RUSH
- December 2, 2010
- Two Tribes Publishing
- 5h median play time
RUSH is a single-player musical game with unique 3D puzzle-solving mechanics and over 70 levels of increasing difficulty. Players guide cubes to color-coded exit points using conveyor belts, warps, stops signs, and more, with a drag and drop control system. The game boasts beautiful visuals, an outstanding soundtrack, and additional features such as a hint system, Steam achievements, and multiple profiles for Mac and PC.
Reviews
- RUSH offers a satisfying and engaging puzzle experience with a variety of levels that gradually increase in difficulty.
- The game features a simple yet clever mechanic of guiding cubes to their respective exits using directional tiles, providing a sense of accomplishment when completed.
- The visuals are colorful and appealing, and the soundtrack is enjoyable, enhancing the overall relaxing atmosphere of the game.
- Some puzzles can become frustratingly difficult, leading to a reliance on the hint system, which may detract from the sense of achievement.
- The camera controls can be awkward, making it difficult to see all parts of the level, especially in more complex puzzles.
- There is a lack of replayability once all puzzles are completed, as the game does not offer new content or a level editor.
- gameplay157 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity and intuitive mechanics, where players guide color cubes to their goals using various directional tiles. While the mechanics are easy to grasp, the game offers a significant challenge as levels progress, requiring creative problem-solving and strategic thinking. Despite some frustrations with camera controls and trial-and-error elements, the overall experience is engaging, with clever puzzles and a visually appealing design that keeps players invested.
“This simplicity in gameplay by no means makes it less challenging; I've spent ages on some levels just to realize I just had to shift the way I was thinking about the problem.”
“The gameplay is simplistic and intuitive, offering a challenge for everyone and satisfaction to those who dare to give the hardest levels a shot.”
“Very simple mechanics mean the game is easily learned, but by adding more layers, more blocks moving in parallel, and complex criss-crossing paths, the game gradually ramps up the difficulty until the hardest levels become a complex choreography of colors dancing all over the play area.”
“It offers challenging puzzles but gates those behind unfortunate mechanics and inconveniences.”
“There is no sense of advancement since there is no leveling up system and you're not really unlocking anything besides the next levels, but playing Rush more will definitely make you better at it, as long as you keep replaying the same stage, since you're not exactly learning how to play the game better, but instead observing the problems in your sign arrangement; it's more like ruling out the bad solution and eventually getting to the right one.”
“In moderation this would add welcome depth to the gameplay, but as it is, it shifts the balance a little too far from creative problem-solving to drudging trial-and-error.”
- music140 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players praising its catchy and upbeat electronic soundtrack that complements the gameplay. However, some users note that the limited number of tracks can lead to repetitiveness, and a few find the music either annoying or overly simplistic. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the game's relaxing and fun atmosphere, making it a highlight for many players.
“An underrated puzzle game with great music, and puzzles that follow a steady difficulty curve.”
“The soundtrack is really good.”
“Excellent visuals (for the minimalistic style), great presentation, and a catchy soundtrack make this game a complete package, and a real steal at $4.99.”
“The music, color palette, and overall speed of the cube's movement and the rotating menus made me a little nauseous, so I stopped playing promptly.”
“Colorful world, aggravating music that sounds like elevator music on speed.”
“Too bad the music and art is so bland; this game is seriously lacking soul.”
- graphics105 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as simple yet appealing, with a colorful and minimalist aesthetic that enhances the puzzle-solving experience. While some players appreciate the clean visuals and smooth performance on low-end hardware, others express a desire for more intricate designs and textures. Overall, the graphics are effective for the gameplay, though opinions vary on their quality and impact.
“The visuals are stunning and very pretty indeed, I loved how colorful the game was.”
“This game charmed me with its colorful graphics, beautiful 3D design and delivering puzzles in an entertaining way.”
“The art style is superb, a minimalist style coupled with brilliant colors brings on an airy and pure feel that complements the casuality of it all.”
