Kathy Rain: Director's Cut will revamp the adventure game

2016's point 'n' click adventure game Kathy Rain is returning this year with a new, rebuilt, expanded Director's Cut. Along with more puzzles and chat, it'll have touched-up looks and bonuses like controller support. I quite liked it, as far as I can remember, and have forgotten enough that I'm game for another go when the revamp arrives later this year.

Set in the 90s, Kathy Rain is about the eponymous edgy journalism student returning to her hometown (on her cool motorbike) after her grandfather's death then. She's soon tangled in local mysteries with a suspiciously maybe-supernatural tinge, putting that investigative education to good use.

Today's announcement calls the Director's Cut "a refined and expanded version of Kathy Rain, created from the ground up in a modern, up-to-date game engine." They say they're whamming in new areas, an extended extending, new dialogue, new puzzles, more music, and new motorcycle designs to unlock. They also say to expect controller support, tweaked mouse controls, environments that span the whole screen (the original ran in a vintage 4:3 aspect ratio with black bars), and improvements to visual bits including character animations, lighting, and weather.

I am surprised to see this rather than a sequel, especially as developers Clifftop Games have talked before about wanting to do one. Kathy Rain seems neither old nor beloved enough for folks to be hungry for a revamp, but maybe it will help build support for a follow-up? Could potentially also be technical legwork that would enable console releases? Mysteries.

Our Kathy Rain review quite liked it, though with reservations about some parts - such as the soon-to-be-expanded ending.

"But I had a splendid time with Kathy Rain, and thoroughly enjoyed a game where I couldn't see where it might be heading," our former John (RPS in peace) concluded back in 2016. "Kathy proves a complex and interesting character, and, well, I thoroughly enjoyed playing it. Which is the simplest recommendation of them all."

Kathy Rain: Director's Cut is due to launch on Steam this autumn for Windows, Mac, and Linux. And yep, official word is "there will be a discount on the Director's Cut for any owners of the original game".