Rust: Console Edition is coming soon to consoles and I’ve been fortunate enough to play the game early. I’ve wandered the wastelands and I’m here to tell you how my adventure went.
Update: May 21st – The full review is through here.
First of all, this isn’t a full review. That’ll come at a later date. Secondly, there’s a disclaimer I have to mention. I played Rust: Console Edition on PS5. The review kit I received stated that Rust: Console Edition has been optimised for PS4 and Xbox One, not PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. That said, the performance on PS5 was far superior to the performance on PS4 Pro. On PS5, the game ran really well at 60fps. On PS4 Pro, the frame rate was unstable and walking forward felt like my character had an elastic band around their waist, pulling them back every few seconds, never allowing full speed for more than a couple of seconds. Bear in mind, the game will be updated before and after release, so this could change, but as it stands, I’ll be playing Rust on PS5 going forward.
Rust: Console Edition is a separate entity from the PC version of Rust. You won’t be playing with PC players but there is cross-platform support for PlayStation and Xbox players, which is nice.
It’s worth noting that Rust: Console Edition is an online-only game. You will need an online connection to play and you’ll need an active PlayStation Plus membership to play online. Without either, you’ll have nothing. Mind you, I doubt you’d be able to buy the game without an internet connection…
So, my first hour. How did it go? Not amazingly well, to be honest. I “woke up” in the game almost naked and with nothing but a rock and a wooden torch to my name. Ordinarily, I’d call that a good night in Amsterdam, but in Rust, it’s dangerous. On one occasion after dying, I spawned, woke up (again, with the same basic gear) and I was promptly killed by a bear. It was after the sixth or seventh death and rebirth that I wished the game would be just a little bit more lenient and maybe at least give me a gun or something. But that is Rust for you. It’s brutal and you need to adapt quickly to survive. I adapted… slowly… very slowly…
Exploring the island you’re able to find bits and bobs that you can use to craft useful stuff. So if you can get some wood, you can build a simple mallet. If you can get your hands on some fibres, you can make clothes, and so on. It’s not always easy to tell what the icons in the inventory menu mean, mind you, so it was a good 45 minutes until I managed to get some pants on my character.
Most of my time was spent mooching around trying to find something to do. Somebody to talk to, or even to fight with. Just, anything. I did come across some scientists and they were less than friendly. They either killed me in person with their guns, which I’m very jealous of, or their massive automatic turrets caught me unawares. The scientists are not friendly, then. But why are they there? Well, the island is full of radiation zones and if you should wander into an area that’s irradiated, you’ll get radiation poisoning which will deplete your health. An easy fix is to wear some clothes, but as I said, I spent my first 45 minutes in my bra and knickers (I was a female) so I was stung with the nuclear juice a few times.
I did eventually meet a human and I was happy to see that they were in as dire a situation as I was. They were also in their undies and they didn’t seem to have any decent kit with them. Good stuff. I asked them, using the radial menu, if they were friendly. They said they were so I told them to follow me.
I’d made a friend and I was going to keep this friend for – nah, I was going to lead this poor fucker to his death. I made him follow me towards an area I knew to be overlooked by a scientist turret. I was going to let him run ahead and watch him get mown down, all for my own jollies. I had a change of heart, though, and instead, I decided to try and cave his head in with a rock. It didn’t work and I tried to throw the rock at him, but I missed and he ran away. I gave him a couple of messages through the radial menu and let him go. Our origin story was complete and we would now be sworn enemies set to battle each other over and over again. At least that’s what I thought, but then the idiot came back. He stood in front of me, so I clobbered him round the head with my wooden torch. He fell to the ground. I had the option of helping him up or finishing him off. The origin story was also to be the big finale. I smacked him around the face again and then tea-bagged him because I’m an actual man-child.
My next encounter with a fellow human would come after another death. I’d respawned in a different location and it was to my benefit. In this area, I came across loads of hemp, which I used to make clothes. I mined some metal ore and collected some other shiny stuff, but I also came across the dead body of another player. The area had a nicely built up fortress and it was my guess that the builder and owner of that fortress was also the killer. I decided to make tracks and get the hell away.
I wandered and wandered until I eventually came across another human player. This guy looked like he knew what he was doing though, and I was a little anxious. Did he have better weapons than me? Would he be friendly, or would he slay me where I stood? Using the radial menu, I asked if he was friendly and if I could join him. He didn’t reply. Instead, he carried on his work. He was collecting wood and stone, so I set about doing the same. Mirroring his actions would show that I’m not a threat. That’s a tip straight from The Nard Dog. Thanks, Andy.
I followed this chap around for a while and he seemed to not mind. In fact, his turning around to face me and then jumping was a clear sign that he was friendly and wanted my company. I followed the guy to his base. It was nice but I didn’t go inside. Instead, we took off down the way a little where he had a hut already built, minus a door. He crafted the door onto the opening and signalled that I should go inside, so I did.
And that was my first hour in Rust: Console Editon. I woke up. I died. I woke up again. I got eaten by a bear. I woke up. I explored. I made a friend. I killed a friend. I explored. I found a body. I found weed. I made clothes. I made a new friend. I gained a home. But did I have fun? I don’t really know. I definitely need to spend more time in the game to explore the possibilities, to learn the mechanics, and to get myself out of my tiny hut and build myself an elaborate fortress. Because right now, I think I’m somebody’s bitch.
Rust: Console Edition releases May 21st, 2021 for PS4 and Xbox One.
Disclaimer: This preview was carried out using a code provided by the publisher.
