Can this game put its Stamp on the Metroidvania genre?
Humankind abandoned Earth as it entered another ice age. Over time, those who came to hold dominion over the world were… rabbits!? After humanity left, the rabbits referred to humans as “giants” and revered the massive ruins left behind as “Smokestack Mountain.” Those fearless enough to violate and excavate this sacred site are known as “rust diggers.” The protagonist, an old rabbit named Stamp, is one such rust digger, making a daily routine of excavating Smokestack Mountain. One day, on his way back from exploring Smokestack Mountain, Stamp encounters a rust digging team known as the “BBs” and ends up joining them in a quest to delve deeper into the heart of Smokestack Mountain. Along the way, Stamp discovers records from ancient information storage devices called “D-TAMs” scattered throughout the ruins. One of these records appears to belong to his estranged daughter, hinting at her peril and revealing hidden truths about the world he once believed in. To unravel many mysteries and follow his daughter’s trail, Stamp continues his journey into the depths of the ruins…
Rusty Rabbit is another Metroidvania game, but with what seems like too many on the market these days, can this one make a leap forward?
If you’ve ever played a Metroidvania game before, then you’ll know the routine here. Explore, gain new abilities, backtrack with new abilities to explore previously unreachable areas and take on tough bosses. Rusty Rabbit ticks most of these boxes, although it feels more laid back to other games like it. Its puzzles and bosses are easier than its competitors, making it more accessible.
It’s relatively cheap and lasts around 20 hours, give or take. So, it feels like good value, even if perhaps the gameplay gets a bit repetitive after a while. The controls are tight and responsive, so it never feels like any death or missed jump is the game’s fault. I was impressed with the amount of lore and enjoyed the story. I think the problem with the game is that while it can hold its own with other Metroidvania games, it doesn’t do anything to really stand out from the crowd.
I did enjoy the game’s art style and overall tone. The visuals were impressive, the game ran at a smooth framerate, and I didn’t come across any noticeable glitches during my playthrough. Audio was pretty decent as well, with some noticeable voice actors such as Kazama Kiryu’s Takaya Kuroda and Roger Craig Smith. The soundtrack is also memorable with some great tunes.
The Verdict
Rusty Rabbit is a decent Metroidvania. It’s affordable, has good controls and is more accessible than most in the genre. It’s the lack of anything original that stops it from standing out from among the crowd though.