You might discover an upgrade or discover an area you haven’t explored before, and that’s exciting, but getting there involves a lot of running and jumping, which isn’t very enjoyable. There have been more recent examples, such as Ori and Metroid Dread, emphasizing the importance of movement – that it has to feel rewarding to move around the world as it does to find something shiny.
In Rusted Moss, you gain control over how you navigate its labyrinthine world using a super fun (and sproingy!) grappling hook.
An indie game developed by three people, Rusted Moss takes fairy folklore and gives it a grungy, post-apocalyptic twist. While following and departing from the many Metroidvanias that came before, the gameplay is both similar and different from those. It mostly focuses on 2D platforming – a long-held standard – but also introduces 360-degree aiming, which is crucial in combat. Even while moving, you can fire rockets or railgun shots in any direction, thanks to the constant reticle on the screen. Moreover, that reticle can also control your grappling hook’s aiming, which quickly becomes one of Rusted Moss’ biggest selling points.
Video game grappling hooks are pretty predictable when it comes to getting you from one place to another. Either they act like the hookshot in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, which sends you directly to your target, or they act like the grappling beam in Super Metroid, which offers more of an Indiana Jones-style swing. The grappling hook of Rusted Moss is in the middle of the picture. As a result of its true elasticity, you will be dragged more quickly toward walls that are farther away from you.
It is common for Rusted Moss to use a grappling hook in creative ways to solve his platforming puzzles. The puzzle involved jumping off a cliff, firing my grapple in mid-air, and using the momentum of the sproing to launch myself onto a much higher platform. In order to reach maximum velocity on my upward trajectory, I had to be precise in my timing, not just when I shot out the grapple but also when I released it. Since these interactions are not canned, they often involve trial and error, where I was trying to find the perfect angle and timing. Getting the entire equation right felt amazing, but if you get frustrated easily by platforming puzzles like this, Rusted Moss offers a number of accessibility features to make it more accessible.
In addition to the player’s ability to move around the world in a variety of ways, Rusted Moss constantly introduces new ways to explore it, many of which are never fully explained. I can use some of the weapons at my disposal, like the shotgun and rocket launcher, to increase torque or lift on a tricky jump, depending on their impact on my physical momentum. Even though this seemed intimidating at first, after a few hours I was moving through areas in seconds that previously took me minutes.
Due to the high skill ceiling for the mobility tools, the game’s developers have wisely included a number of speedrunning challenges (all optional), allowing true enthusiasts to show off their skills. I am just going to give you one example that blew me away:
At first glance, Rusted Moss’ unique mobility options may seem overwhelming, but for those seeking a unique and challenging take on the Metroidvania 2D platforming genre, this game might become your new favorite.
