Rusty Lake Paradise

About

In Rusty Lake Paradise, Jakob, the son of the deceased island paradise owner, must perform a series of ascension rituals to lift a curse that’s causing deadly fruits and plagues. Each ritual requires solving puzzles that involve the island’s mysterious inhabitants, with unique challenges as you progress. As Jakob, you'll confront dark family secrets while uncovering the paradise island's past, making for a captivating and suspenseful adventure.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,161 reviews

story120 positive mentions

grinding23 negative mentions

Unique and surreal storytelling that captivates players and adds depth to the Rusty Lake lore.
Challenging and varied puzzles that encourage creative thinking and problem-solving.
Beautiful hand-drawn art style and an eerie soundtrack that enhance the overall atmosphere of the game.

Some puzzles can be overly obtuse or frustrating, leading to reliance on walkthroughs.
Repetitive gameplay due to the same locations being revisited for each plague, which can feel tedious.
The story may be confusing or lack coherence for players unfamiliar with the series, making it less accessible.

story
331 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
59%
5%
The story of "Rusty Lake Paradise" is rich and steeped in themes of grief, guilt, and generational haunting, structured around the biblical plagues of Egypt, which serve as a backdrop for puzzle-solving and character exploration. While many players find the narrative compelling and intricately tied to the broader Rusty Lake universe, some note that it can be confusing and vague, requiring familiarity with previous games in the series for full appreciation. Overall, the storytelling is praised for its eerie atmosphere and unique blend of dark humor, though opinions vary on its clarity and coherence.
- “Rich storytelling steeped in grief, guilt, and generational haunting.”
- “The story revolves around returning to your family's home, 'paradise,' after learning of your mother's death.”
- “The story is extremely engaging; you always want to know more about what's happening and why.”
- “The story was very odd and often bordered on gross.”
- “The story is a little more obtuse than I'd like, with just overly bizarre elements.”
- “The story does not make much sense.”
graphics
77 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
56%
4%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the unique and atmospheric art style that aligns with the series' macabre themes. While some players appreciate the simplistic, hand-drawn visuals and their ability to create a creepy ambiance, others criticize the graphics as lacking polish and detail compared to previous installments. Overall, the art style is seen as a defining feature of the game, though opinions vary on its execution and quality.
- “Gorgeous artwork and beautiful music.”
- “A series of creepy, yet charming puzzles, illustrated with a naive, hand-drawn art style that underscores the bizarreness of it all.”
- “Outstanding audio and simplistic yet remarkably expressive graphics drive an incredibly atmospheric experience.”
- “Rusty Lake, please do something about your graphics.”
- “The graphics, not so much.”
- “Artwork looks rushed, with blurry vector lines everywhere.”
atmosphere
67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
33%
4%
The atmosphere of the game is consistently described as eerie, surreal, and unsettling, with many reviewers praising its unique blend of creepy visuals and haunting sound design. The Rusty Lake series is noted for its distinctive style that combines dark themes with humor, creating a memorable and immersive experience. Overall, players appreciate the atmospheric depth that enhances the puzzle-solving elements, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “The atmosphere is eerie and surreal, which is cool, but the plot is both nonsensical and underwhelming.”
- “Outstanding audio and simplistic yet remarkably expressive graphics drive an incredibly atmospheric experience.”
- “Atmosphere is incredible, and the music just cranks up the eerie vibes up to 11.”
- “Mostly because it killed the whole mysterious and eerie atmosphere that creators apparently were trying to set up.”
- “Horror-ish creepy atmosphere with some gruesome and gross images combined with an occult family story running in the background.”
- “Disgusting atmosphere.”
music
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
42%
5%
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its haunting and atmospheric qualities, effectively enhancing the overall experience and complementing the game's eerie themes. Many reviewers noted the unique soundtracks for different levels, particularly appreciating how they align with the game's narrative elements. While some found the music to be a minor aspect in previous titles, this installment is highlighted for its significant contribution to the game's mood and storytelling, making it a standout feature.
- “The soundtrack is phenomenal.”
- “Atmosphere is incredible, and the music just cranks up the eerie vibes up to 11.”
- “The music and sound design are subtle and do not distract you from the game, but add to the oddity and overall creep factor of the game.”
- “There's no music, almost no sound, and there are many screens where you just walk.”
- “Anyhow, this game was a disappointment in general, the story is ridiculous, the soundtrack sounds like it was made by the same guy (even female voices) and the drawings are just not what you expect.”
- “That stupid song you've got to hear the three family members on one of the last days in paradise; there should be a way to skip it.”
gameplay
55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
70%
5%
The gameplay in the Rusty Lake series is characterized by its point-and-click mechanics, featuring a mix of simple yet engaging puzzles that often require players to revisit locations to progress. While many reviews highlight the series' signature blend of intriguing storytelling and artistic style, some players note that the gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks significant innovation compared to previous installments. Overall, the experience is generally enjoyable, with a balance of challenge and relaxation, though some puzzles may frustrate due to their similarity to past games.
- “Discussing the positives, first of all, the game continues to bring a new gameplay experience at the same time as an intriguing story accompanied by a great artistic style like the previous game.”
- “I really appreciated the installment-style gameplay, tons of fun puzzles that are tricky but not frustratingly so, and lots of hidden easter eggs and secrets.”
