Temple of Rust

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"Temple of Rust" is a action-packed game set in a post-apocalyptic world where you, as a rebel, fight against evil powers and sabotage militant corporations. With a central hub called the camp, you can choose between two characters and undertake procedurally generated levels filled with random boots and ammunition. The game features a traveling merchant and special upgrades to help you create powerful attack combinations.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Co-Op Team up with friends to complete levels or missions together
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

Reviews

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 77 reviews

gameplay6 positive mentions

monetization2 negative mentions

The game has a cozy atmosphere and is fun to play, with interesting progression mechanics.
The art style is appealing, and the combat is fast-paced, requiring both melee and ranged attacks for effective gameplay.
The developer shows commitment to improving the game, and there is potential for it to become a great title with future updates.

The game feels incomplete and lacks a clear storyline or purpose, making it hard for players to stay engaged.
Controls can be clunky and unintuitive, especially with the reliance on a controller and the lack of aim assist for ranged attacks.
Gameplay can become repetitive quickly due to limited enemy variety and mechanics, leading to a lack of rewarding progression.

gameplay
17 mentions
35 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
18 % negative mentions
The gameplay is described as having a solid foundation with smooth mechanics and a visually appealing design, though it suffers from some imprecision in shooting and a lack of enemy variety, leading to repetitive experiences. While the dodge mechanic is noted as wonky and menu navigation awkward due to control changes, players find that practice enhances enjoyment, particularly with the sling weapon. Overall, the game shows potential for improvement and may appeal to those who appreciate retro-style gameplay, especially since it is free to try.
- “After a little practice, you'll know the mechanics of the game and it becomes more fun with each level.”
- “The mechanics are pretty smooth - I like the mechanic of the sling as a weapon.”
- “It's got great art and gameplay, though, and I recommend everyone tries it out as it's free.”
- “So careful with the 'dodge' mechanic in this game; it is on the wonky side.”
- “Unfortunately, changing the gameplay controls also changes the menu controls, which makes navigating the menus incredibly awkward.”
- “Not a whole lot of variety in the enemies, and the gameplay soon becomes repetitive and stale.”
graphics
11 mentions
36 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
27 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a retro pixel art style that some players appreciate for its nostalgic charm, while others find it lacking compared to modern standards. Many users express enthusiasm for the unique art style and potential for improvement, noting that it adds a fun and engaging aesthetic to the gameplay. Overall, the graphics evoke a sense of early 2000s indie games, with a mix of admiration and a desire for future enhancements.
- “I love the art style of the characters and the world; can't wait to see what this game becomes once fully done.”
- “The game has lots of potential to be a great game, and its art style is very nice to look at, as it has its unique aesthetics.”
- “Very fun, love the art style!”
- “They chose to use obsolete retro pixel art as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
- “The graphics evoke a time of early 2000s indie where it was just a guy on a Geocities account and you downloaded the .exe.”
- “It does not have any graphics to it either, so there is 100% no way to tell if it is working properly or not.”
story
7 mentions
43 % positive mentions
14 % neutral mentions
43 % negative mentions
The game's story is criticized for its lack of depth and coherence, with reviewers noting it feels more like a proof of concept than a fully realized narrative. While there are some elements of a storyline and character interactions in the hub, the overall plot is underdeveloped, relying on repetitive procedural generation rather than meaningful content.
- “The hub is a great way to forward the story with other characters.”
- “Levels are best when they add some story at the beginning of the game.”
- “You had a couple of ideas and an engine that was not too hard to learn, but that was it all... no story, no bigger concept, no vision.”
- “Until now, only a few chunks of a storyline.”
- “The developer was unable to come up with decent level design or game/story flow/plot, so they opted to try to use samey repetitive procedural generation algorithms as a substitute for adding content to the game.”
music
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The music in "Temple of Rust" features a nostalgic 80s soundtrack that enhances the cozy rogue-like experience, though it is limited in quantity. While the existing music is well-received, the lack of background music and minimal sound effects detracts from the overall audio experience.
- “Temple of Rust is a nice cozy roguelike with a decent touch of an 80s soundtrack, featuring challenging difficulty and randomly generated levels.”
- “What little music is there is good, and the sound effects do the work.”
- “Sound effects and music take a while to implement and create, so don't count on there being a lot of those.”
- “Spinning slowly, or quickly, no background music is a big minus.”
monetization
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization of the game is viewed critically, with users noting that while it is partially free, it still feels like a cash grab typical of low-effort titles made with GameMaker Studio. There is a call for improvements to enhance the overall gaming experience.
- “Very often, GameMaker Studio is used to make shovelware and lazy cash grabs, although in this case, the game is partially free.”
- “I really, really honestly wanted to write a good review to help you get better advertising on Steam, but there's a lot of work needed to make this a fun game.”
atmosphere
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
-100 % neutral mentions
150 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is generally well-received, with beautiful sprites contributing to a visually appealing experience. However, some players feel that it lacks an engaging quality that would draw them in immediately, making it a mixed bag in terms of overall immersion.
- “The sprites are beautiful and the atmosphere is great; I love the look of this game.”
- “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, making it hard to get immersed in the game world.”
- “Despite some interesting elements, the overall atmosphere lacks depth and fails to create a compelling experience.”
- “I found the atmosphere to be quite dull; it didn't evoke any strong emotions or sense of adventure.”
grinding
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and unengaging, citing a lack of variety with only two enemy types and a big spider, along with uninspired weapons and poor sound design, leading to an overall un-fun experience.
- “Boring, with only two enemy types and a big spider. The weapons are uninteresting, the sound design is horrid, making it an un-fun and tedious experience.”
- “The grinding feels endless and repetitive, with little reward for the time invested.”
- “It becomes a chore rather than a challenge, as the same tasks are repeated over and over without any real progression.”
character development
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Reviewers note a significant lack of character development in the game, comparing it unfavorably to classic action RPGs from the 80s, which featured more engaging progression, goals, and rewards. The absence of these elements detracts from the overall experience.
- “If you're old enough to remember Gateway to Apshai or any one of those action RPG games from the 80s, it's a lot like one of those except there's no character development, no goal, far fewer monsters, and almost no treasures to find.”
- “The character development feels incredibly shallow, leaving me with little to no attachment to the characters or their journeys.”
- “I was expecting a rich narrative with deep character arcs, but instead, I found a lack of meaningful growth and progression.”
humor
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Reviewers highlight that the game's humor and creativity stand out, proving that a strong comedic element can significantly enhance the experience, even in projects with limited resources or smaller teams.
- “The humor and creativity in this game can really make a difference, especially when you're not working with a large budget or a big team.”
- “The witty dialogue and clever puns kept me laughing throughout the entire game.”
- “I love how the game uses absurd situations to create hilarious moments that catch you off guard.”