Upwards, Rain! The Post Office of Farewells is a gentle visual novel about grief, memory, and the letters we leave behind.

You play as Rain, a newly winged courier for Mortem Post — a magical mail service that delivers messages from the dead. Your first job? Helping your new friend Mila track down a missing parcel from someone named Dandelion. Only problem is, it hasn’t arrived… and things at Mortem Post aren’t quite what they seem.

More of a book, less of a game

Let’s get this out of the way early: this is much more of a read than a game. And if you’re thinking of playing it on Steam Deck, don’t. It’s not supported (judging from my personal experience of trying to boot it up and failing), and it’s better suited for keyboard and mouse anyway.

Set in a dreamy world nestled in a giant tree, Upwards, Rain! The Post Office of Farewells is billed as “one part visual novel, one part puzzle adventure,” but it felt more like three parts visual novel, one part light puzzling. Expect lots of reading, clicking, and… more reading. That said, there’s a soft, calming soundtrack and some lovely voice acting to accompany the experience, almost like settling in for a slow-paced episode of an interactive anime.

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Visually, it’s lovely and its vibe suits the overall tone of the game. The hand-drawn art is full of charm, and definitely screenshot-worthy — the kind of game where you’ll want to turn a few scenes into wallpapers.

Simple puzzles, interesting stamps

Mechanically, Upwards, Rain! The Post Office of Farewells is as simple as they come. You’re given a set of stamps to apply to letters, which helps progress the story. It’s an interesting concept, though it took me a little while to get the hang of it.

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Some stamps feel intuitive (“Onwards” makes sense), while others are more abstract. For example: “Upwards” — sure, as a direction, but applied to a person? Is it cheering them up? Guiding them onward? It’s a unique system, but sometimes a bit opaque.

There was also a teeny bit of repetition. In one part, I found myself using the same stamp over and over just to move the dialogue forward, which made things feel a bit padded and perfunctory. The one proper puzzle was straightforward — nothing too taxing — which fits the vibe, but might disappoint players looking for a bit more interaction.

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At $11.79 full price (it’s currently 25% off though), Upwards, Rain! The Post Office of Farewells feels a little steep for what you get; especially considering it runs for about an hour (depending on your reading speed) with minimal interactivity. While visual novels are often more about story than gameplay, there’s a certain expectation of depth, replayability, or branching paths. Here, the experience is heartfelt but fairly linear, and the core mechanic doesn’t quite evolve enough to draw you in for a second playthrough. It’s a sweet one-sitting story, but the price may give pause unless you’re already a big fan of the genre.

Still, where Upwards, Rain! The Post Office of Farewells really shines is in its story. It starts off light and whimsical, but gradually unfolds into something much more heartfelt as you learn more about Mila, Mortem Post, and the messages people leave behind. If you’re in the mood for something soft, sincere, and story-first, this might be the perfect rainy-day game to play with a warm drink and no distractions.

Quest Daily scores Upwards, Rain! The Post Office of Farewells:

6/10

Upwards, Rain! The Post Office of Farewells is available on PC via Steam now.

Access to Upwards, Rain! The Post Office of Farewells was supplied to Quest Daily for the purpose of this review.