- “From a purely mechanical standpoint, Rusty Lake Paradise is a fine point-and-click adventure built upon years of refinement.”
- “Good enough but the worst one of the Rusty Lake series in every aspect: gameplay, artwork, story.”
- “Half of your gameplay is literally in silence.”
- “You move through a very small island with less than 10 locations, solving embarrassingly simple puzzles and discovering the secret behind your family, which you actually figure out at minute 10 of gameplay.”
grinding
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
96%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly in relation to the puzzles, which often require multiple rounds and lack engaging complexity. Many reviews highlight the frustration of navigating large maps and the need to revisit levels for achievements, contributing to a sense of monotony. While some appreciate the game's visuals and initial enjoyment, the repetitive nature of the puzzles and clunky navigation detracts from the overall experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
- “The grind is satisfying and offers a real sense of progression.”
- “The puzzles are incredibly tedious, boring, and frustrating.”
- “The puzzles themselves are one-dimensional; once you've solved the first stage of a puzzle, it's just a tedious repetition of the same thing with more pieces.”
- “There are very little instructions for the puzzles, making progress tedious and even frustrating at times when you can't figure out what you're supposed to do for the next step.”
humor
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game series is characterized by a blend of surreal, dark, and bizarre elements that create an engaging and often unintentionally funny experience. Players appreciate the mix of creepy characters, imaginative storytelling, and absurd moments, such as a grandma speaking from a cauldron, which contribute to the game's unique charm. Overall, the humor is described as both entertaining and macabre, making it a standout feature for fans of dark comedy and puzzle games.
- “From the enjoyable puzzles coupled with a solid ambient soundtrack to the high quantity of ridiculous moments that appear unintentionally funny - like the grandma casually talking to you from within a boiling cauldron - I would still recommend this game to point and click puzzle game fans.”
- “The dark humor is fantastic.”
- “The stories are always intriguing, creepy, mysterious, and funny in all the right doses, and I love how you can be halfway into the game and still not be entirely sure of the direction that the game is heading in.”
replayability
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
50%
21%
Players generally find the game highly replayable due to layered achievements that enhance lore and provide additional challenges. Many appreciate the ability to replay individual levels and chapters, which allows for a deeper understanding of the plot and easier completion of achievements. However, some note that certain achievements can feel obscure without guidance, and the game's short length may limit overall replay value.
- “Layered achievements that add extra lore and replay value.”
- “The achievements make this replayable.”
- “Now that I'm more familiar with the plot, I find this episode to have replay value.”
- “Each level was replayable on its own, so getting the achievements was easy if that makes a difference to you, but all the achievements that weren't story-related felt super weird - things I would never have figured out without a guide.”
- “Its only real major drawback is the shortness of the game and replayability.”
- “Is there a ton of replay value?”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of this entry in the Rusty Lake saga is highlighted as one of its most profound, featuring a slower, more meditative tone that fosters deep emotional connections with the characters. Reviewers note its symbolic richness and appeal to players who appreciate creativity and emotional storytelling, culminating in a wholesome family reunion theme.
- “It’s not just the next chapter in the Rusty Lake saga; it’s one of the most emotionally heavy and symbolically rich entries to date.”
- “The tone is slower and more meditative; less bizarre, more emotional.”
- “I'm sure it will appeal to all players who value creativity, unpredictability, and emotional attachment to characters in games.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's stability is marked by occasional bugs and glitches in the movement system, but these issues are generally minor and do not significantly impact the overall gameplay experience.
- “The movement system is a little buggy sometimes.”
- “The game suffers from some weird bugs and glitches that the developer seems to have overlooked.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
100%
The game's optimization has been criticized for failing to deliver consistent frame rates, leading to a performance experience that feels disjointed and unrefined. Users liken the optimization issues to a form of performance art, suggesting a lack of coherence in the game's execution.
- “It's like performance art, serialized fanfiction, or a comic book.”
- “Optimization problem - this one is my favorite - they somehow managed to fail optimizing a game that has no constantly changing frames at all!”
- “Its like performance art, serialized fanfiction, or a comic book.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews highlight that while the graphic art style, including character designs, is visually appealing, there is little emphasis on character development itself. Overall, the focus seems to be more on aesthetics rather than the depth or growth of the characters.
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate disappointment with the monetization aspect, as players expected a more engaging or rewarding experience akin to other games but found it lacking in depth and intrigue.

Buy Rusty Lake Paradise

43h Median play time

29h Average play time

4h Main story

5h Completionist

2-56h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

95%1.8kreviews

Rusty Lake: Roots

2016

Puzzle

92%1.9kreviews

Rusty Lake Hotel

2016

Puzzle

85%1.4kreviews

The White Door

2020

Casual Puzzle

92%3.2kreviews

Cube Escape Collection

2020

Puzzle

96%2.8kreviews

Cube Escape: Paradox

2018

Puzzle

98%2.2kreviews

Underground Blossom

2023

Puzzle

95%8.2kreviews

Samsara Room

2020

Casual Puzzle

95%10kreviews

The Room: Old Sins

2021

Casual Puzzle

94%10kreviews

The Room Two

2016

Puzzle

97%10kreviews

The Room Three

2018

Puzzle

Rusty Lake Paradise Tweets

Rusty Lake Paradise

Platforms

About

Buy Rusty Lake Paradise