“Had to stop because the visuals don't agree with my eyes.”
“The graphics are terrible and there is a blinding white that is really hard on the eyes.”
“The visuals... exist.”
- replayability25 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 32 % negative mentions
The game has limited replayability, primarily due to the nature of its puzzles, which offer little incentive to revisit once solved. While players enjoy the puzzle-solving experience, the lack of new challenges means that replaying the game is mostly for those who may have forgotten the solutions or are seeking achievements. Overall, the high quality of the puzzles makes the game enjoyable, but its replay value is minimal.
“Great replay value, great time waster and puzzle.”
“Great puzzle fun, though there's less replay value once you've finished them all, unless you forget the solutions to the old ones.”
“Regardless, the game is very high quality and for such a cheap price, replayability is a non-issue.”
“The game has no replayability unless you feel like solving the same puzzles all over again.”
“Little to no replay value (after 100%).”
“However, the game completely lacks replayability and all the puzzles have very limited solutions.”
- humor17 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its humor, with players finding it both funny and thought-provoking, particularly enjoying a notable cameo and the dry narration. Some users noted the amusing design of the starting maps, while others appreciated the overall comedic tone, describing it as a challenging yet entertaining puzzle experience. Suggestions for improvement include enhancing the narrator's presence and adding features like zoom functionality.
“I really enjoyed a certain 'cameo' you find later on in the game; it made me laugh, even more when I saw what the cameo actually did to the level.”
“Very funny game!”
“Funny puzzle game!”
- story12 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 42 % negative mentions
The game lacks a traditional narrative, focusing instead on gameplay and puzzle-solving within a visually engaging world of simple shapes. While some players appreciate the atmospheric design and well-constructed puzzles, others may find the absence of a story or extensive gameplay unsatisfying. A brief side-story related to Portal 2 is mentioned, but overall, the experience is more about the puzzles than any plot.
“It can be a bit frustrating and grindy at times, but the atmosphere is neat, the puzzles are well-constructed, and there's a neat side-story involving Portal 2, albeit short.”
“Honestly one of the best puzzle games on Steam, second only to things like Qube, Portal, and Puzzle Quest 2.”
“However, if you don't like games without any plot or tens of hours of gameplay, consider getting something else.”
“There is no story, background, or setup to the game.”
“Two Tribes’ games are the modern-day equivalent of retro Atari games; they are deceptively simplistic games without a storyline or exemplary mechanics that excel at making addicting puzzles.”
- grinding10 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly when fine-tuning pathways in puzzles. While the game features well-constructed puzzles and an engaging atmosphere, the lack of variation can lead to a repetitive experience that detracts from overall enjoyment.
“I'm usually a big fan of puzzle games, but this game felt more tedious than anything else.”
“The game does get tedious, though, when you have to fine-tune your pathways so that blocks don't run into one another.”
“It can get a bit tedious to play since there really isn't too terribly much variation.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game lacks a pause or slow-down feature during levels, only freezing when the player loses, which can lead to frustration and disrupt gameplay flow.
“There is no way to slow down or pause the game while a level is running, except when it freezes everything upon losing.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is not directly addressed in the provided text, which focuses more on technical details regarding collision detection. Therefore, it is unclear how the game evokes emotions in players based on this information.
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is praised for being engaging and well-crafted, complemented by well-constructed puzzles and a brief but interesting side-story related to Portal 2. However, some players note that the experience can become frustrating and grindy at times.
“The atmosphere is captivating, immersing you in a world that feels alive and engaging.”
“The game's atmosphere is beautifully crafted, enhancing the overall experience with its unique design and sound.”
“Every corner of the game is filled with a rich atmosphere that draws you in and keeps you invested.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game features advertisements, which may impact the overall user experience.
“The game is filled with ads that disrupt the gameplay experience.”
“I can't enjoy the game because of the constant interruptions from advertisements.”
“The monetization strategy relies too heavily on ads, making it frustrating to play.”