Jutsu Games is a Warsaw studio, which has already made its first success - the game 911 Operator , in which we handle emergency calls. Now, however, the developers intend to play for a much higher stake and announce Rustler , a medieval GTA in which we play the role of a petty thief.
The production is much closer to the classic, first parts of the Rockstar Games series. We watch the (anti) hero from an isometric projection and, just like in GTA, we steal horses, start fights and devastate other property. However, everything has been adapted to the medieval realities – for crimes we are chased not by the police but by the guards (although also when signaled), and we equip ourselves with crossbows and swords.
Although the version that was made available to me was not very impressive yet, especially in terms of content, it shows great production potential. Especially in the context of total destruction and incorrectness. The creators approached their adaptation very creatively. In a medieval city, we will even come across pedestrian crossings (made of arranged bright breaths) and road signs, also appropriately adapted. In addition, the game does not lack references to RPGs, pop culture, and completely original jokes.
Rustler is also just nice – the graphics are kept in a nice style, somewhat reminiscent of Darkest Dungeons . In addition, the map has been prepared very carefully and there is no shortage of realistic details – in the form of barrels and crates placed here and there, or in laundry hanging on the fence.
The production is climatically a bit like the dark side of The Witcher 3 . We definitely feel Slavic inspirations in the game, and we accumulate our wealth in the “Polish zloty”. The more I am curious what it will be possible to spend this penny on. Maybe pimping a horse? Strong drinks? Courtesans? Gambling?
I also very much hope that over time, the creators will introduce the possibility of entering some buildings, the interiors of which – unlike the original – we will be able to see. Such a modernized adaptation would also come in handy for steering. This is because when we try to steer the horse, it is not intuitive, especially in combination with the camera going crazy at the buildings. I understand the references, unfortunately many younger or just less advanced players may be put off by them.
What has definitely transferred well is the “rollout potential”. In this matter, the developers gave the player complete freedom – at any time we can set aside the main task for free gameplay: stealing horses or blowing up and hitting every person we meet.
Despite the initial skepticism caused, inter alia, by crashing against walls while leading a horse, Rustler looks really interesting and can gain quite a group of fans. It is both a solid recreation of the GTA series and well reflects the medieval atmosphere. Especially the latter feature may appeal to fans of fantasy games or even darker literary series under the banner of Polish fantasy.
We would like to thank Game Operators for making the game pre-alpha available for testing.
