High octane
The world belongs to machines now, and a robot dog has to survive a dangerous journey across the ruins of civilisation. That’s the story of The Rusted. It’s an upcoming fully hand-drawn 2D action-puzzle platformer.
Developed and published by Rodd Games, the game is aiming for a Q4 2026 release. The protagonist is the loyal robot dog wandering through the remains of the broken world, trying to find its lost human family.
Along the way, you travel through abandoned cities, crumbling factories, deserts swallowed by sand, and massive data centres. Everywhere you go, there are reminders of humanity’s downfall. There are plenty of corrupted machines as well that won’t be happy to see you.
The Rusted also features plenty of combat and action. Surviving among corrupted machines requires you to constantly be ready to dodge, fight, and adapt. Different enemies come with different behaviours.
The Rusted tells its tale through the world around you. Abandoned structures, forgotten landscapes, and the remnants of civilisation gradually reveal fragments of what happened to humanity. As you progress, you piece together those clues and uncover the meaning behind the world’s collapse and the robot’s journey.
You explore a variety of decaying environments. Every area comes with its own visual identity, hazards, challenges, and atmosphere. There are hidden details scattered throughout each region. The world itself communicates much of what’s happening without relying on any exposition.
Visually, the devs have put a lot of effort into its hand-crafted presentation. Every frame is rendered with the precision of a digital painting, creating a world filled with rust, steel, atmospheric lighting, and richly detailed backgrounds.
You can wishlist The Rusted on Steam before its release later this year. Alternatively, you can try out the free demo on Steam to get a gist of its gameplay.
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