Christian Cawley is a writer and editor who covers consumer electronics, IT, and entertainment media. He has written for publications such as Computer Weekly, Linux Format, MakeUseOf.com, and Tech Radar.
He also produces podcasts, has a cigar box guitar, and of course, loves retro gaming.
Set for release this month on consoles, Rusty Rangers mixes that 16-bit era pixel look with platforming roguelite magic.
Modern games with a retro aesthetic are becoming increasingly popular as developers — often indies — identify that people want fun and pixels over running up hills with a baby in a fish tank. (Seriously?!)
Rusty Rangers seems to have everything you could want in that respect, and based on the trailer, developers Fantasica! have done a superb job of mixing those retro elements. I really like the look of this, and have already wishlisted the game on Steam (sadly while the console version is out soon, the PC/Steam release comes in July, and it’s out on Steam Deck too).
Rusty Rangers trailer
I challenge you not to want to play this game after watching the trailer.
The game’s description reads:
No one remembers what the world looked like before, except for a team of brave rangers. Now chaos and unpredictability reign everywhere – harmless creatures in the past bring destruction, and the world around is constantly changing, over and over again nullifying the familiar environment around.
COMBINATION OF CLASSIC GAMEPLAY AND MODERN MECHANICS
Take control of one of the brave rangers and go on a responsible mission – find the villains, stop the widespread madness and return peace and justice to the world!
You will meet many unique opponents that will keep you busy: run, jump and shoot to save the world! Each ranger has their own fighting style and special skills, so you can choose the hero that best suits you!
With procedurally generate technopunk levels, the game takes place across four distinct zones with different bosses to fight. You also get a choice of six rangers, each with slightly varied playstyles, and upgrades are available between levels.
Releasing this summer as part of Steam Next Fest, Rusty Rangers has already garnered attention at Steam Scream Fest 2024. You can find this game later this month on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 4 and 5, where it should go live on June 21st.
In the meantime, if you’re wishlisting Rusty Rangers on Steam, a demo is also available ahead of its July 31st release.
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Christian Cawley is a writer and editor who covers consumer electronics, IT, and entertainment media. He has written for publications such as Computer Weekly, Linux Format, MakeUseOf.com, and Tech Radar.
He also produces podcasts, has a cigar box guitar, and of course, loves retro gaming.
