Bad Rats Show
- July 19, 2016
- Invent4 Entertainment
It’s very tempting to just throw my hands up and say “it sucks” and be done with that, as no word count can accurately describe my disdain for Bad Rats Show. It is the type of game that is a joke at its own expense; garish in presentation, mediocre in its mechanics, and worst of all, boring to play.
Get on SteamBad Rats Show is a physics puzzle game where the rats exact their bloody revenge against their main enemies: the Cats. Solve puzzles in 2D and 3D maps using physics, objects and specially trained Rats. All new Rats and Cats, but with the same classic and questionable Bad Rats humor. With the new map editor you can download, create and share new levels. With unlimited solutions for each puzzle, fle…
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features dark humor and challenging puzzles that can be entertaining for those who appreciate its unique style.
- The graphics and art style have improved from the original, providing a more visually appealing experience.
- The addition of new rats and abilities adds variety to the gameplay, making it more engaging for players.
- The game suffers from frequent crashes and bugs, making it frustrating to play.
- Physics inconsistencies lead to unpredictable outcomes, detracting from the puzzle-solving experience.
- Many players feel that the humor and concept of the game are juvenile and not appealing, leading to a lack of enjoyment.
- graphics110 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the unique art style that blends dark humor and nostalgic aesthetics reminiscent of old CD-ROM games. While some players were blown away by the stunning visuals and cinematic quality, others noted inconsistencies and a lack of significant improvement from the original game. Overall, the visuals are described as a feast for the eyes, with some calling them nearly photorealistic, though a few critiques highlight performance issues and aesthetic bugs.
“The art style complements this perfectly, making each level feel like a twisted cartoon come to life.”
“The graphics in this game are the definition of the future.”
“Every scene is a masterwork – it’s a near-unbelievable achievement for an art style.”
“Of course anyone who would actually play Bad Rats will almost immediately realize the extremely low quality, terrible performance, and awful graphics.”
“It's broken in several core ways that make it nearly unplayable; it has the graphics of an early 2000s straight-to-DVD feature film, and the tone of its comedy wears itself out almost immediately.”
“The graphics have not changed at all since the original release.”
- humor92 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- -1 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game's humor is characterized by a blend of dark, juvenile, and whimsical elements, often eliciting both laughter and discomfort through its over-the-top animations and scenarios. While many players appreciate the unique comedic style and find it engaging, some feel that the humor can miss the mark or become repetitive. Overall, it offers a fresh and entertaining experience, particularly for those who enjoy dark humor and absurdity in gaming.
“It’s definitely on the darker side, with over-the-top animations and scenarios that are both shocking and hilarious.”
“All in all, the comedy had me rolling on the floor laughing, gasping for air.”
“I also feel duty-bound to point out that the way Porkrind the shopkeeper bellows 'welcome' made me laugh every single time I heard it.”
“You're not funny!”
“You're not funny!”
“You're not funny!”
- music88 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received a mixed reception, with many praising the soundtrack as a standout feature that enhances the emotional experience and gameplay, often describing it as a masterpiece or uniquely catchy. However, some users found the music to be jarring or annoying, likening it to a "so bad it's good" phenomenon. Overall, the soundtrack is noted for its variety and ability to create a memorable atmosphere, despite some criticisms regarding its quality.
“🎵 With a soundtrack that could make even the coldest ice melt, the game's audio is a melody of excellence.”
“The soundtrack is a masterpiece.”
“Sound: An incredible soundtrack and great sound design help make Bad Rats Show feel alive and welcoming.”
“The music makes me want to end my life; I'm still lost on why this rat nuked the entire world and even bothered to save himself when all of his fellow rats died in the blast.”
“Oh, and the in-game music is horrible.”
“All I can say is try not to listen to the sounds (music/effects/dialogue) for too long in one sitting as you will develop Alzheimer's...”
- gameplay69 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its challenging puzzles and unpredictable physics, which can be both frustrating and rewarding. Players appreciate the diversity of characters and mechanics, particularly in later chapters, though some find the introduction of new mechanics lacking clarity. Overall, while the game offers engaging and immersive experiences, it has faced criticism for technical issues and inconsistent quality.
“The challenging gameplay and the sheer unpredictability of the physics make for a game that’s both frustrating and immensely satisfying when you finally solve a level.”
“The diversity of rats and their abilities adds layers to the gameplay, keeping you engaged and entertained.”
“This game blew me away with its next-gen graphics and engrossing gameplay.”
