DISH Anywhere for iPad
Entertainment and Utilities
App
Take your TV with you. With the DISH Anywhere app, you can watch every TV channel you get at home on...
20 Minuten (CH)
News and Entertainment
App
Auf dem Weg zur Arbeit, in der Badewanne oder beim Fernsehen: Mit dieser Applikation können Sie das...
Tapatalk - 200,000+ Forums
Social Networking and News
App
Tapatalk connects to over 100,000 online forums worldwide. Post easily with unlimited Photo and...
Betway: Football Odds & Bets
Sports and Games
App
Bet on the latest Premier League or Championship fixture & win with an acca! Place free bets on top...
iDo Food – Kids with special needs learn dining skills (Full version)
Education
App
iDo Food is an innovative and comprehensive application, ideal for learning cooking and dining...
Monster Trucks Nitro 2
Games and Entertainment
App
◆◆◆◆◆ OVER 2 MILLION DOWNLOADS IN 10 DAYS! PLAY NOW! Live out your car crushing dreams...
The Blackjack Wiz
Entertainment and Games
App
Game Controller & TV Remote Supported! Blackjack is a classic casino game and seemingly so simple....
City Island 4: Sim Town Tycoon (SD)
Games and Entertainment
6.0
Rate It
App
Play the most popular city building simulation game series on mobile! In this new City Island sim,...
Monkey Junior: kids learn to read English, Spanish
Education
App
Monkey Junior is currently #1 popular learn to read program with millions of happy learners and...
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated A Gentle Rain in Tabletop Games
Dec 3, 2021
A Gentle Rain is a solo tile placement puzzle game. In it the player is attempting to help eight lily varieties to bloom during a rain shower. This magnificent experience sets alight the spirit of the player and transports them to a new level of zen. Or they simply win the game. It just depends how into it one likes to be.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of this game for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game (I think), so what you see in these photos is probably what would be received in your box. I do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rulebook, but will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. For more in depth rules, you may purchase a copy online or from your FLGS. -T
To setup A Gentle Rain, gently place on the table the eight blossom tokens. Near these place the shuffled stack of lake tiles, face-down. Flip over the top lake tile and place it on the table in whichever orientation your heart desires. You may now begin your tour of the lake.
On a turn the player will draw a tile from the top of the lake tile stack and attempt to place it on the table, joining a matching straight side to an existing lake tile on the table. As more and more lake tiles are revealed and placed the player may notice a group of four adjoining tiles forming a square. Once this is achieved the player may choose one of the completed lilies showing in this completed square and place a related blossom token in the created circular space. Placing the tokens allow this type of lily to bloom and nurture the player’s natural essence. Should a drawn tile have no space to occupy, it will be safely discarded and allowed to watch the magical spectacle unfold before it.
The lake journey continues in this fashion until either all blossom tokens have been placed in their respective safe spaces or all lake tiles have been drawn and placed or discarded. The player will count all blossom tokens placed for their final score, and if all eight blossom tokens were placed, will also add the number of lake tiles remaining with their brethren in the draw stack. These scores represent the level of enlightenment achieved by strolling near the lake to take in its beauty.
Components. This game is comprised of eight blossom tokens and a bunch of lake tiles in a small box. The lake tiles are all different and feature different lily semi-circles on the edges. They are thick enough to withstand multiple multiple plays and feature incredibly serene artwork. Similarly, the blossom tokens contain beautiful lily depictions upon painted wooden discs. The components in this game are high quality, and suited for addicted gamers’ need for play after play.
Again, I was surprised, not only by simply receiving the game out of the blue with no prior notification, but also by how much I truly enjoy playing this. The rulebook suggests pouring a cup of tea or other soothing beverage (chai is by far my favorite, with Earl Grey several leagues behind), and I certainly follow rulebooks’ suggestions every chance I get. What I was given here is a wonderful solo experience that I will absolutely be rewarding myself with many times in the future.
The puzzly bits of the game are not at all frustrating, as some puzzle games can be, but you truly feel bad for the lilies that you were unable to find a suitable match for it so it can bloom and display its beauty. And when a blossom token is finally placed, I found that I smiled a bit and wished the blossom a nurturing rain shower. Now, of course I have been using flowery words mostly in jest, but truthfully, this game does put one’s mind at ease for a spell. I have been slightly more stressed than normal lately and for some reason this game was EXACTLY what I needed at this point in my life. Destiny? Perhaps. Extremely lucky coincidence? Perhaps that is the same thing…
If you are a fan of puzzle games that can be played solo and that are addicting, then you must take a look at A Gentle Rain. I believe every gamer can appreciate the theme and artwork, and the design is so refreshing and simple. I will be treasuring this little gem for a very long time, and its small footprint makes it a near perfect travel companion. I give this one a very high recommendation for ALL gamer types and ages. Go find a copy today!
