Rusty Rabbit Review

Rusty Rabbit, developed by Nitro Plus and published by Netease Games, is a 2D action-adventure platformer set in a post-human world where rabbits have emerged as the dominant species. Near Smokestack Mountain, we meet Stamp—a solitary rabbit who digs up junk for a living. Having seen his daughter, Sophie, leave to pursue archaeology in her quest to uncover the world’s truths, Stamp finds solace in his peaceful, isolated routine.

However, Stamp’s quiet life is soon disrupted by the arrival of a daring group of adventurers known as the BBs, led by Anna and the mysterious figure known as Nether. The BBs are on a quest to find the mythical World Tree hidden deep within Smokestack Mountain, and recognizing Stamp’s expertise, they seek his assistance to navigate these treacherous lands. Though initially reluctant, Stamp is compelled to intervene when some members of the group find themselves in peril.

Will Stamp aid this group of intrepid adventurers to find the truth of the world? Find out more in Rusty Rabbit!

Dig Rabbit Dig!

Rusty Rabbit fits into the Metroidvania-lite category, offering elements typical of the genre. Players can enhance Stamp’s mech with new weapons, learn skills to access previously unreachable areas, and are encouraged to revisit older locations as they progress.

The core mechanics of Rusty Rabbit are straightforward—you dig. Using your trusty mech, you drill through breakable blocks to create paths to new areas. Along the way, players can traverse obstacles by sliding, wall climbing, and utilizing a rocket jump for those hard-to-reach spots.

As you navigate the game, experience points are earned by breaking blocks and defeating enemies. Initially, enemies can be beaten with the drill arm, but as you delve deeper, additional weapons such as a hammer, shotgun, and sword become available. These tools not only aid in combat but also help overcome specific obstacles that the drill arm cannot handle.

As players earn experience and level up, they unlock skills that aid traversal and survival. These upgrades include increasing the mech’s energy output, defense, and offensive capabilities, as well as preventing detrimental status effects like stall (slow), impair (attack down), and energy leak (similar to poison or burn damage).

Throughout the game, players collect junk, which can be sold in town or used to craft better tools. This creates opportunities to enhance attack power and tackle greater obstacles. Returning to town provides access to merchants, upgrades, and additional gameplay elements such as forging connections with locals, attending church services, accepting jobs from the pub, and restoring old vehicles for the community, all of which contribute to improving Stamp’s capabilities.

The early hours of Rusty Rabbit are engaging, offering players the thrill of discovering biomes and uncovering new pathways. The game features varied enemies and powerful bosses called Rust Beasts, adding depth and challenge to the quirky, post-apocalyptic world inhabited by rabbits.

The lore adds a unique charm as well, blending traditional rabbit folklore—like references to Peter Rabbit with its own cultural twist. The inclusion of Takaya Kuroda as the voice of the protagonist, Stamp, lends a grizzled charisma reminiscent of Kazuma Kiryu, enhancing the game’s appeal.

While Rusty Rabbit’s initial novelty can draw players in, the game’s progression is disappointingly linear, lacking the organic level design characteristic of other Metroidvanias. As players advance through the game, it eventually transitions into a repetitive platformer with uninspired gameplay and unpolished controls.

Like A Rabbit

Rusty Rabbit initially presents itself as a polished and engaging game, but one significant flaw detracts from the experience: poor controls. This lack of precision makes platforming unnecessarily challenging, as players often overshoot jumps, forcing reliance on alternative traversal tools.

Wall climbing proves particularly problematic, as unrefined mechanics hinder maintaining balance during ascents. The climbing meter, which limits the time players can spend scaling walls, exacerbates this frustration. Additionally, diagonal targeting while wall climbing is inconsistent; horizontal and vertical movements feel smoother, but diagonal climbs frequently suffer from directional inaccuracies.

The introduction of thrusters, enabling a “double jump” and gliding to higher levels, mitigates some wall-climbing frustrations. However, these thrusters amplify the issue of overshooting, further complicating platforming.

Targeting with the right analog stick is another pain point, particularly when trying to aim diagonally. While horizontal and vertical aiming is manageable, diagonal aiming with weapons like the shotgun or grappling hook becomes a significant challenge.

These issues are especially pronounced on the Nintendo Switch, where drift problems further impede gameplay. Conversely, the PS5 version offers marginally better controls and improved technical performance, including faster loading times. However, the Switch’s portability provides the convenience of playing Rusty Rabbit on the go, albeit with control compromises.

Despite its early appeal, Rusty Rabbit begins to lose its charm mid-game. Breaking blocks and collecting loot becomes a repetitive grind, and even its crafting mechanic, which was addictive at the start of the game, eventually becomes lacking by the end.

This repetition is compounded by the absence of substantial endgame content, leading to increased frustration as control issues persist. Enemy encounters become monotonous, and while bosses, referred to as Rust Beasts, offer some novelty, their simplistic patterns shift the difficulty focus to uncalibrated controls rather than strategic gameplay.

From a narrative perspective, Rusty Rabbit falls short of delivering memorable characters. While Takaya Kuroda’s voice work adds punch to Stamp’s character, the impact is limited. Without Kuroda’s performance, Stamp’s character lacks distinctiveness, and the supporting cast remains forgettable. Though the game’s lore is rich and inventive, especially with its creative take on rabbit folklore, it is underutilized in the main plot.

With a main story runtime of approximately 12 hours, Rusty Rabbit struggles to sustain its initial momentum. The post-game experience—filled with repetitive quests, lengthy text, and uninspired dungeons—further detracts from the game’s appeal. What begins as an addictive adventure becomes tedious over time, overshadowed by unpolished mechanics and repetitive gameplay loops.

Verdict: Wait For It…

Rusty Rabbit starts strong with its rich lore and initially addictive gameplay, offering players a unique and engaging experience, despite the lackluster controls. However, once the novelty wears off, the flaws become more apparent, resulting in a tedious and unpolished platformer that struggles to maintain its initial appeal. It’s a missed opportunity, as the game’s unique charm unfortunately fails to hit the mark.

While the Switch’s portability adds convenience, the PS5 version offers much smoother gameplay and better controls. Unfortunately, the Switch suffers from significant issues, making the PS5 the preferred platform for a more refined experience.

For those willing to look past its quirks, Rusty Rabbit offers moments of Metroidvania-style fun. However, the repetitive gameplay and lack of endgame depth detract from the overall experience. Due to these shortcomings, the main campaign, which runs about 12 hours, is difficult to sustain.

*Rusty Rabbit has been reviewed on the PS5 and Nintendo Switch with a review code provided by the publisher.