As it approaches its ninth anniversary, the latest patch for Facepunch Studios' open-world title Rust has started rolling out, which comes with plenty of and quality-of-life improvements. When it was first released, Rust quickly went down as one of the most brutal survival games of its time, a reputation it still holds to this day. Its unforgiving landscape and trigger-happy player base means that newcomers often have a difficult time making it through the first few nights.
As if the game wasn't difficult enough, the September update for Rust came with a hardcore mode. Luckily, that's only optional, but there's bound to be some fans out there with a slightly more sadistic lean who would relish the opportunity to make things even more punishing. The developer is consistently putting out patches to the tune of one major update per month, as well as smaller weekly ones, and players should begin to see the latest one rolling out now.
This particular update sees Rust getting more than 90 "improvements and fixes," with another one coming on December 11 to celebrate the game turning nine years old. That update will add a birthday cake and hats for one day only. Other implementations in this patch include tweaks to the UI scaling, increasing the HP of armored doors, a "debris system" to make things more fair for raiders, QoL changes to combat, and many more. Many will recall that "casino" cabooses were implemented in the previous update, and there's now been a static train caboose added to the outpost.
Originally launching in early access back in 2013, the full version of the game was released in February 2018, with the PS4 and Xbox One versions of Rust coming out in May 2021. Since it launched, the title has enjoyed a steady stream of players. Its brutal gameplay is likely what draws a lot of people, as they struggle to survive not only against other players on the server, but also the very land itself, which is fraught with dangerous animals. For anyone who hasn't played, the crux of the game is to stay alive for as long as possible, gathering resources for food and shelter, but also building weapons and exploring the land.
It's much easier when playing with others, but sole survivors have access to many Rust guides and tips to improve their chance of success. Newcomers especially may need all the help they can get, as there's nothing more challenging than waking up with no clothes on a strange island and discovering just a rock and an unlit torch as starting items.
Rust is available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Source: Steam