Developers make a wide variety of open-world crime games, but somehow no one has delivered on the concept of a Grand Theft Auto game with something other than cars. Developer Jutsu games released an Early Access version of its new game Rustler on Steam this week. And that game takes the GTA concept and replaces vehicles with god’s most beautiful and deadly creature: the horse.
Rustler is available now for $25.
I’ve played a chunk of the game, and you can watch some of those exploits in the video at the top of the page. But my quick impression is that the game delivers what it promises. It reminds me of Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, but with a lot more horse.
The setting is actually medieval, which means you have plenty of castle guards to fend off. And it enables you to split up your time between a bustling town and the open countryside.
And while all of that works well, the game also nails that GTA-style irreverence. Knights ride horses with red and blue flashing lights on their heads. You can drop off your horse in clearly marked modern parking spots. And walls are covered in spray paint. That sense of humor gives it an edge that helps keep things fresh and fun.
But if that doesn’t sound like your thing, you could always stop to tend your farm and plow your fields.