The map of Rain World

Rain World is not a linear game, although many first-time players can make the mistake of assuming it is. At the risk of sounding philosophical, it’s just like life; there are different paths, some being more easy and some being more rewarding, but none two are alike. How you traverse the regions of this dangerous and exciting landscape can determine if you live or die in this game.

The regions of Rain World connect through gates and tunnels in unexpected and sometimes downright labyrinthian ways. Each region presents unique predators, game mechanics, and foods; a player must learn to be very adaptable, as what worked in one region may not yield results in another. Please note that different slugcats start in different regions, so this guide will focus on the best routes starting in the Outskirts (for slugcats such as the Survivor, the Monk, and the Spearmaster), however the routes can be extrapolated to other characters as well.

1. The Beginner’s Road

The slugcat watches squidcadas fly by overhead

This route is probably the best route to use if you haven’t played Rain World before. It is the least difficult route that will still provide excellent exposure to many regions, allowing a player to prepare for harder routes and characters in the future. That said, there are still no shortage of difficult regions that will require quick movements, agility, and a little luck.

This routes goes: Outskirts -> Industrial Complex -> Garbage Wastes -> Shoreline -> Shaded Citadel -> The Exterior -> Five Pebbles -> The Exterior -> Chimney Canopy -> Sky Islands -> Farm Arrays -> Subterranean -> Filtration System -> The Depths.

This is not the shortest route, however, the shorter routes require more finesse and experience than a new player may possess or wish to immediately learn. The shorter routes also can miss a great deal of exciting areas that really should be seen in a first playthrough (like Looks to the Moon). One great thing about this road is that the player does not need to go through the Unfortunate Development, which is considered one of the most difficult regions in the game due to the proto daddy longlegs, carnivorous proto rot plants, and gravity interruptions.

Likely, the most difficult region along this route will be the Exterior, which consists of the sub regions called the Leg, the Underhang, and the Wall. The Leg is generally considered the hardest of these, as it is filled with difficult ascents and traversals requiring the use of grappling worms. Additionally, it has many daddy longlegs, which are extremely perilous predators. Make sure to enter the area with full food pips and use each of the three shelters in the area to save progress as the climb continues.

Another very difficult region which should inspire wariness is the Farm Arrays. Since you are coming in from the Sky Islands, it is important to note you must travel through it rightwards and not down at all in order to get to the Subterranean. Try to stockpile food before this region as centipedes are the most common food here and can be difficult to find or catch. Be careful of large patches of worm grass and wait for a reindeer to carry you across safely.

Choose the Beginner’s Route if:

• You are a new player
• You wish to experience more areas in the game
• You don’t want to go through the difficult Unfortunate Development area
• You want to meet the iterator Looks to the Moon
• You want to learn more about the geography and terrain of the game for future playthroughs

Beginner’s Route features:

• Moderate Difficulty
• Suitable for any playstyle
• Avoids proto daddy long legs
• Allows player to meet some iterators/echoes if desired
• Must travel past the Underhang 

2. The Direct Way

The slugcat ascends The Wall; a dangerous path

This route is the most direct path to beating the game, exploring nothing that isn’t completely necessary to beating the game and not shirking from difficult predators and feats of agility. This is the perfect route if you have beaten Rain World before and wish to beat it again, or if you want to unlock more slugcat characters as quickly as possible. This route does present some challenges, however, in that it requires greater parkouring than the above Beginner’s Road, and additionally some of the predators are very dangerous along this route.

This routes goes: Outskirts -> Industrial Complex -> Chimney Canopy -> The Wall -> Five Pebbles -> The Wall -> Chimney Canopy -> Sky Islands -> Farm Arrays -> Subterranean -> Filtration System -> The Depths.

Again, this is the shortest route, making it ideal for a player just wanting to beat the game and get out, particularly if they have natural ability with 2D platformers and can adapt quickly. Regrettably, this route skips almost every iterator/echo except Five Pebbles (Six Grains of Gravel Mountains Abound can be reached with a very small detour), and so doesn’t do much for experiencing the world itself or its lore. This route does have the added benefit of skipping the Underhang and the Unfortunate Development, which can be very grueling and tricky regions in their terrain and mechanics.

