A Technopunk Roguelite with a Platforming Pulse?
Two of my absolute favourite gaming titles are those in the roguelite and platforming genres. Whether it be the immense replayability of a roguelite, slowly inching you forwards with slithers of progress, or the overwhelming sense of satisfaction upon beating that one elusive stage in a platforming game, both of these genres have provided masterpieces to gaming as a whole.
One would think it would then only make logical sense to combine the two, creating a monstrous amalgamation of gaming goodness. Case in point, Rusty Rangers.
Launched into a technopunk world swarmed with mutated fungi, unconventional weapons, and a wide array of colourful characters, Rusty Rangers attempts the impossible, and tries to merge these aforementioned genres into one whole package… but does it succeed? To answer that, we first must establish what makes both respective genres effective.
Unchanging Levels, Varied Runs
For a roguelite, the feeling of progression following failed runs is a crucial aspect, as it’s what drives you to keep inching towards the end goal, which when paired with a huge selection of upgrades, builds, routes to take filled with hidden collectibles and skills to master, will enable, what feels like, a fresh experience each time you play.
For a platformer, it really comes down to the movement of the character and the level design. These two elements are crucial as it’s what will take up the majority of your time with the game, meaning the character must be fun and rewarding to control, and the accompanying stages must accommodate for this move set, being built around the strengths and weaknesses to the character.
Take Sonic for example. The best sonic stages are ones such as Emerald Coast from Sonic Adventure, punishing those who fall down onto the lower paths with slower routes, but those who know the mechanics and maintain the speed can skip entire sections of the stage.
So, going back to our main question, how does Rusty Rangers handle this?
The roguelite elements of this title excel and shine through as a beacon of fun and enjoyment, that no matter how much the darkness of any flaws tries to dim this light, enjoyment can and will always be found within this game, which I attribute to the innate replay value the genre holds. Each and every run will be distinctly your own due to the game’s implementation of unique combat abilities given to you, a shop selling on new items each playthrough, the plethora of quests you will tackle during your time with the game, and even procedurally generated stages so you never know what’s coming.
Throughout all of this – in the crevices between each run – you will make short strides towards your main goal, through upgrades and side missions able to make you more powerful. Throw in the distinct environments and enemies, a practice range full of challenges and items to unlock, diversity of chests and items to find, various equally challenging game modes, and most importantly of all, brutal bosses to take on, and you have a recipe for thrilling a roguelite formula.
Platforming’s Backseat
There’s no denying Rusty Rangers thrives off its roguelite mechanics, them being the main aspect of the title, but how does the platforming side of this title fare?
To be honest, the platforming is extremely minimal, taking a backseat to the main gameplay loop. This may be disappointing to some who were expecting a high-octane hybrid, but much like the modern Doom titles which cross FPS with platforming, being able to have restraint on implementing the platforming works wonders for when it does show up. Boss fights utilise this platforming premise to the best ability out of every part of Rusty Rangers, providing hooks and ledges to aid in your attacks, or to dodge. My aforementioned shining beacon of roguelight (see what I did there) can be faintly seen with glimmers of platforming brightness yet ultimately simmers out to dimness.
Narrative, Art, and World-Building
Aside from gameplay, Rusty Rangers has much to offer in terms of narrative, art style and world-building, with a charm emerging from all three. Narrative and world-building go hand in hand, following the ranger you take control of exploring a technopunk world that has been plunged into chaos. This is mirrored through the variety of strange, intriguing and distinct characters introduced – even Anubis himself shows up at one point – that allow for the universe to thrive and immerse you. Accompanied by stunning, colourful pixel art, Rusty Rangers without doubt excels in the presentation department.
Combat Conundrums
I do however have one last gripe with the game, and it’s quite a major one too… the combat. To sum the combat up, most enemies take three hits to defeat, with you having the option of firing your gun, or using an ability. It becomes a little more in-depth later on through the introduction of upgrades, but for the most part, the combat of Rusty Rangers consists of shoot, maybe use an ability and move on. The only place the combat feels as though it works is during the previously touched upon boss fights, which is in large part due to the merging of platforming with combat. As such an integral part of the game, it truly brings it down despite the abundance of other positives.
A Strong Roguelite with Untapped Platforming Potential
It’s safe to say, while Rusty Rangers may not have been the roguelite platformer hybrid many may have hoped for, it still excels in the former, providing a replayable amalgamation of gameplay styles seldom seen in the genre.
When paired with the immersive world and plethora of alternate modes and styles, it leaves Rusty Rangers as a great game that doesn’t quite meet its full potential.
Important Links
Inspired by Dead Cells & Enter the Gungeon – Rusty Rangers is Your New Action-Platformer – https://www.thexboxhub.com/inspired-by-dead-cells-enter-the-gungeon-rusty-rangers-is-your-new-action-platformer/
Buy Rusty Rangers on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/rusty-rangers/9NF3KCW8JHDK/0010
