Veteran anime writer Gen Urobuchi is teaming up with visual novel game developer Nitroplus and Chinese publishing giant NetEase onRusty Rabbit, a zany 2.5D Metroidvania game.Rusty Rabbittells the story of a bunny named Stamp and their trusty mech, known as Junkster. Together, the two traverse the perilous Smokestack Mountain as they meet members of a rag-tag crew of rabbits known as the BBs.
With a 15-year history of anime writing under his belt, working on projects likeFate/ZeroandPsycho-Pass, shifting to making a video game must have been no easy feat. Game Rant sat down withRusty Rabbitcreator Gen Urobuchi, who discussed the game’s origins, what development was like in the early stages, and some of the 2.5D action platformer’s narrative elements and game mechanics.This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Shifting to Rusty Rabbit Required a Fresh Start
Q: Nitroplus has a long history of making visual novel games. How will that experience factor into Rusty Rabbit’s story and perhaps conversations with the different characters?
A: I first worked on avisual novelover 15 years ago, and since then I had been exclusively writing scripts for anime. So for this project, I had to return to the basics and write through trial and error, almost like starting from scratch.
Q. The BBs are a motley crew of characters players will encounter in Rusty Rabbit. Are any of them inspired by characters from your previous projects?
A: The BBs were a spontaneous creation for me. They weren’t part of the original concept but were added during development to explain stage mechanics. Due to the tight supervision schedule, I had to rewrite their entire story in a short time, which naturally pushed them toward more comical characterizations.
Q. Rusty Rabbit features a place in the game named the Brass Village that’s home to characters such as a diner waitress, a parts shop owner, and a priest, among others. Does this village serve as a sort of hub area and, if so, why did you feel it was important to include a hub in Rusty Rabbit?
A: In the initial mock-up I created, there was only a parts shop. But as we moved toward productization, we needed to significantly expand the game’s volume. That’s when we introduced the village, which serves as ahubfor various added elements.
Rusty Rabbit Began as a Passion Project
Q: The game’s concept is quite out there. What was the creative process behind coming up with Smokestack Mountain, the protagonist Stamp’s story, and the world of Rusty Rabbit in general?
A: Originally, this was a personal project—something I was making in my spare time as a Unity game-building exercise. The story and world were added out of my habit as a script writer, and they include many of my personal musings. That’s one major difference from other projects that are designed for release from the start.
Q: What made you want to make a 2.5D sidescroller game? Why such a big departure from visual novels?
A: As I mentioned earlier, it all began as a personal challenge—to try building a platform action game inUnity. It started purely as a hobby.
Q: The game features different types of stages, like a factory and a plant biome. What are some of the key differences between them in terms of their visual aesthetics, but also with regard to environmental gameplay mechanics they both might offer?
A: The original mock was quite simple in gameplay, so to increase its depth, Chime (developer) proposed a variety of stage gimmicks that add strategic elements to each level. The final game turned out to be far more dynamic and enjoyable than I had imagined, and I’m very pleased with the result.
Rusty Rabbit’s Story Commits to Stamp and Junkster
Q: Will Rusty Rabbit feature different mechs players can use, or will they only be using and upgrading Stamp’s Junkster mech? If the latter, why did you commit to a single mech?
A: Without giving away too many story spoilers, I can say this game is not only Stamp’s story—it’s also the story of Junkster. Junkster is Stamp’s one and only companion throughout the game, and I hope players will discover the reason for that bond as they play through the adventure.
Q: How did you verify each of the boss fights in Rusty Rabbit are different enough from each other? Which is your favorite?
A: Ourbosseshave a strange charm—they’re scary, but also a bit lovable. Their attacks are tied closely to stage gimmicks, which I think will give players a fun strategic challenge. Personally, I’m a fan of the octopus.
Q: Were there any major hiccups or roadblocks in Rusty Rabbit’s development? What did you learn from them?
A.There were moments during development when miscommunication within our newly formed team led to major setbacks and reworks. It made me realize just how important it is to constantly check whether your intentions are being accurately conveyed.
Q: Do you feel compelled to make more 2.5D action sidescrollers like Rusty Rabbit in the future, or will you go back to visual novels? Perhaps a mix of both?
A:Game development demands a different kind of trial and error compared to novels oranime, and the more I dive in, the more fascinated I become. I still feel there’s vast room for creative freedom beyond the boundaries of existing formats, and I’d love to keep taking on new challenges in game development.
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