Rusty Lake: An Underground Train of Life Adventures
It feels as if it were just yesterday that developer Rusty Lake astounded us with its incredibly inventive cooperative puzzler, The Past Within. Now, the studio is back to reveal its next thrilling adventure, Underground Blossom, which is set to arrive later this year.
To this day, Rusty Lake has launched 16 games under the banners of Rusty Lake and Cube Escape. Some are fully-fledged premium offerings, while others are free-to-play companion pieces. These games expertly blend casual point-and-click puzzles and room-escape-style conundrums into a captivatingly sinister and narratively intertwined saga that chronicles the lives of the Vanderboom family.
Just like the developer’s recent titles, the newly announced Underground Blossom drops the Rusty Lake name but remains firmly situated in its expansive universe. This time, it takes players on a journey through the Rusty Lake underground system, delving into the life and memories of Laura Vanderboom, who was first introduced in Cube Escape: Seasons.
“Traverse from station to station, with each metro stop representing a fragment of Laura’s past and future,” explains developer Rusty Lake. “Solve a variety of puzzles, find the correct metro to board, and uncover one of Laura’s timelines. Simultaneously, assist her in making sense of her life and escaping the corruption of her mind!”
There is currently no specific release date for Underground Blossom, but it is slated to come to Steam and mobile in “late summer” this year. A demo is already available. And if you haven’t yet embarked on the Rusty Lake and Cube Escape saga, now is the ideal time to dive in. As the series commemorates its eighth anniversary this week, the entire collection is currently on discount on Steam.
The nine-game Cube Escape Collection can be acquired for £1.99, while the more substantial Rusty Lake games range in price from 79p to £2.99 for last year’s outstanding and Eurogamer Recommended title, The Past Within. Typically, I would suggest the beautiful and unexpectedly touching Rusty Lake: Roots as an excellent starting point. However, at their current bargain prices, as a huge fan, it’s difficult not to recommend simply purchasing them all.