Likely, the most difficult region along this route will be the Farm Arrays, with fickle reindeer being required to ferry you safely across dangerous and impassable swatches of worm grass. Equally challenging though is the Filtration System which is filled with vile writhing piles of spiders called coalescipedes that attempt to devour you out of the darkness, not to mention the black lizards which stalk using their strong sense of hearing.

In order to use this route, one key aspect is bypassing the one way gate at the top of The Wall in order to see Five Pebbles. This requires the slugcat to do a backflip and throw a spear into the ground underneath, then stand atop that  spear and throw another into the wall above, which can be used to climb to the necessary portal. This also isn’t even the only time on the wall that a spear will be needed in order to ascend. As for the filtration system, the player should bring a glow light, as the spiders are afraid of the light and this will help tremendously.

Choose the Direct Way if:

• You want to beat the game quickly
• You have the ability to adapt quickly
• You can master advanced movements and use spears to climb
• The lore and landscapes of the game are unimportant to you
• You want to unlock other slugcats quickly

Direct Way features:

• Strong Difficulty
• Suitable for agile and skilled players
• Avoids proto daddy long legs and leviathans
• Skips most iterators/echoes if desired
• Avoids most water areas 
• Must ascend the Wall

3. The Ancient Path

The slugcat meets an Echo - a remnant of the Ancients

If you’ve played Rain World before, and are looking to play it again… but this time get everything out of the game that it has to offer - then this may be the route for you. This route is the both the longest and most difficult one, as it is designed to go through and showcase much of Rain World’s lore and unique mechanics. The highlight of this path is getting to visit every one of the iterators/echoes, not just Five Pebbles.

This routes goes: Outskirts -> Industrial Complex -> Chimney Canopy (Nineteen Spades, Endless Reflection) -> The Wall (Six Grains of Gravel, Mountains Abound) -> Five Pebbles -> Memory Conflux -> Unfortunate Development -> The Underhang -> The Leg -> The Memory Crypts -> The Shoreline (Looks to the Moon) -> The Memory Crypts -> The Shaded Citadel (Four Needles Under Plentiful Leaves) -> Industrial Complex -> Chimney Canopy -> Sky Islands (Droplets Upon Five Large Droplets) -> Farm Arrays (A Bell, Eighteen Amber Beads) -> Subterranean (Two Sprouts, Twelve Branches) -> Filtration System -> The Depths.

As is clear, this is the longest route by far, as goes through most regions (excepting the Drainage System, Garbage Wastes, and Recursive Transform Arrays). However, this is most definitely worthwhile, as the point of Rain World has never been to simply achieve enlightenment;  it’s about the journey to enlightenment. This road showcases some truly epic landscapes and introduces intrigue about the history of the world, while also allowing the player many adventures. 

Likely, the most difficult region along this route will be the Unfortunate Development, with gravity failures and proto daddy longlegs, as well as many difficult jumps and traversals. Beyond that though, many of the above talked about difficulties will apply here too (Farm Arrays, The Underhang, etc.), as the route covers them all. In general, try to always travel with a spear or a rock in hand, just in case you need a diversion or quick escape from an attacker.

If you choose this route, it’s likely mostly because you realize the game is about experiences, not about checklists of feats or accomplishments. As such, too many tips or hints would spoil the experience of discovering new ways to move, to circumvent obstacles, or where to find tidbits of lore. Inevitably, this path’s primary purpose is to encourage you to make your own path and enjoy the process, not only the end result.

Choose the Ancient’s Path if:

• You want to experience the most from the game
• You are very patient, and don’t mind the long way
• You want to appreciate subtleties the game developers left
• You want to gain the most amount of practice and skill
• You enjoy challenges

Ancient’s Path features:

• Very Strong Difficulty
• Prioritizes experiencing the world over completing the game
• Goes through most areas of the game
• Allows player to meet every iterator / echo
• Indirect and roundabout route to finish

You may also be interested in:

• All Rain World Campaigns (Ranked)
• [Guide] Rain World Best Tips and Tricks (25 Best Tips)
• [Top 10] Rain World Best Lizards To Tame (Early To Late Game)