Release date set for WAR RATS: The Rat em Up

Back at the beginning of smartphone gaming, it seemed like there were a few categories of games that stood above the rest. One of these categories was the famed 2D side-scroller one-lane MOBA. Basically, the player would have to fend off waves of enemies using their own troops while playing as a hero-type character. Some notable examples include Army of Darkness: Defense and Cartoon Wars. Now, the solo-dev Brian Murphy, also known as WootusArt, is breathing life into the genre with his upcoming game: WAR RATS: The Rat em Up.

Set to be released April 22nd, WAR RATS takes place in the world of Ratopia, where rats are the only form of life and where the “The Great Rat War” is raging on. The player will fight alongside their fellow rat soldiers to fend off the hivemind cyborg TechnoRat armies, recruiting new troops and upgrading your gear along the way. The ultimate goal is to take back all of Ratopia from your enemies, one district at a time, until you take their HQ. 

WAR RATS combines many genres, as it’s a 2D side-scroller, looter-shooter, MOBA-lite with RPG and rogue-like elements and base building to boot. There’s also plenty of gore to harken back to '90s gaming. Players must leverage their allies to ensure their success in taking over the enemy’s base, as fighting alone will yield poor results. Manage your army and call in allies at strategic times to turn the tide of the battle. Upgrade your base with defenses, shrines, and resource generators to bolster against the approaching tide of enemy rats. If you find yourself overrun and fall in combat, then worry not, because the game’s rogue-like progression will give you an edge in the next go-around. 

All of the art in WAR RATS is hand-drawn by Brian. The two factions have clashing themes, with the occult energies of the player’s faction harshly yet fantastically contrasting the technological monstrocities of the TechnoRat armies. The game was also directly inspired by Kingdom: New Lands and the Precinct Assault mode from Future Cop: LAPD. 

The creator of the game, Brian Murphy, worked as an artist in the video game industry for nine years before being made redundant in 2024. After searching for another job, he decided to have a go at making his own game with concepts and designs that he has spent years creating. 

Check out the trailer for WAR RATS: The Rat em Up, here. For more indie news, stay tuned to GamingTrend.