Product Info

Platform

Switch, PlayStation 5, PC

Publisher

NetEase Games

Developer

NITRO PLUS

Genre

Action, Adventure

Players

1

File Size (Minimum)

3.9 GB

Release Date (NA)

Apr 17, 2025

Purchase From

eShop

PSN Store

Steam

Rusty Rabbit is a 2.5D side-scrolling action-adventure game with intriguing gameplay but it has some loose bolts and screws that prevent it from being a well-built adventure.

Rabbits Take Over

The game is set in a post-apocalyptic future where humanity, known as “giants”, is gone and rabbits have taken control in a new ice age. The rabbits have evolved to communicate and have more knowledge to create a social lifestyle similar to today’s modern world.

You play as Stamp, a middle-aged rabbit who enjoys collecting “junk” and tinkering with machines. Found in the ruins of Smokestack Mountain. While adventuring, Stamp comes across kiosk-like machines called “D-TAMs” that have information about Stamp’s missing daughter. Determined to know the whereabouts of his daughter, Stamp ventures deep into the ruins facing hostile situations.

While Stamp focuses on collecting junk and finding his daughter, players are introduced to other rabbits named BBs (Blackberry Corps) who are also exploring the ruins. Each character has a unique personality, providing comic relief and building the story. However, a priest named Nether acts suspiciously and players will have to play to the end to find out what’s happening and the connection with his daughter. The story starts off slowly but gains momentum halfway through the game. Those looking for a strong-driven storyline won’t uncover it in this game.

The English dubbed voice acting for these characters is passable. Some dialogue scenes have long pauses between sentences. Stamp’s tone sounds like a grouchy cowboy, and his catchphrases can become repetitive while playing. The voices of the BBs and villagers are fine, but more balanced tones and emotions could improve the characters’ quality.

A Rabbit’s Exploration

The main activity takes place in the ruins of Smokestack Mountain, with locked areas that players must unlock by reaching certain portals. Each ruin has a unique theme, like an oasis or an abandoned building and is designed as a labyrinth-styled maze on a 2D plane. Players explore left, right, up and down along with a miniature map, similar to games like Super Metroid and the Castlevania series. There is a bug when viewing the map at a resting spot, rendering the entire map incomplete and making teleporting to already-visited portals meaningless.

Players navigate around walls and fend off animal-like mechanical foes called Rust Beasts. If the health gauge is depleted, a game over screen appears, but players can continue from the last save point on the game’s automatic save system. There is also an option to return to the home base in Brass Village.

Boss battles occur in some ruins and, while well-designed, they are not very challenging. Players can often win by attacking head-on and healing when needed. Stamp’s weapon, Junkster, is a one-person machine with various weapons like a drill, sword, and a shotgun. Some tools require blueprints found through the game’s story, while more powerful tools require exploration and opening hidden crates.

Re-Build With Care

Stamp’s weapon, Junkster is a one-person machine that can be piloted. It has a variety of weapons to use such as a drill, sword and shotgun. Some of these tools require blueprints to build, which are found through the game’s story. More powerful tools, necessary in certain areas of the game, require exploration and opening crates hidden on the floor.

Once you have all the necessary pieces and plans, you can build new parts for your machine. These can increase stats like attack power and defense. Additionally, you can unlock special traits such as additional power, by using Plasma Cores. These are rare to find so don’t spend them carelessly. Players can also create additional parts to increase stats and decrease timed ailments, like slowness and power-down attacks. These parts can be added to unlocked slots, which require the use of “Skill Points” to expand.

Rusty Rabbit features a skill tree system where players can use Skill Points to unlock features on their robot or outside battles. For example, items at the shop become cheaper. Skill Points are earned by leveling up and completing missions at the bar in Brass Village. This system adds value to the gameplay and allows players to choose how to upgrade their character.

Maneuvering your machine through the levels is straightforward and easy to understand. However, the main issue lies in the mechanics. They don’t feel fluid or seamless. Jumping can feel awkward, and at times it seems like you are stuck because the hit boxes don’t match the stage. When attacking enemies, you may inadvertently move forward and find yourself in their hit area, taking damage. Despite these mechanical flaws, players can still progress through the game, but they need to be aware of these hiccups before diving too deep into the ruins.

Be Prepared for a Journey

Outside of Smokestack Mountain, in a small town called Brass Village, you control Stamp as he navigates between buildings and key locations such as the bar and his home. The area is not very large, just a strip of land. Each location you visit offers different assistance for Stamp. At the bar, you can take on missions to earn money, and there’s also a diner where you can interact with other characters in the game to build relationships and earn items.

After playing through a portion of the game, a new option called Random Dungeon becomes available. This feature allows players to explore up to one-hundred floors to level up for Stamp and collect junk to help build parts for your machine. The labyrinth layout is randomly generated, providing a unique experience each time you visit. As you progress in the game, different floor styles from previously visited ruins appear. Additionally, you can replay boss fights as one of the options in the Random Dungeons and encounter bosses on specific dungeon floors, such as floor ten. 

This feature is a great way to keep players engaged and allows them to obtain missing ingredients that may have been accidentally sold.

Whistle While You Explore

Rusty Rabbit’s soundtrack features several interesting tracks. Each ruin has its own score, but players will find the Commercial Facility Access to be particularly upbeat and enjoyable while exploring, making the experience fun. The Cultivation Facility gives off a Super Metroid vibe with its labyrinth layout visuals and music score, creating a toxic lifeform environment.

The Final Upgrade

Rusty Rabbit is a fun 2.5D side-scrolling game that offers players an entertaining exploration experience as they drill through various ruins. However, some of the game’s mechanics can be a bit frustrating while exploring. Making a few tweaks to patch these issues can enhance the overall playthrough even more.

Fans can visit the game’s official website for more information. A PlayStation 5 code provided for this review.