Players Like...

❤ Puzzle Solving Challenges

Players must fulfill a variety of tasks and puzzles at each of the 7 metro stations to progress through the narrative and uncover the story of Laura Vanderboom's life. The puzzles strike a moderate difficulty balance, challenging players without resorting to excessive complexity or the need for constant use of walkthroughs. Reviewers praise the satisfaction of solving these well-designed puzzles, highlighting the good balance between easier and more challenging problems. Some note that certain puzzles may require more innovative or lateral thinking, occasionally leading to confusion, but overall the puzzle design earns strong reviews.

❤ Narrative Progression through Exploration

The game structures its narrative and progression around the metaphor of traveling through a metro system, with each station representing a different stage or event in Laura's life. Players must solve the puzzles at each station to earn a ticket and board the metro, progressing to the next location. After completing the main story, the ability to freely travel back and forth between stations allows for additional post-game exploration and pursuit of achievements. Reviewers highlight this non-linear post-game experience as a significant source of replay value and depth.

❤ Interactive Feedback and Immersion

The core point-and-click gameplay loop involves closely examining environments, interacting with objects, and combining inventory items to solve puzzles. Reviewers note that the game provides clear feedback, with indicators to help players recognize when they have discovered new clues or progressed the story. Some suggest the game could benefit from additional visual or dialogue cues to help players identify when they have exhausted all interactive options in a given area, as this was a common source of frustration when getting stuck. Reviewers also praise the strong atmospheric and immersive qualities, highlighting the contributions of audio, visuals, and environmental storytelling in creating the eerie, mysterious ambiance of the Rusty Lake universe. The attention to detail in the game's environments and the sense of progression through Laura's life stages further draw players into the experience.