Rusted Moss
A Metroidvania with 360-degree aiming and a grappling hook.
Rusted Moss is a 2023 Metroidvania game in which the player controls Fern, who awakens in a wasteland of aged machinery and forgotten creatures called Fae. Armed with weaponry, she explores the world to recover stolen pieces of an entity known as Titania. The game is notable for its 360-degree aiming and grappling hook traversal, which set it apart from other entries in the genre.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- faxdoc
- happysquared
- sunnydaze
- Publisher
- Playism
- Platforms
- Windows
- Nintendo Switch
- PlayStation 5
- Xbox Series X&S
- Genre
- Metroidvania
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
Rusted Moss is a Metroidvania, a 2D platformer where the player navigates a large maze-like environment, collecting items and upgrades to reach new areas. The map expands in detail as the player explores, and boss battles and unexpected connections between areas can be encountered. The game both follows and departs from typical Metroidvanias by adding 360-degree aiming for combat and traversal. The player controls a reticle to fire and charge shots from six weapon types—pistols, shotguns, rocket launchers, and others—and to aim a grappling hook. The grappling hook is the main mode of traversal, but it cannot be retracted, extended, or re-launched in mid-air. On PC, attacks are controlled with a keyboard and mouse, adjustable to a stick controller.
Plot
The world of Rusted Moss was once home to mankind but has become a wasteland of aged machinery, invaded by long-forgotten witches called Fae and rusting machine-based weapons. To survive, humans empowered their own witches with stolen fae magic. One such witch is Fern, who explores the land with a shadowy figure named Puck to recover stolen pieces of Titania and end the Age of Men. Along the way, Fern encounters humans and fae folk, as well as lost shrines and abandoned computer stations that reveal the world's forgotten history.
Development
Rusted Moss was developed by a core team of three: Norwegian designer faxdoc, and two sisters from the Singaporean studio Happy Bunnies, credited as happysquared and sunnydaze. faxdoc worked on the game full-time, while happysquared did 99% of the art and all of the programming, and also worked on the narrative, game design, and art assets. sunnydaze created the music, sound, and part of the story. The game was initially developed for keyboard and mouse, with controller support added later in development.
Release and reception
Rusted Moss was first released for Windows via Steam on April 12, 2023. The developers felt anxious before release, as it was the largest game either had worked on. It was later released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and Series S on June 20, 2024, with new areas added for the console release. The Windows version received generally favorable reviews on Metacritic. Reviewers commented on the grappling hook mechanic; Russ Frushtick of Polygon noted that most grappling hooks in games are predictable, but Rusted Moss's traversal made for more unique exploration. Four reviewers in Famitsu magazine and one on their website mentioned that the grappling hook requires considerable skill and time to master, with the online reviewer recommending a mouse and keyboard. The Famitsu reviewers said that in-game difficulty adjustments granting invincibility or flight felt humiliating and decreased enjoyment. Dominic Tarason of PC Gamer named Rusted Moss the best hidden gem platformer of 2023 after Gravity Circuit.
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