Engage in a top-down rhythm puzzle game with a built-in level editor. Unravel the Rat Race mystery, find freedom, and save your fellow test subjects. Evade blasts, lasers, and fallen test subjects. Create, and share unfair level designs with your friends through steam.
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Release Date:
Feb 2, 2024
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Early Access Game

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Note: This Early Access game is not complete and may or may not change further. If you are not excited to play this game in its current state, then you should wait to see if the game progresses further in development. Learn more

What the developers have to say:

Why Early Access?

“Why Early Access? Our goal is to get the game into the hands of players as soon as possible so we can iterate on Rat Race with your feedback. We feel that the current game is at a stable foundational point that we can build some interesting features from.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“Rat Race will be in early access for approximately one to two years.”

How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version?

“We currently plan for the full version of Rat Race to consist of 200 campaign Obstacles (Obs for short)
Better ObEditor features:
- Undo/Redo
- Improved Sequence Editor (chaining multiple obs into one sequence)
- Edit rat parameters for a bundled ob (change rat speed, size, acceleration, turn rate)

Online play:
- Co-op puzzles
- Time trial competitive mode
- S.Q.U.E.A.K. is a game where players must create and beat a single ob that is then sent to the other players. Failure to beat the received level earns the player a letter, like the basketball game "Horse"

Expanded UI and 3d art assets
- A wider variety of tiles, props, and walls
- Rats with hats”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“The current early access version includes 50 obstacles, a built-in level editor, and workshop support. There are currently three types of obstacles: explosion-based, lasers, and combined.”

Will the game be priced differently during and after Early Access?

“Following early access the game's price will be increased.”

How are you planning on involving the Community in your development process?

“Join and message us on our discord server. We welcome all feedback and want to create an awesome game for everyone to enjoy!”
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About This Game

Overview


Take part in one of the most important rat experiments of our time. No, we are not just blowing them up for fun, this is actual science! In Rat Race you control one rat for its remaining life span, attempting to navigate it through a hellish maze of sequenced explosions and lasers. While we have plenty of subjects to spare, try to avoid wasting them* Lead your kind as they scuttle and scurry their way through increasingly difficult explosion patterns, on a journey to discover the purpose behind this madness.

Rat Race includes a built-in level editor for creating/sharing your own levels and campaigns. Our game is directly inspired by the UMS "Bound" maps from a popular sci-fi RTS game in the late 90s. A veteran mapmaker and long-time player within the space designed most of our included levels. This current iteration is the beginning of our vision for a modern Bound game. We are in the process of expanding our art assets and have already implemented basic online play behind the scenes. We plan to create an online elimination game mode code-named S.Q.U.E.A.K. where players create, beat, and then send a map to their competition to beat.

The main motivation behind making this game is to foster a space where players can create and share a wide variety of maps. Additionally, we want to develop this game with community input as a guiding force for what we focus on as we develop. With the game taking place in a 3D space we are eager to introduce new mechanics that would otherwise not be possible in the original 2D implementation of this game mode.

*If you find yourself feeling sympathetic towards the test subjects notify a lab technician immediately

Linux Users


The game is a native Linux app using the Vulkan graphics API. It has most recently been tested against the following distros:

Fedora 39 + Plasma X11 KDE
Linux Mint 21

If you are running Linux and want to let us know how the game is performing please feel free to reach out on our Discord server or community page.

System Requirements

Windows
SteamOS + Linux
    Minimum:
    • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
    • OS: Windows 10
    • Processor: 64-bit processor and operating system
    • Memory: 4 GB RAM
    • Graphics: Nvidia GTX 770 or AMD Equivalent (Shader Model 5.0 Support)
    • DirectX: Version 11
    • Network: Broadband Internet connection
    • Storage: 1 GB available space
    • Additional Notes: DirectX 11+ or Vulkan support required
    Recommended:
    • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
    • OS: Windows 10
    • Memory: 6 GB RAM
    • Graphics: Nvidia GTX 1050 or AMD Equivalent (Shader Model 5.0 Support)
    • DirectX: Version 12
    • Network: Broadband Internet connection
    • Storage: 1 GB available space
    • Additional Notes: DirectX 12 or Vulkan
    Minimum:
    • OS: Any 64-bit OS with Vulkan Support
    • Processor: 64-bit processor and operating system
    • Additional Notes: Vulkan support required
    Recommended:
    • OS: Any 64-bit OS with Vulkan Support
    • Additional Notes: Vulkan support required

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