Rust

Rust is an online only multiplayer survival game. It can be hard for a beginner to get through the first vital stages after spawning, because not only it is the usual PvE that you might expect from a survival game, it is simultaneously PvP: so a naked newbie, armed only with a rock and a torch could easily come face to face with a full-armed militia-man who is just waiting for the perfect moment for a take-down!

The Game Environment

As mentioned above, you arrive in the area with the bare minimum to get you started, and your first few hours are spent frantically finding resources, crafting and building, all the while keeping an eye on your fragile health. No matter how skilfully you craft, shelter and weapons degrade over time, and your hunger monitor drops steadily. This all makes it hard enough to survive without the other players lurking in the game area, actively trying to help your hunger in finishing you off!

It is possible to avoid other players by heading to an unpopulated part of the map to get yourself established, but even here the game has other ideas. Occasionally an attack helicopter comes along and makes your life tricky, but at others a plane or different kind of helicopter, comes along and drops a box filled with highly desirable goodies.

The aim of this, apart from bringing in some exotic loot, is to draw the scattered players into one spot for some fast, furious and highly challenging PvP battling, the winner of which gets to grab not only the air-drop goods, but any valuables that the other players have painstakingly gathered.

Players can use vehicles that are randomly scattered throughout the landscape. These are great for rapid exploration, but like your hunger, vehicles – which includes boats, air balloons and cars – must be fuelled regularly.

Is There a Safe Space Anywhere?!

There is! The compounds are designated safe trading spots protected by manned (by NPCs) turrets. Anyone betraying the honour code of the compound will be taken down rapidly – and even if they survive, they are marked as hostile to all the NPCs in the surrounds for some time thereafter.

You can also team up with other players – who can randomly decide to help you by giving you surplus supplies, pointing you in the right direction, or simply not killing at the first opportunity. A good (sneaky!) idea is to form alliances with players all over the world in order to always have someone actively playing and maintaining your camp – a cheat for a non-persistent world!

Where to Play

There are three playing zones, and the two alternative zones will require a bit of planning before you head off on a journey of exploration:

Neutral: a temperate zone where you first spawn. The temperatures are mild enough for you to survive naked for a short time, and plants grow readily with the right care

Arctic: An icy waste that might yield up treasures as yet unforeseen – but first you must survive the inclement and unkind conditions! Warm clothing, a ready source of fire/ warmth and food supplies are just the beginning of your planning to take a stroll through this region!

Desert: Having survived the Arctic, head into the constant sunshine and severe lack of potable water than the desert zones have to offer!

While this game might be better suited to combat snatch-and-grabbers than world builders, it is fun and engaged with enough of both modes of play to suit all players. But don’t get too comfortable with your carefully harvested treasures and campsite – every now and then a site wipe knocks you back, clearing all your hard work and resetting the game to give novices a chance!

Rust for PC is available for purchase on Instant Gaming for a fraction of its retail price. You will receive an official key and be able to play the game in seconds. Play smart. Pay less.