Rust and Blood
(Updated: 14/04/2014)

Although you probably already knew that.

Pre-warning: beware -- may contain spoilers or spoiler-esque comments. pls be warned

What Is It, Though?

Rust and Blood is one of the most atmospherically oppressive games I have ever played. It provided me with intense moments of suspense, exhilirating brushes with horrifying monsters, and a real sense of survival. It's the type of game where you are in a constant state of fright and flight, with the essential component of what makes a game truly frightening - not knowing what's around the corner. It's a parable at heart, though its lesson may leave you as vague and empty as rusty and bloody chasms the main character finds himself in.



Graphics

The moment I landed in the world I was struck with an immense appreciation for the deep textures and nightmarish factory style of the game. And yet, despite the blood covering the floors, the prologue sounded almost Lovecraftian, as if a single touch could poke through the fabric of this metaphor revealing a terrifying reality underneath. The visuals are accompanied by a brooding soundtrack that serves the oppressive atmosphere.



Story

It's the story about a guy trying to solve his life with a quick fix, the tree of life. It's the medicine that will solve all his problems, and get him out of this hellish mess. But then he's about to get karma'd. Will he gets what he wants? Or will he get what he needs?



Gameplay

The gameplay cycle is simple: venture out into the dark world, take the shortest path to fridges to grab some food, come back before nightfall, and eat when you're hungry. Things weren't as tip top gameplay-wise as I thought it could be. Food wasn't all that balanced. Some food was high reward, easy to find, and others were low rewards, difficult to find. Also, the monsters were kind of unnecessarily difficult sometimes.

Rust and Blood is heavy on resource management, so you'll be spending a lot of time shuffling through the crafting menu. Leap-frogging from fridge to fridge, harvesting whatever kind of soups and meats they have to proffer, may prove tiresome for some.



Conclusion
Something about Rust and Blood seriously impressed me. It was an inspired new take on an old idea, with brooding atmosphere and actual fear around every turn. I would recommend it to those who like survival horror games or Resident Evil. Sure it's a short game, but in the short time span it was made, it's a great addition. Even if it wasn't made in the short time span, it's still a high quality product from a good developer. Not many games are like this. It's very unique. I hope people will look back on it as a highlight of its time and genre.

Thanks for reading.