“The game doesn't do a very good job of introducing you to each of the new mechanics (besides the initial level blurb), so I ended up just doing several trial-and-error runs to understand how it works.”
“The sequel looks and sounds much better, but the gameplay is still absolutely horrid.”
“It is the type of game that is a joke at its own expense; garish in presentation, mediocre in its mechanics, and worst of all, boring to play.”
- story60 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The story of "Bad Rats" has garnered mixed reviews, with some players praising its engaging narrative and character development, while others criticize it for lacking depth or coherence. Many found the humor and emotional moments compelling, making it a memorable experience, especially for indie game enthusiasts. However, some players noted that the plot can be overshadowed by gameplay, leading to a perception of minimal storytelling in certain aspects.
“I got absolutely hooked with the story as I normally struggle to keep up with games due to my ADHD; however, this game was so well made that I couldn't stop playing it.”
“The story is full of funny, awesome, and tearjerker moments, bringing a fresh impact to the world of indie games.”
“The way the story was told rivals modern literary classics.”
“No real story, just some variations in each map regarding the fate of the cat.”
“🔲 This game has no story.”
“The game dismisses this enormous plot piece right away, putting you into the swing of things.”
- optimization24 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 42 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is highly inconsistent, with some players experiencing significant performance issues, particularly with camera controls in 3D mode, while others report improved stability and smoother graphics compared to previous versions. Overall, the optimization appears to vary widely across different systems, leading to mixed reviews, with some praising enhancements and others criticizing low-quality performance and outdated visuals.
“Beautiful optimization.”
“This means a better performance and better stability for you playing Bad Rats Show!”
“But those are not the only improvements of the game - the graphics are even better, smoother, and more realistic than before, the background music is more fitting (especially considering the whole 'live show' atmosphere), the interface is clearer to understand and more user-friendly, and overall the game performance is also better - it runs faster, and there are fewer random crashes, as opposed to the first game, on which there were some (only a few, but they could be quite bothersome).”
“Very poorly optimized game with almost unusable camera controls in 3D mode.”
“This game would've been better if the optimization wasn't so bad and had a Linux and Mac version, but overall it's decent.”
“Of course anyone who would actually play Bad Rats will almost immediately realize the extremely low quality, terrible performance, and awful graphics.”
- emotional20 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players highlight the game's profound emotional depth, describing it as a powerful exploration of love, loss, and revenge that resonates deeply with them. The narrative's complexity and the characters' struggles evoke strong feelings, leading some to describe it as a tearjerker that leaves a lasting impact. Overall, the emotional experience is considered one of the game's standout features, surpassing even other renowned titles.
“The emotional depth of the game resonates with my icy heart, echoing the love, loss, grief, and revenge of the bad rats.”
“This is a game of deeply complex emotional strife and a beautiful arc involving overcoming group adversity and a common lifelong enemy that has threatened the 'bad' rats' ways of life for decades.”
“Overall, this game is an emotional tearjerker.”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is enhanced by a unique original soundtrack that contributes to an enjoyable and humorous puzzle-solving experience. Improved graphics and fitting background music create a more immersive "live show" ambiance, while a clearer interface and better performance further elevate the overall atmosphere.
“The original soundtrack makes this game unique and adds a great puzzle-solving atmosphere.”
“Even if the main objective is the same as before, this brings a whole new atmosphere to the game - an enjoyable (and quite funny, in some aspects) one.”
“The graphics are even better, smoother and more realistic than before, the background music is more fitting (especially considering the whole 'live show' atmosphere).”
- stability8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many players reporting significant bugs and crashes that can lead to humorous moments during gameplay. While some users note improvements, issues persist, making it challenging to control at times. Overall, the game is entertaining despite its instability, but it still falls short of being fully polished.
“The game is much less buggy, although they are definitely still present (I crashed a few times).”
“Entertaining but very buggy and hard to control.”
“At least these devs know how to live up to the years of hype they've created and not release a buggy piece of crap that's unplayable.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its high replayability, with many users noting that it is "infinitely replayable" or nearly so, similar to its predecessor. This strong replay value contributes significantly to the overall enjoyment and longevity of the game.
“Infinitely replayable (or almost).”
“It has a huge replayability factor, just like the first game.”
“The game offers a vast amount of content that encourages multiple playthroughs.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find grinding to be a tedious and challenging experience, yet they believe it ultimately pays off in the end. There are also concerns about the presence of card farming bots, which may affect the grinding experience.
“Are they card farming bots or something?”
“It's tedious and challenging but worth it”
