Rust Console Edition (Xbox one/Xbox Series X|S)

Game description:

Rust is a multiplayer survival video game developed by Facepunch Studios. It was first released in early access in December 2013 and received its full release in February 2018. Rust is available on Windows and macOS. Console versions for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One developed in conjunction with Double Eleven were released in May 2021. Rust was initially created as a clone of DayZ, a popular mod for ARMA 2, with crafting elements akin to those in Minecraft.

Gameplay:

As a multiplayer-only video game, Rust pits players against each other in a harsh, open world environment with the sole goal of survival. Animals, such as wolves and bears, act as a looming threat, but the primary danger comes from other players. Most maps are procedurally generated, with the exception of some pre-built maps. When beginning, a player only has a rock and a torch. The rock can cut down trees, break apart stones, and be used as a weapon. Cloth and food can be gathered by killing animals; mining provides stone, metal ore, and sulfur ore; and chopping down trees provides wood. To survive in the world, the player must gather resources and use them to craft tools, weapons, and other gear. To craft items, the player must have a sufficient amount of all required materials, with advanced items needing more obscure components scattered around the map. There are limitations imposed on the amount of craftable items, with blueprints allowing the creation of more advanced items.

Game review:

Rust is an aggressively competitive survival game that thrives on conflict and trash talk. Other games are better at the individual components, like DayZ for the tense player interactions, Fortnite for the battle royale mode, or Subnautica for the survival gameplay, but Rust blends lesser versions of all three together in a way that works. For competitive players who want a mix of survival and crafting, Rust is the best there is; for everyone else, there are plenty of other games.