaken upon witnessing her shocking behavior requires more than mere text. Visual effects and noise overlays step in to evoke psychological anxiety and mood. Coupled with the meticulous buildup of Reina's aura, it creates a compelling narrative context that commands breathtaking immersion.

Rain98 tells the story of the protagonist time-traveling to 1998 and experiencing approximately a year leading up to 1999—the true end of the century. The demo newly released on Steam covers roughly one week of that timeline, offering a glimpse into Rain98's core gameplay flow. Naturally, deep information—such as what Reina truly is, what happens in 1999, and who is pursuing Reina—leaves barely any clues. While offhanded remarks drop scattered tidbits, full-blown incidents have yet to erupt, making it hard to take anything at face value. One can only watch on edge.

Although the demo felt as if it orbited the periphery rather than diving straight into the main plot, Rain98 undeniably possessed the power to keep eyes glued even while navigating those edges. It blends a nostalgic 1990s analog vibe with a distinctive gloomy, anxious atmosphere, establishing a powerful synergy by centering the striking character Reina. True to the label name 'C#4R4CT3R', the developers skillfully leverage their core character to elevate what could otherwise be a conventional cynical trope into something with a truly unique atmosphere.

For a genre where narrative, characters, and mood take precedence over intense controls or complex strategy, Rain98 hits the mark precisely. This strength earned it a Best of Show selection at PAX East 2026 and enthusiastic responses from diverse audiences. It was also key to securing active local partner support, allowing the game to participate not only in events like BIC and TGS 2026, but also at overseas shows like Bilibili World and ChinaJoy that are typically difficult for foreign indie titles to access.

What makes this reception even more encouraging is that it occurred before the core story has even unfolded. Taking an objective look back, the demo consists solely of the protagonist time-traveling, struggling, moving in with Reina, and experiencing minor daily events over the course of a single week. The fin-de-siècle theme is also a well-trodden trope. Yet highly regarded stories are rarely 100% novel; most captivate audiences by breathing their own distinct personality into familiar tropes and structures. With these promising signs already clear, eyes are eagerly set on what story Rain98 will deliver when its full version officially launches.